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 Clip 5 Review | 130 Data compared

Avg. price:~£55Audio output power:7.00 WBattery life:12 hoursIP rating:IP67Bluetooth version:5.3Weight:285 g

JBL Clip 5 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 Clip 5
7.2/10

Overall score

Score
7.2/ 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
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

80%

6.6

Technical score

20%

9.6

User score

â–²Better than 78% 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
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

7.2

Overall score

30%

10

Price

â–²Better 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
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

32%

5.6

Audio

20%

5.6

Battery

18%

9.1

Durability

16%

6.1

Connectivity

8%

8.3

Controls

3%

9.3

Design

3%

5.3

Smart features

â–²Better than 54%
9.6

User score

User score
9.6/ 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
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

9.4

User ratings

30%

10

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
★Better than 98%
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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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Portable Speakers model ranking

Ranked #233 of 1,316 models in Portable Speakers (Overall score)

Technical Specifications of portable speaker JBL Clip 5

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
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components:

32%

5.6

Audio

20%

5.6

Battery

18%

9.1

Durability

16%

6.1

Connectivity

8%

8.3

Controls

3%

9.3

Design

3%

5.3

Smart features

6.6
User score
User score
9.6/ 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
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

9.4

User ratings

30%

10

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
9.6
Popularity
Popularity
10/ 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
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Popularity:
JBL Clip 5 has a popularity score of 10 points, which is higher than 92% of products in this category.
10
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
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components:

70%

7.2

Overall score

30%

10

Price

8.0
Audio output power
7 W
This portable speaker has an audio output power of 7 W which is lower than that of 76.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.7% of portable speakers.
Driver unit size
45 mm
This portable speaker has a driver unit size of 45 mm which is smaller than that of 60.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 8.6% of portable speakers.
Number of drivers
1
This portable speaker has 1 drivers, which is fewer than 75.6% of portable speakers and equal to the number in 24.4% of portable speakers.
Frequency response tolerance
?
Lowest frequency
95 Hz
This portable speaker has a lowest frequency of 95 Hz which is higher than that of 82.2% of portable speakers.
Show more
Bluetooth connectivity
yes
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio. 5.4% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Bluetooth version
5.3
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth version 5.3 which is newer than that of 78.7% of portable speakers and equal to that of 17.6% of portable speakers.
Maximum Bluetooth range
10 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
?
Show more
Battery life
12 hours
This portable speaker has a battery life of 12 hours which is longer than that of 47.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 15.7% of portable speakers.
Battery capacity
1,400 mAh
This portable speaker has a battery capacity of 1,400 mAh which is smaller than that of 79.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 1% of portable speakers.
Charging time
3 hours
This portable speaker has a charging time of 3 hours which is shorter than that of 35.5% of portable speakers and equal to that of 35.1% of portable speakers.
Maximum charging input power
5 W
This portable speaker has a maximum charging input power of 5 W which is lower than that of 58.7% of portable speakers and equal to that of 38.5% 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
IP67
This portable speaker has an IP rating of IP67 which provides better ingress protection than 80% of portable speakers and the same ingress protection as 19.1% of portable speakers.
Water resistance
yes
This portable speaker is water resistant. 38.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Dust resistance
yes
This portable speaker is dust resistant. 48.6% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Waterproof depth rating
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
?
Show more
On-device controls placement
side; front
Touchscreen
no
This portable speaker does not have a touchscreen. 0.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Smartphone app control
yes
This portable speaker supports smartphone app control. 46.1% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Compatible mobile app provides speaker control or settings.
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
285 g
This portable speaker weighs 285 g which is lighter than that of 82.1% of portable speakers.
Height
13.45 cm
This portable speaker has a height of 13.45 cm which is taller than that of 53.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.1% of portable speakers.
Width
8.63 cm
This portable speaker has a width of 8.63 cm which is narrower than that of 83.5% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.1% of portable speakers.
Depth
4.6 cm
This portable speaker has a depth of 4.6 cm which is shallower than that of 86.1% of portable speakers and equal to that of 1.3% of portable speakers.
Carry options
strap/handle
Show more
Companion app name
JBL Portable
Firmware updates
yes
This portable speaker supports firmware updates. 52.9% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Supports user-accessible firmware updates.
Firmware update method
?
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 Clip 5 vs the average portable speaker

