OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
SPECS
VS AVERAGE
REVIEWS
Scored using Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0: technical specifications plus authentic consumer ratings, with 0% commercial bias.
Explore Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0

JBL Charge Essential 2 Review | 130 Data compared

Avg. price:~£70Audio output power:40.00 WBattery life:20 hoursIP rating:IPX7Bluetooth version:5.1Weight:930 g

JBL Charge Essential 2 Review: Compare 130 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Portable Speakers category and whether it is worth buying.

JBL Charge Essential 2
7.1/10

Overall score

Score
7.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of products in the Portable Speakers category, based on technical analysis and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference for identifying the best products in the Portable Speakers category.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▲ Better than 74% of models
Score components

80%

6.6

Technical score

20%

9.2

User score

▲Better than 74% of portable speakers
8.0

Value for money

Value for money
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the overall score of products in the Portable Speakers category with their prices.
When it matters
When you are comparing products in the Portable Speakers category and want a good balance between quality and price.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▲ Better than 82% of models
Score components

70%

7.1

Overall score

30%

10

Price

▲Better than 82%
6.6

Technical score

Technical score
6.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Portable Speakers category across these key areas: Audio, Connectivity, Battery, Durability, Controls, Design, Smart features.
When it matters
When you want to compare products in the Portable Speakers category by technical performance, specifications, and available features.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▲ Better than 52% of models
Score components

32%

6.2

Audio

20%

8.5

Battery

18%

7.3

Durability

16%

5.8

Connectivity

8%

3.8

Controls

3%

8.4

Design

3%

4.2

Smart features

▲Better than 52%
9.2

User score

User score
9.2/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
★ Better than 91% of models
Score components

70%

9.4

User ratings

30%

8.8

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
★Better than 91%
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Where to buy
*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Technical Specifications of portable speaker JBL Charge Essential 2

Technical score
Technical score
6.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Portable Speakers category across these key areas: Audio, Connectivity, Battery, Durability, Controls, Design, Smart features.
When it matters
When you want to compare products in the Portable Speakers category by technical performance, specifications, and available features.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▲ Better than 52% of models
Score components:

32%

6.2

Audio

20%

8.5

Battery

18%

7.3

Durability

16%

5.8

Connectivity

8%

3.8

Controls

3%

8.4

Design

3%

4.2

Smart features

6.6
User score
User score
9.2/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
★ Better than 91% of models
Score components

70%

9.4

User ratings

30%

8.8

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
9.2
Popularity
Popularity
8.8/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you prefer products in the Portable Speakers category that have been chosen and reviewed by many other buyers.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▲ Better than 85% of models
Popularity:
JBL Charge Essential 2 has a popularity score of 8.8 points, which is higher than 84.9% of products in this category.
8.8
Value for money
Value for money
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the overall score of products in the Portable Speakers category with their prices.
When it matters
When you are comparing products in the Portable Speakers category and want a good balance between quality and price.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▲ Better than 82% of models
Score components:

