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Scored using Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
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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 Partybox On The Go Essential Review | 130 Data compared

Avg. price:~£310Audio output power:100.00 WBattery life:6 hoursIP rating:IPX4Bluetooth version:4.2Weight:6100 g

JBL Partybox On The Go Essential 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 Partybox On The Go Essential
7.3/10

Overall score

Score
7.3/ 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
â–² Better than 81% of models
Score components

80%

6.8

Technical score

20%

9.1

User score

â–²Better than 81% of portable speakers
7.8

Value for money

Value for money
7.8/ 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
â–² Better than 68% of models
Score components

70%

7.3

Overall score

30%

8.9

Price

â–²Better than 68%
6.8

Technical score

Technical score
6.8/ 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
â–² Better than 66% of models
Score components

32%

7.8

Audio

20%

5.8

Battery

18%

7.3

Durability

16%

5.8

Connectivity

8%

7.6

Controls

3%

4.1

Design

3%

6.1

Smart features

â–²Better than 66%
9.1

User score

User score
9.1/ 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
â–² Better than 89% of models
Score components

70%

9.4

User ratings

30%

8.2

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
â–²Better than 89%
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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 Partybox On The Go Essential

Technical score
Technical score
6.8/ 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
â–² Better than 66% of models
Score components:

32%

7.8

Audio

20%

5.8

Battery

18%

7.3

Durability

16%

5.8

Connectivity

8%

7.6

Controls

3%

4.1

Design

3%

6.1

Smart features

6.8
User score
User score
9.1/ 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
â–² Better than 89% of models
Score components

70%

9.4

User ratings

30%

8.2

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
9.1
Popularity
Popularity
8.2/ 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
â–² Better than 79% of models
Popularity:
JBL Partybox On The Go Essential has a popularity score of 8.2 points, which is higher than 79.2% of products in this category.
8.2
Value for money
Value for money
7.8/ 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
â–² Better than 68% of models
Score components:

70%

7.3

Overall score

30%

8.9

Price

7.8
Audio output power
100 W
Market range: <4 W – >100 W
This portable speaker has an audio output power of 100 W which is higher than that of 88.7% of portable speakers and equal to that of 3.1% of portable speakers.
Driver unit size
?
Number of drivers
3
Market range: <0 – >5
This portable speaker has 3 drivers, which is more than 70.1% of portable speakers and equal to the number in 11.5% of portable speakers.
Frequency response tolerance
?
Lowest frequency
50 Hz
Market range: <20 Hz – >120 Hz
This portable speaker has a lowest frequency of 50 Hz which is lower than that of 59.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 9.1% of portable speakers.
Show more
Bluetooth connectivity
yes
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio. 5.4% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Bluetooth version
4.2
Market range: <3 – >5.3
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth version 4.2 which is older than that of 53.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 17.8% 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
6 hours
Market range: <6 hours – >24 hours
This portable speaker has a battery life of 6 hours which is shorter than that of 84.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 7.3% of portable speakers.
Battery capacity
2,500 mAh
Market range: <900 mAh – >6.6k mAh
This portable speaker has a battery capacity of 2,500 mAh which is smaller than that of 51.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 3% of portable speakers.
Charging time
3 hours
Market range: <2 hours – >5 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
?
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
IPX4
This portable speaker has an IP rating of IPX4 which provides worse ingress protection than 77.7% of portable speakers and the same ingress protection as 21% of portable speakers.
Water resistance
yes
This portable speaker is water resistant. 38.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Dust resistance
no
This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant. 51.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Waterproof depth rating
?
Drop resistance
yes
This portable speaker resists accidental impacts. 67.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
On-device controls placement
top
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
6,100 g
Market range: <200 g – >5.6k g
This portable speaker weighs 6,100 g which is heavier than that of 91.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.1% of portable speakers.
Height
?
Width
49 cm
Market range: <7.6 cm – >37 cm
This portable speaker has a width of 49 cm which is wider than that of 97.7% of portable speakers.
Depth
22.8 cm
Market range: <4.3 cm – >19.97 cm
This portable speaker has a depth of 22.8 cm which is deeper than that of 92.1% of portable speakers.
Carry options
strap/handle/shoulder
Show more
Companion app name
?
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 Partybox On The Go Essential vs the average portable speaker