246810TotalAudioConnectivityBatteryDurabilityControlsDesignSmart features
  • Better ingress protection
    This portable speaker has better ingress protection than the average portable speaker (IP67 vs IPX5).
    IP67 vs IPX5
  • 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
  • Provides 360-degree sound
    This portable speaker provides 360-degree sound, while the average portable speaker does not provide 360-degree sound.
    Provides omnidirectional 360° sound radiation.
  • 1 more multipoint connections
    This portable speaker has more multipoint connections than the average portable speaker (2 vs 1).
    2 vs 1
  • 4 more EQ presets
    This portable speaker has more EQ presets than the average portable speaker (4 vs 0).
    4 vs 0
  • Has an equalizer
    This portable speaker has an equalizer, while the average portable speaker does not have an equalizer.
    Offers user-selectable EQ, tone adjustment, or sound presets.
  • Supports Auracast
    This portable speaker supports Auracast, while the average portable speaker does not support Auracast.
  • 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.
  • 19.7% higher user score
    User score
    9.6/ 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
    â–¼
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    JBL Clip 5
    the average portable speaker
    JBL Clip 5 has a higher user score than the average portable speaker (9.58 vs 8).
    9.58 vs 8
  • 2.38x more popular
    JBL Clip 5 is more popular than the average portable speaker (10 vs 4.21).
    10 vs 4.21
  • 6.6% better value for money
    JBL Clip 5 offers better value for money than the average portable speaker (8.05 vs 7.5).
    8.05 vs 7.55
  • Provides 360-degree sound
    This portable speaker provides 360-degree sound, while the average portable speaker does not provide 360-degree sound.
    Provides omnidirectional 360° sound radiation.
  • 5 dB higher signal-to-noise ratio
    This portable speaker has a higher signal-to-noise ratio than the average portable speaker (85 dB vs 80 dB).
    85 dB vs 80 dB
  • 1 more multipoint connections
    This portable speaker has more multipoint connections than the average portable speaker (2 vs 1).
    2 vs 1
  • Supports Auracast
    This portable speaker supports Auracast, while the average portable speaker does not support Auracast.
  • 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.
  • 0.3 Bluetooth levels newer
    This portable speaker has a newer Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (5.3 vs 5).
    5.3 vs 5
  • 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.
  • Better ingress protection
    This portable speaker has better ingress protection than the average portable speaker (IP67 vs IPX5).
    IP67 vs IPX5
  • 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
  • 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
  • 4 more EQ presets
    This portable speaker has more EQ presets than the average portable speaker (4 vs 0).
    4 vs 0
  • Has an equalizer
    This portable speaker has an equalizer, while the average portable speaker does not have an equalizer.
    Offers user-selectable EQ, tone adjustment, or sound presets.
  • Supports party mode
    This portable speaker supports party mode, while the average portable speaker does not support party mode.
    Supports synchronized multi-speaker party/group playback.
  • 515 g lighter
    This portable speaker is lighter than the average portable speaker (285 g vs 800 g).
    285 g vs 800 g
  • 9.47 cm narrower
    This portable speaker is narrower than the average portable speaker (8.6 cm vs 18.1 cm).
    8.63 cm vs 18.1 cm
  • 3.7 cm shallower
    This portable speaker is shallower than the average portable speaker (4.6 cm vs 8.3 cm).
    4.6 cm vs 8.3 cm
  • Supports firmware updates
    This portable speaker supports firmware updates, while the average portable speaker does not support firmware updates.
    Supports user-accessible firmware updates.
  • 5 newer
    This portable speaker was released more recently than the average portable speaker (2024 vs 2019).
    2024 vs 2019
  • 1 fewer microphones
    This portable speaker has fewer microphones than the average portable speaker (0 vs 1).
    0 vs 1
  • 35 Hz less deep bass extension
    This portable speaker has less deep bass extension than the average portable speaker (95 Hz vs 60 Hz).
    95 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • 1,200 mAh less battery capacity
    This portable speaker has a smaller battery capacity than the average portable speaker (1,400 mAh vs 2,600 mAh).
    1,400 mAh vs 2,600 mAh
  • 13 W less audio output power
    This portable speaker has less audio output power than the average portable speaker (7 W vs 20 W).
    7 W vs 20 W
  • 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.
  • 5 W lower charging input power
    This portable speaker has lower charging input power than the average portable speaker (5 W vs 10 W).
    5 W vs 10 W
  • 1 fewer speaker drivers
    This portable speaker has fewer speaker drivers than the average portable speaker (1 vs 2).
    1 vs 2
  • 5 mm smaller main driver
    This portable speaker has a smaller main driver than the average portable speaker (45 mm vs 50 mm).
    45 mm vs 50 mm
  • 1 fewer microphones
    This portable speaker has fewer microphones than the average portable speaker (0 vs 1).
    0 vs 1
  • 35 Hz less deep bass extension
    This portable speaker has less deep bass extension than the average portable speaker (95 Hz vs 60 Hz).
    95 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • 13 W less audio output power
    This portable speaker has less audio output power than the average portable speaker (7 W vs 20 W).
    7 W vs 20 W
  • 1 fewer speaker drivers
    This portable speaker has fewer speaker drivers than the average portable speaker (1 vs 2).
    1 vs 2
  • 5 mm smaller main driver
    This portable speaker has a smaller main driver than the average portable speaker (45 mm vs 50 mm).
    45 mm vs 50 mm
  • 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.
  • 1,200 mAh less battery capacity
    This portable speaker has a smaller battery capacity than the average portable speaker (1,400 mAh vs 2,600 mAh).
    1,400 mAh vs 2,600 mAh
  • 5 W lower charging input power
    This portable speaker has lower charging input power than the average portable speaker (5 W vs 10 W).
    5 W vs 10 W