70%

7.1

Overall score

30%

10

Price

8.0
Audio output power
40 W
Market range: <4 W – >100 W
This portable speaker has an audio output power of 40 W which is higher than that of 70.1% of portable speakers and equal to that of 4.7% of portable speakers.
Driver unit size
52 mm
Market range: <38 mm – >101 mm
This portable speaker has a driver unit size of 52 mm which is larger than that of 55.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 4.9% of portable speakers.
Number of drivers
2
Market range: <0 – >5
This portable speaker has 2 drivers, which is more than 24.5% of portable speakers and equal to the number in 45.5% of portable speakers.
Frequency response tolerance
?
Lowest frequency
60 Hz
Market range: <20 Hz – >120 Hz
This portable speaker has a lowest frequency of 60 Hz which is lower than that of 43.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 9.2% of portable speakers.
Show more
Bluetooth connectivity
yes
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio. 5.4% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Bluetooth version
5.1
Market range: <3 – >5.3
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth version 5.1 which is newer than that of 70.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 4.8% of portable speakers.
Maximum Bluetooth range
10 m
Market range: <10 m – >30 m
This portable speaker has a maximum Bluetooth range of 10 m which is longer than that of 4.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 70.2% of portable speakers.
Bluetooth profiles supported
A2DP; AVRCP
Bluetooth LE Audio
no
This portable speaker does not support Bluetooth LE Audio. 2.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
Battery life
20 hours
Market range: <6 hours – >24 hours
This portable speaker has a battery life of 20 hours which is longer than that of 80.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 7.3% of portable speakers.
Battery capacity
7,500 mAh
Market range: <900 mAh – >6.6k mAh
This portable speaker has a battery capacity of 7,500 mAh which is larger than that of 91.7% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.7% of portable speakers.
Charging time
4 hours
Market range: <2 hours – >5 hours
This portable speaker has a charging time of 4 hours which is longer than that of 67% of portable speakers and equal to that of 19.3% of portable speakers.
Maximum charging input power
15 W
Market range: <5 W – >30 W
This portable speaker has a maximum charging input power of 15 W which is higher than that of 73.6% of portable speakers and equal to that of 9.5% of portable speakers.
Built-in rechargeable battery
yes
This portable speaker has a built-in rechargeable battery. 18.7% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
IP rating
IPX7
This portable speaker has an IP rating of IPX7 which provides better ingress protection than 47.6% of portable speakers and the same ingress protection as 25.2% of portable speakers.
Water resistance
yes
This portable speaker is water resistant. 38.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Dust resistance
?
Waterproof depth rating
1 m
Market range: <0 m – >1 m
This portable speaker has a waterproof depth rating of 1 m which is deeper than that of 52.6% of portable speakers and equal to that of 47.4% of portable speakers.
Drop resistance
no
This portable speaker lacks an impact-resistance rating. 32.8% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
On-device controls placement
top; front
Touchscreen
no
This portable speaker does not have a touchscreen. 0.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Smartphone app control
no
This portable speaker does not support smartphone app control. 54% of portable speakers offer this feature.
No compatible mobile app for speaker control.
Remote control
no
This portable speaker does not include a remote control. 15% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Fast pairing
no
This portable speaker does not support fast pairing. 22.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
Weight
930 g
Market range: <200 g – >5.6k g
This portable speaker weighs 930 g which is heavier than that of 54.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.3% of portable speakers.
Height
9.6 cm
Market range: <5.79 cm – >29 cm
This portable speaker has a height of 9.6 cm which is shorter than that of 63.5% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.2% of portable speakers.
Width
22 cm
Market range: <7.6 cm – >37 cm
This portable speaker has a width of 22 cm which is wider than that of 62.6% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.6% of portable speakers.
Depth
9.34 cm
Market range: <4.3 cm – >19.97 cm
This portable speaker has a depth of 9.34 cm which is deeper than that of 57.5% of portable speakers.
Carry options
none
Show more
Companion app name
?
Firmware updates
no
This portable speaker does not support firmware updates. 47.2% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Firmware update method
OTA; App
Voice assistant support
no
This portable speaker does not support voice assistants. 26.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Spotify Connect
no
This portable speaker does not support Spotify Connect. 10.8% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more