246810TotalAudioConnectivityBatteryDurabilityControlsDesignSmart features
  • 80 W more audio output power
    This portable speaker has more audio output power than the average portable speaker (100 W vs 20 W).
    100 W vs 20 W
  • 1 more multipoint connections
    This portable speaker has more multipoint connections than the average portable speaker (2 vs 1).
    2 vs 1
  • 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.
  • Resists accidental impacts
    This portable speaker resists accidental impacts, while the average portable speaker lacks an impact-resistance rating.
  • 8 dB SPL higher maximum sound pressure
    This portable speaker has a higher maximum sound pressure level than the average portable speaker (100 dB SPL vs 92 dB SPL).
    100 dB SPL vs 92 dB SPL
  • 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 speaker drivers
    This portable speaker has more speaker drivers than the average portable speaker (3 vs 2).
    3 vs 2
  • 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.
  • 13.1% higher user score
    User score
    9.1/ 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 Partybox On The Go Essential
    the average portable speaker
    JBL Partybox On The Go Essential has a higher user score than the average portable speaker (9.05 vs 8).
    9.05 vs 8
  • 80 W more audio output power
    This portable speaker has more audio output power than the average portable speaker (100 W vs 20 W).
    100 W vs 20 W
  • 8 dB SPL higher maximum sound pressure
    This portable speaker has a higher maximum sound pressure level than the average portable speaker (100 dB SPL vs 92 dB SPL).
    100 dB SPL vs 92 dB SPL
  • 1 more speaker drivers
    This portable speaker has more speaker drivers than the average portable speaker (3 vs 2).
    3 vs 2
  • 10 Hz deeper bass extension
    This portable speaker has deeper bass extension than the average portable speaker (50 Hz vs 60 Hz).
    50 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • 7,600 Hz higher microphone frequency limit
    This portable speaker has a higher microphone frequency limit than the average portable speaker (15,000 Hz vs 7,400 Hz).
    15,000 Hz vs 7,400 Hz
  • 35 Hz deeper microphone bass response
    This portable speaker has deeper microphone bass response than the average portable speaker (65 Hz vs 100 Hz).
    65 Hz vs 100 Hz
  • 1 more multipoint connections
    This portable speaker has more multipoint connections than the average portable speaker (2 vs 1).
    2 vs 1
  • Has a microphone input
    This portable speaker has a microphone input, while the average portable speaker does not have a microphone input.
    Has a physical external microphone input.
  • 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.
  • Includes a power adapter
    This portable speaker includes a power adapter, while the average portable speaker does not include a power adapter.
  • Resists accidental impacts
    This portable speaker resists accidental impacts, while the average portable speaker lacks an impact-resistance rating.
  • 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
  • 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.
  • Supports playback mute
    This portable speaker supports playback mute, while the average portable speaker does not support playback mute.
    Speaker playback audio can be directly muted.
  • Includes a travel bag
    This portable speaker includes a travel bag, while the average portable speaker does not include a travel bag.
  • Is not rated as dust resistant
    This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant, while the average portable speaker is dust resistant.
  • 6 hours shorter battery life
    This portable speaker has a shorter battery life than the average portable speaker (6 hours vs 12 hours).
    6 hours vs 12 hours
  • 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.
  • 5,300 g heavier
    This portable speaker is heavier than the average portable speaker (6,100 g vs 800 g).
    6,100 g vs 800 g
  • Worse ingress protection
    This portable speaker has worse ingress protection than the average portable speaker (IPX4 vs IPX5).
    IPX4 vs IPX5
  • 0.8 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (4.2 vs 5).
    4.2 vs 5
  • 30.9 cm wider
    This portable speaker is wider than the average portable speaker (49 cm vs 18.1 cm).
    49 cm vs 18.1 cm
  • 14.5 cm deeper
    This portable speaker is deeper than the average portable speaker (22.8 cm vs 8.3 cm).
    22.8 cm vs 8.3 cm
  • 3.44x more expensive
    JBL Partybox On The Go Essential is more expensive than the average portable speaker (£310 vs £90).
    £310 vs £90
  • 0.8 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (4.2 vs 5).
    4.2 vs 5
  • 6 hours shorter battery life
    This portable speaker has a shorter battery life than the average portable speaker (6 hours vs 12 hours).
    6 hours vs 12 hours
  • 100 mAh less battery capacity
    This portable speaker has a smaller battery capacity than the average portable speaker (2,500 mAh vs 2,600 mAh).
    2,500 mAh vs 2,600 mAh
  • Is not rated as dust resistant
    This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant, while the average portable speaker is dust resistant.
  • Worse ingress protection
    This portable speaker has worse ingress protection than the average portable speaker (IPX4 vs IPX5).
    IPX4 vs IPX5
  • 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.
  • 5,300 g heavier
    This portable speaker is heavier than the average portable speaker (6,100 g vs 800 g).
    6,100 g vs 800 g
  • 30.9 cm wider
    This portable speaker is wider than the average portable speaker (49 cm vs 18.1 cm).
    49 cm vs 18.1 cm
  • 14.5 cm deeper
    This portable speaker is deeper than the average portable speaker (22.8 cm vs 8.3 cm).
    22.8 cm vs 8.3 cm

