Compare JBL Flip 6 vs Charge 5

November 28, 2021

This article compares the technical specifications for the JBL Flip 6 and JBL Charge 5.

The design of the JBL Flip and JBL Charge series are completely different, where JBL Charge is a significantly larger and more powerful version of the JBL Flip series.

If you plan on walking around with a powerful, small loudspeaker in the bag, then pick JBL Flip 5 or 6.
If you are mostly driving and only need to walk a short distance to say, the beach or a party. Then you may choose the JBL Charge for a more powerful sound.

Buy JBL Charge 5 | Buy JBL Flip 5

JBL has finally launched the Flip 6 starting in EU and the UK around this time in November 2021. The Flip 6 looks almost the same as the Flip 5 but comes with improved IP67 durability and a new 10W tweeter.

Let’s dive into the comparison tables and discuss more:

Form Factor

Tech Specs	JBL Flip 6	JBL Charge 5
Release Date	November 2021	April 2021
Form Factor
Size	178 x 72 x 68mm 7.0 x 2.8 x 2.6 in	223×96.5x94mm 8.7×3.76×3.67 in
Weight	550g (1.21 lbs)	960g (2.11lbs)
Earbuds IP Rating	IP67	IP67

The JBL Flip 6 is slightly larger than half the size and weight of the JBL Charge 5 overall. The most important improvement for the JBL Flip 6 and Charge 5 is the IP67 rating which is better than their respective predecessor with only an IPX7 rating.

IP67

Dust-tight. Complete protection against dust ingress. A vacuum must be applied. Test duration of up to 8 hours based on airflow. (New!)

Protected from water for 30mins.
Depending on size of test sample, the highest point must be >150mm below water surface, or the lowest point must be >1m.
(Same as Flip 5!)

IP67 rating means the device is dust-tight and protected from water ingress at a depth of 1meter for 30mins. The fundamental difference is the “dust-tight” certification which was not listed for JBL Flip 5. This is definitely great news for JBL users and the sound reason for the upgrade since JBL Flip 5 does not have any certified dust ingress protection.

We expect the higher IP67 rating to have better durability when used at the beaches (sand), for mountain biking (mud) or travelling (dust).

Buy JBL Charge 5 | Buy JBL Flip 5

Audio

Tech Specs	JBL Flip 6	JBL Charge 5
Driver/Transducer	– 45x80mm race-track shaped woofer – Dual passive radiators for deep bass – 16mm tweeter	– 52x90mm race-track shaped woofer – Dual passive radiators for deep bass – 20mm tweeter
Output Power	20W RMS for the woofer 10W RMS for the tweeter	30W RMS for the woofer 10W RMS for the tweeter

The JBL Flip 6 will have a separate tweeter like the JBL Charge 5, albeit smaller at 16mm instead of 20mm, but with the same RMS of 10W. This is an improvement over Flip 5 which does not have a dedicated tweeter. The JBL Charge 5 has a 30W RMS long-excursion, race-track shaped woofer which is significantly bigger and more powerful than the Flips 6.

jbl-charge-5-exploded-diagram — JBL Charge 5 – Race-Track Woofer on the right, and 20mm Tweeter on the Left

What is an excursion woofer? The term “excursion” refers to how much the cone of the woofer travels from its resting position when playing heavy bass music. The following is a good video to show the subwoofer excursion.

So basically the design of the audio drivers, woofers, tweeters, resembles the Flip 6 in terms of layout but not in size.

jbl-charge-5-radiators — JBL Charge 5 Radiators

Connectivity

Tech Specs	JBL Flip 6	JBL Charge 5
Bluetooth Version	5.1	5.1
Multi-Connection	2 devices	2 devices

JBL upgraded the from Bluetooth 4.2 in Flip 5, to Bluetooth 5.1 in Flips 6 to match JBL Charge 5. The upgrade is typical for devices between 2019 and 2021, where both Flip 5 and Charge 4 have Bluetooth 4.2.

The improvement between Bluetooth 4.2 and 5.1 is in the range, but JBL did not state the ranges in all the specifications. Unofficially, Bluetooth 5.1 can support up to 240 meters, but it also depends on other variables.

Reference: What is Bluetooth Range?

So far, we have slight issues with JBL Flip 5 not automatically switching between the two connected devices, especially when one of them is a Windows laptop. A workaround is to choose a different speaker in the taskbar before switching back to activate the JBL Flip 5. We certainly hope that JBL Flip 6 can improve the reliability of switching between devices.

Buy JBL Charge 5 | Buy JBL Flip 5

Battery

Tech Specs	JBL Flip 6	JBL Charge 5
Maximum Playing Time	12h	<20h
Battery Type	4800mAh (3.6V) 17.28Wh	7500mAh (3.6V) 27 WH
Battery Type	Lithium Polymer	Lithium Polymer
Charging Port	USB-C (In only)	USB-C (In/Out)
USB Input Power	5V/3A (15W)	5V/3A (15W)
Charging Time	2.5h	4h
USB Output Power	No	5V/2A (10W)
Charging Port	USB-C	USB-C

Besides a larger battery capacity and longer battery life, the JBL Charge 5 can serve as a power bank to reverse charge devices like the smartphone. However, the maximum power output is 10W max and does not support the latest fast charge or QC protocols.

The ability to reverse charge is likely the reason for naming it JBL “Charge”, while JBL “Flip” or smaller does not have the feature.

Buy JBL Charge 5 | Buy JBL Flip 5

Price and Final Comments

Tech Specs	JBL Flip 6	JBL Charge 5
Special Features	Party Boost New logo design	Party Boost
Price	$129.95	$179.95

The JBL Charge 5 is basically a larger version of the JBL Flip 6 but comes with reverse charging (power bank) capability, longer battery life, and a larger woofer. The choice boils down to the size and weight where the Flip 6 can be used almost anywhere and fits easily into the bag. Whereas Charge 5 will be more suitable if you drive or bring around in a larger bag or luggage.

Buy JBL Charge 5 | Buy JBL Flip 5