JBL Charge Essential 2 vs the average portable speaker

246810TotalAudioConnectivityBatteryDurabilityControlsDesignSmart features
  • 4,900 mAh more battery capacity
    This portable speaker has a larger battery capacity than the average portable speaker (7,500 mAh vs 2,600 mAh).
    7,500 mAh vs 2,600 mAh
  • 1 m deeper waterproof rating
    This portable speaker has a deeper waterproof depth rating than the average portable speaker (1 m vs 0 m).
    1 m vs 0 m
  • 8 hours longer battery life
    This portable speaker has a longer battery life than the average portable speaker (20 hours vs 12 hours).
    20 hours vs 12 hours
  • 1 more multipoint connections
    This portable speaker has more multipoint connections than the average portable speaker (2 vs 1).
    2 vs 1
  • 20 W more audio output power
    This portable speaker has more audio output power than the average portable speaker (40 W vs 20 W).
    40 W vs 20 W
  • Has a power bank function
    This portable speaker has a power bank function, while the average portable speaker does not have a power bank function.
  • 1 more USB ports
    This portable speaker has more USB ports than the average portable speaker (2 vs 1).
    2 vs 1
  • Has a USB Type-C port
    This portable speaker has a USB Type-C port, while the average portable speaker does not have a USB Type-C port.
    Has a physical USB-C port.
  • 15.3% higher user score
    User score
    9.2/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
    When it matters
    When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
    Score distribution
    ▼
    ▼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    JBL Charge Essential 2
    the average portable speaker
    JBL Charge Essential 2 has a higher user score than the average portable speaker (9.22 vs 8).
    9.22 vs 8
  • 2.09x more popular
    JBL Charge Essential 2 is more popular than the average portable speaker (8.81 vs 4.21).
    8.81 vs 4.21
  • 5.8% better value for money
    JBL Charge Essential 2 offers better value for money than the average portable speaker (7.98 vs 7.5).
    7.98 vs 7.55
  • 20 W more audio output power
    This portable speaker has more audio output power than the average portable speaker (40 W vs 20 W).
    40 W vs 20 W
  • 2 mm larger main driver
    This portable speaker has a larger main driver than the average portable speaker (52 mm vs 50 mm).
    52 mm vs 50 mm
  • 1 more multipoint connections
    This portable speaker has more multipoint connections than the average portable speaker (2 vs 1).
    2 vs 1
  • 1 more USB ports
    This portable speaker has more USB ports than the average portable speaker (2 vs 1).
    2 vs 1
  • Has a USB Type-C port
    This portable speaker has a USB Type-C port, while the average portable speaker does not have a USB Type-C port.
    Has a physical USB-C port.
  • 0.1 Bluetooth levels newer
    This portable speaker has a newer Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (5.1 vs 5).
    5.1 vs 5
  • 4,900 mAh more battery capacity
    This portable speaker has a larger battery capacity than the average portable speaker (7,500 mAh vs 2,600 mAh).
    7,500 mAh vs 2,600 mAh
  • 8 hours longer battery life
    This portable speaker has a longer battery life than the average portable speaker (20 hours vs 12 hours).
    20 hours vs 12 hours
  • Has a power bank function
    This portable speaker has a power bank function, while the average portable speaker does not have a power bank function.
  • 5 W higher charging input power
    This portable speaker has higher charging input power than the average portable speaker (15 W vs 10 W).
    15 W vs 10 W
  • 1 m deeper waterproof rating
    This portable speaker has a deeper waterproof depth rating than the average portable speaker (1 m vs 0 m).
    1 m vs 0 m
  • Better ingress protection
    This portable speaker has better ingress protection than the average portable speaker (IPX7 vs IPX5).
    IPX7 vs IPX5
  • 5 °C higher maximum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a higher maximum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (45 °C vs 40 °C).
    45 °C vs 40 °C
  • 1 fewer microphones
    This portable speaker has fewer microphones than the average portable speaker (0 vs 1).
    0 vs 1
  • Does not support smartphone app control
    This portable speaker does not support smartphone app control, while the average portable speaker supports smartphone app control.
    No compatible mobile app for speaker control.
  • 1 hours longer charging time
    This portable speaker has a longer charging time than the average portable speaker (4 hours vs 3 hours).
    4 hours vs 3 hours
  • Does not have a 3.5 mm AUX input
    This portable speaker does not have a 3.5 mm AUX input, while the average portable speaker has a 3.5 mm AUX input.
    No built-in 3.5 mm AUX input.
  • Does not support stereo pairing
    This portable speaker does not support stereo pairing, while the average portable speaker supports stereo pairing.
  • Does not support True Wireless Stereo
    This portable speaker does not support True Wireless Stereo, while the average portable speaker supports True Wireless Stereo.
  • 5 °C higher minimum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a higher minimum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (5 °C vs 0 °C).
    5 °C vs 0 °C
  • 3.9 cm wider
    This portable speaker is wider than the average portable speaker (22 cm vs 18.1 cm).
    22 cm vs 18.1 cm
  • 1 fewer microphones
    This portable speaker has fewer microphones than the average portable speaker (0 vs 1).
    0 vs 1
  • Does not have a 3.5 mm AUX input
    This portable speaker does not have a 3.5 mm AUX input, while the average portable speaker has a 3.5 mm AUX input.
    No built-in 3.5 mm AUX input.
  • 1 hours longer charging time
    This portable speaker has a longer charging time than the average portable speaker (4 hours vs 3 hours).
    4 hours vs 3 hours
  • 5 °C higher minimum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a higher minimum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (5 °C vs 0 °C).
    5 °C vs 0 °C
  • Does not support smartphone app control
    This portable speaker does not support smartphone app control, while the average portable speaker supports smartphone app control.
    No compatible mobile app for speaker control.
  • Does not support stereo pairing
    This portable speaker does not support stereo pairing, while the average portable speaker supports stereo pairing.
  • Does not support True Wireless Stereo
    This portable speaker does not support True Wireless Stereo, while the average portable speaker supports True Wireless Stereo.
  • 3.9 cm wider
    This portable speaker is wider than the average portable speaker (22 cm vs 18.1 cm).
    22 cm vs 18.1 cm