Video reviews

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

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

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howtogeek.com
04/06/2024
Summary of the review
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pocket-lint.com
21/06/2024
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rtings.com
15/08/2024
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techradar.com
14/08/2024
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basic-tutorials.com
30/08/2024
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whatgadget.net
08/08/2024
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packhacker.com
03/03/2025
Summary of the review
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soundguys.com
10/04/2025
Summary of the review
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seniorebiker.substack.com
02/12/2025
Summary of the review
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stereoguide.com
08/06/2024
Summary of the review
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stereoguide.de
07/06/2024
Summary of the review
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hifi.de
14/08/2024
Summary of the review
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techtest.org
14/08/2024
Summary of the review
C
computerbild.de
14/09/2024
Summary of the review
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stereo.de
10/08/2025
Summary of the review
L
lesnumeriques.com
26/07/2024
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leclaireur.fnac.com
03/09/2024
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F
fwd.nl
26/06/2024
Summary of the review
C
coolesuggesties.nl
04/09/2024
Summary of the review
T
techpulse.be
23/10/2024
Summary of the review

Third-party reviews

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

What customers like about JBL Clip 5

  • Ultra-portable, compact, and lightweight design making it easy to carry
  • Redesigned, wider built-in carabiner clip that easily attaches to bags, belts, and bikes
  • Excellent IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating for safe outdoor and shower use
  • Surprisingly loud sound and punchier bass compared to its predecessor (Clip 4)
  • Upgraded battery life providing up to 12 hours of playtime (plus an optional Playtime Boost)
  • Added Auracast multi-speaker pairing support and customizable 5-band EQ settings via the JBL Portable app

What customers don't like about JBL Clip 5

  • Audio loses fidelity and can sound distorted, crowded, or shrill at maximum volume
  • Lacks deep low-end bass or stereo separation due to its physical size and mono playback design
  • Battery life drains significantly faster (dropping to around 6 hours) when played at higher volumes
  • Cannot be used as a speakerphone because it lacks a built-in microphone
  • Requires installing the companion app to unlock basic features like the EQ and stereo pairing
  • Cannot stand upright on its own without being clipped or laid flat on its back

Verdict

The JBL Clip 5 is an ultra-portable Bluetooth 5.3 speaker featuring a 1.75-inch driver that delivers 7 watts of output power and a dynamic frequency response of 95 Hz - 20 kHz. Its main characteristics include an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating, a redesigned integrated carabiner with a wider opening, and support for the JBL Portable app with a customizable 5-band EQ alongside Auracast multi-speaker pairing. The speaker excels with an impressive battery life of up to 12 hours (extendable by 3 hours using Playtime Boost), lightweight portability at 0.628 lbs, and clear, punchy sound directivity. However, it lacks a microphone for speakerphone functionality, cannot play native stereo content standalone, and suffers from a lack of low-bass depth accompanied by compression at higher volumes.

Compare JBL Clip 5 with other products in the Portable Speakers category

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