Video reviews

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

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

L
leclaireur.fnac.com
27/09/2023
Summary of the review
JBL PartyBox On-The-Go V2 Review: The Ultimate Karaoke Speaker
(Translated)Show original
L
leclaireur.fnac.com
23/10/2021
Summary of the review
JBL ON THE GO V2 Lab Test: an excellent speaker, both powerful and musical
(Translated)Show original
G
gadgetgear.nl
08/01/2022
Summary of the review
Partybox On-The-Go; speaker portable fun GadgetGear.nl
(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 Partybox On The Go Essential

  • Powerful 100W sound output with strong, deep bass boost options
  • Comes with high-quality wireless microphones featuring adjustable vocal settings
  • IPX4 splashproof rating makes it durable for outdoor use, beaches, and pool parties
  • Highly portable design equipped with robust carry handles and a padded shoulder strap
  • Features multiple versatile inputs including Bluetooth, USB, auxiliary, and a dedicated guitar jack
  • Fun, synchronized dynamic light show built into the woofer to create an instant party atmosphere

What customers don't like about JBL Partybox On The Go Essential

  • Short real-world battery life, often lasting significantly less than the advertised 6 hours at higher volumes
  • Noticeable drop in maximum loudness and bass performance when operating on battery power versus plugged into an outlet
  • Lacks support for the official JBL PartyBox companion app, preventing remote tuning or custom lighting control
  • Quite heavy and bulky to transport for long distances despite the included shoulder strap
  • Front-firing bass reflex ports limit the ability to increase bass depth by placing the speaker against a wall

Verdict

The JBL PartyBox On-The-Go Essential is a highly portable party speaker equipped with a 5.25-inch woofer and twin 1.75-inch tweeters that deliver 100 watts RMS of powerful JBL Pro Sound over a 50Hz to 20kHz frequency response. Designed for outdoor entertainment, it features built-in dynamic light shows syncing to the rhythm, an IPX4 splashproof rating, and excellent portability enhanced by a padded shoulder strap with a built-in bottle opener. Key advantages include flexible inputs for Bluetooth 4.2, USB, AUX, dedicated guitar plugs, and an included wireless karaoke microphone operating up to a 10-meter range alongside vocal tuning knobs (bass, treble, and echo). However, notable drawbacks include a relatively short battery life of up to 6 hours—which drains much quicker at maximum volume—the lack of support for the dedicated JBL PartyBox smartphone app, and a heavy 13.4-pound frame that can make long-distance transport cumbersome.

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