I tested the JBL Xtreme 5 vs JBL Xtreme 4: It’s closer than I thought

Upon its release in 2024, the JBL Xtreme 4 instantly positioned itself as one of the best Bluetooth speakers ever made. Well, now the JBL Xtreme 5 is here, so it got me thinking: Can JBL top near-perfection?

I’m not going to answer that right away — magicians don’t reveal their secrets at the start of the show, do they? — but I am going to give you some hints. The Xtreme 5 comes with a smattering of changes, both big (literally) and small. Surprisingly, the Xtreme 5 has grown a few inches in both length and girth, gained a few pounds, and acquired a semi-drunken light show, kind of like me at Christmas.

But those extra pounds aren’t for nothing. The Xtreme 5 is, pardon the pun, xtremely loud. And bassy. And ferocious. When I was testing the speaker in my apartment and in the local park, I worried I’d get a few noise complaints. I didn’t, but if that’s the kind of speaker you’re after, you’ll want to keep reading to figure out if you should buy the JBL Xtreme 5 or JBL Xtreme 4.

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JBL Xtreme 5 vs JBL Xtreme 4: Specs compared

JBL Xtreme 5 vs JBL Xtreme 4: Price

The JBL Xtreme 4 launched in 2024 with an MSRP of $379. You can buy it on Amazon right now, still for that launch price of $379. Comparatively, the JBL Xtreme 5 launched at $399, available on Amazon.

I was disappointed to see this 5% price increase over the previous model. The Go 5 launched on the same day as the Xtreme 5 with a $5 increase, which works out to 10%. I suppose we should be glad the Xtreme 5 didn’t get this 10% increase, but $20 is noticeable.

As the Xtreme 4 is now the older model, we should start seeing great discounts. I’m not sure when said discounts will kick in, but keep your eyes peeled as we approach major sales events like Black Friday.

Winner: JBL Xtreme 4.

JBL Xtreme 5 vs JBL Xtreme 4: Design

As you can see from the ‘Specs compared’ section above, the Xtreme 5 is considerably larger than the Xtreme 4. I’m not entirely sure why JBL did this, as the brand already has the Boombox 3, which is 19 inches long and weighs 14.7 pounds. As the Xtreme 5 is 13.6 inches long and 6.4 pounds, it’s still a lot smaller than the Boombox, but it’s also a lot bigger than the previous model.

The whole “point” of the Xtreme line is boombox performance without boombox size. Yes, it’s not quite boombox size, but every little helps, right? When I unboxed the Xtreme 5, the first thing I thought was, “Oh darn, that’s bigger.” If you already thought the Xtreme 4 was too big, then I don’t think the 5 will be for you either. For seriously portable speakers, you might want to check out the Flip 7 or Charge 6, just 1.8 and 2.7 pounds, respectively.

This extra weight has its advantages: The Xtreme 5 is louder, bassier, and more durable than its predecessor. You’re looking at an IP68 rating, the highest durability rating a speaker can get. Essentially, this means it can be buried in sand, thrown in the ocean, dropped from a great height, and will still keep the party going. You won’t find a more rugged speaker.

Speaking of ruggedness, both the Xtreme 4 and 5 have the durable carry strap for traversing across beaches, parks, deserts, mountains, and wherever you might want to take this speaker.

Controls are just as straightforward on either speaker: you’ve got some nice tactile buttons on the speaker body for play, pause, volume, and AuraCast.

Last but not least, there are two built-in LED strips. Yes, the Xtreme 5 keeps the party going in sound and also vibes. You can adjust the light color and style in the JBL Portable app. This light show isn’t as extravagant as, say, the Tribit StormBox Blast 2, but it’s still fun.

Even though the 4 is considerably lighter and more portable than the 5, I’m going to give the 5 the win. It’s literally the most durable speaker you can buy, and it has lights.

Winner: JBL Xtreme 5.

JBL Xtreme 5 vs JBL Xtreme 4: Features

As the Xtreme 4 and 5 are both party speakers, you’ll be pleased to know they both come locked and loaded with AuraCast. If you ever find yourself at a party with multiple AuraCast speakers, you’ll be able to sync them up using JBL’s ‘PartyTogether’. I found this very straightforward to set up in the JBL Portable app: the speakers just knew what they were doing and sorted themselves out.

The Xtreme 5 also comes with Bluetooth 6.0, which provides a decent range for outdoor usage. I was able to get out of my apartment and a little down the street before the speaker disconnected.

The Xtreme 5 has ‘PartyBoost’, which is effectively a battery longevity mode. The Xtreme 4 doesn’t have this. With PartyBoost, the sound quality decreases slightly, but you can squeeze an extra four hours of playtime. You win some, you lose some, right?

As the 5 has PartyBoost, I’m giving this win to the newer model.

Winner: JBL Xtreme 5.

JBL Xtreme 5 vs JBL Xtreme 4: Sound quality

Both the Xtreme 5 and Xtreme 4 are characterized by loud, propulsive bass. If you want to soundtrack your house parties, pool parties, beach parties, or anything in between, I think you’d get on just fine with either speaker. However, the Xtreme 5 just ekes out the win, and let me tell you why.

Because of its size, the Xtreme 5 has a more expansive, wider sound that reaches every corner of your house.

Because of its size, the Xtreme 5 has a more expansive, wider sound that reaches every corner of your house. When I played ‘REAL MOVE TOUCH’ by Confidence Man, the bass pummeled through the Xtreme 5 like an uncontrollable conflagration intent on setting the dancefloor alight.

This isn’t to say the Xtreme 4 performed badly — not in the slightest — but, as the 5 has those extra two inches over the 4, you’ve naturally got more width.

Similarly, when I played ‘All I Am’ by Ninajirachi, the Xtreme 5 made the song feel bigger and bolder. The bass pounded through my desk without overpowering the female vocals.

In contrast, the Xtreme 4 had a little less bass and more roughness in the treble. Please don’t think the Xtreme 4 sounds bad, because it sounds frankly divine, but the Xtreme 5 is just so darn near perfection.

I also played ‘Artificial Angels’ by Grimes, which is another party-ready electronic track. The glitchy, crawling bassline and frenetic synths stole the show on the Xtreme 5, compounded by the mesmerizing LED light show.

I really can’t fault the Xtreme 5 — it’s the best party speaker I’ve ever tested.

Winner: JBL Xtreme 5.

JBL Xtreme 5 vs JBL Xtreme 4: Battery

This is an objective win: the Xtreme 5 is going to scoop this round. As the Xtreme 4 has 24 hours of battery life and the Xtreme 5 boasts 28 (with PartyBoost), I can’t really do anything but name the 5 the champion here.

Winner: JBL Xtreme 5.

JBL Xtreme 5 vs JBL Xtreme 4: Verdict

I love the JBL Xtreme 5. It’s one of my favorite speakers of all time, and it’s definitely the “best” party/outdoor Bluetooth speaker you can get right now.

However, if you’ve already got an Xtreme 4 and you’re considering upgrading, I think you should stick with your 4. Sure, the improvements are nice — lights, better sound, and more durability — but are they worth $400 when you already have a $380 speaker? Although the Xtreme 5 won every round, as you can see from the ratings scorecard, the results were closer than I’d predicted.

But if you don’t have a party speaker and you’re considering it, then you should 100% get the Xtreme 5. It’s the best new speaker on the market.

JBL Xtreme 5 vs JBL Xtreme 4: Ratings scorecard

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