JBL Flip 4

JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth speaker

ImageTagInstance gallery-0f43a003-6f1a-41e7-a21d-70ddc9adc69e IntroductionWith July upon us, summer is finally in full swing, and when these hot, sunny days have you feeling the urge to hit the pavement – get out and have some fun – you can rely on plenty of mobile devices to bring the entertainment along with you.Obviously, that means bringing along your smartphone, but to get the most out of an impromptu summer cookout or lazy afternoon at the pool, you're going to want to share some of that entertainment with all your friends – and who wants to spend that time huddled around a handset?Instead, you're probably thinking about pairing your phone with a versatile, outdoor-friendly speaker, letting you play DJ and share your favorite new tracks with everyone within earshot. There are plenty of options for doing so, but when it comes to feature sets best suited for summer listening, the JBL Flip 4 caught our eye. Promising waterproof operation, a rugged, rubberized build, and the ability ...

JBL Flip 4 review: Next-gen Flip mini Bluetooth speaker is a little bigger and a little better

A nice upgrade over its predecessor, the Flip 4 is one of the best speakers in its size and price class. At first glance, JBL's Flip 4 Bluetooth portable speaker looks very similar to 2016's Flip 3. But looks can be deceiving: it's actually a slightly bigger speaker, weighing 1.14 lbs (517 g) -- 0.14 pound more than its predecessor -- and it's covered in more durable fabric with a tighter weave. As part of that external design change, the Flip 4 gets some changes on the inside, including new drivers and a presumably bigger battery that delivers 12 hours of battery life instead of the Flip 3's 10 hours. The speaker is also now fully waterproof instead of just splashproof.

JBL Flip 4 Review

The JBL Flip 4 speaker delivers strong Bluetooth audio from its modest, waterproof frame. JBL has slowly become one of the titans of portable Bluetooth speakers—nearly all of its sub-$150 wireless options do a great job on both the sound quality and design fronts. It's no surprise, then, that the $99.95 JBL Flip 4 delivers a strong audio experience for its size and price. That the speaker can be submerged in the swimming pool at shallow depths without issue only adds to its usefulness. However, despite being an option well worth considering, the Flip 4 has plenty of strong competition in the crowded $100 realm. Design Sporty and IPX7-rated, the Flip 4 ($59.99 at Amazon) can be submerged up to a meter in water, making it ideal for the pool, hikes, or the beach. Available in black, blue, gray, red, teal, and white, the speaker's roughly cylindrical contour measures 2.6 by 6.9 by 2.7 inches (HWD) and weighs in at 1.1 pounds. Behind the cloth grille, which covers most of its surface area, there are dual 40mm drivers, each driven with 8 watts. At either end, there are passi...