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

H
hifi.de
01/11/2023
Summary of the review
JBL Charge Essential 2 review: Is it a good budget alternative to the Charge 5?
(Translated)Show original
L
leclaireur.fnac.com
16/09/2023
Summary of the review
JBL Charge Essential 2 Lab Test: A Balanced and Powerful Speaker
(Translated)Show original
K
kieskeurig.nl
2023
Summary of the review
JBL Charge Essential 2 - Bluetooth Speaker | Kieskeurig.nl
(Translated)Show original
D
dehetbeste.nl
10/02/2026
Summary of the review
JBL Charge Essential 2 Bluetooth Review 2026 | Buy or Not?
(Translated)Show original

Third-party reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
Reviews last updated: August 2026 · How we calculate this

What customers like about JBL Charge Essential 2

  • Impressive overall sound quality with clear highs and mid-range audio
  • Deep, powerful bass due to dual passive radiators
  • Excellent battery life offering up to 20 hours of playback at moderate volumes
  • Highly durable and compact design that is easy to carry on vacations or outdoor trips
  • IPX7 waterproof rating making it ideal for beach, pool, or shower use
  • Convenient built-in power bank functionality to charge smartphones and other USB devices
  • Quick and seamless Bluetooth pairing that maintains a stable connection

What customers don't like about JBL Charge Essential 2

  • No compatibility with the official JBL mobile app for custom EQ adjustments
  • Lacks multi-speaker pairing support to create a stereo setup or connect with PartyBoost speakers
  • Battery drains significantly faster when played continuously at maximum volume
  • Lacks dustproofing protection compared to higher-end models
  • No built-in microphone for hands-free speakerphone calls
  • Missing legacy features like a 3.5mm auxiliary audio jack, micro SD card slot, or USB playback

Verdict

The JBL Charge Essential 2 is a portable Bluetooth 5.1 speaker delivering 40W RMS of total output power through a 52mm x 90mm woofer (30W), a 20mm tweeter (10W), and dual passive radiators, covering a frequency response of 60Hz to 20kHz. Its primary advantages include a robust IPX7 waterproof rating, a substantial 7500mAh lithium-ion battery providing up to 20 hours of continuous music playback with a 4-hour recharge time, and a integrated USB-A power bank feature to charge external mobile devices. On the downside, the speaker lacks a built-in microphone for speakerphone calls, features no auxiliary 3.5mm or micro SD input, cannot link with other speakers for stereo pairing due to the omission of JBL PartyBoost technology, and has no official mobile app support for custom EQ adjustments.

Compare JBL Charge Essential 2 with other products in the Portable Speakers category

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