Charge 5 or Charge 6?
JBL Charge 5 vs Charge 6 in the UK: £99.00 against £149.00. IP68, 28-hour battery, Auracast and USB-C lossless audio compared, with price per rated hour.
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At a glance
In the JBL Charge 5 vs Charge 6 choice, the JBL Charge 6 is the better speaker and the JBL Charge 5 is the cheaper one. At the time of writing (October 2026) Amazon UK lists the Charge 6 (Black) at £149.00 and the Charge 5 (Camo) at £99.00, a £50.00 gap that shrinks to £5.27 on the Charge 6 (Purple) at £104.27. The wider field is in Best Bluetooth speaker UK 2026.
| Situation | Buy | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Wants the longest battery | JBL Charge 6 | 28 hours with Playtime Boost against 20 hours |
| Wants the lowest price | JBL Charge 5 | £99.00 in Camo |
| Plans to link speakers from other brands | JBL Charge 6 | Auracast, not PartyBoost |
| Uses it in rain, pools or on the beach | JBL Charge 6 | IP68 against IP67 |
| Carries it every day | JBL Flip 7 | 560 g against 960 g |
| Finds the Charge 6 (Purple) within £6 of a Charge 5 | JBL Charge 6 | £5.27 gap |
What changed between the JBL Charge 5 and Charge 6?
The JBL Charge 6 changes the battery, the dust and water rating, the wireless radio and the connector, and keeps the cylinder, the 960 g weight and the 40 W output of the JBL Charge 5. What Hi-Fi? calls the Charge 6 a no-brainer against the outgoing model, and its comparison names the Charge 6 the winner on design, features and sound.
- Battery: JBL rates the Charge 6 at 28 hours with Playtime Boost, which reduces bass power. What Hi-Fi? reports 24 hours without it. The JBL Charge 5 is rated at 20 hours.
- Protection: the Charge 6 is IP68 and the Charge 5 is IP67. What Hi-Fi? says the Charge 6 is completely dust-tight, and JBL claims its beefed-up bumper guards survive a 1 metre drop onto concrete.
- Drivers: the Charge 6 has a 53 x 93 mm woofer (RouteNote) and a 20 mm tweeter. The Charge 5 has a 52 x 90 mm woofer and a 20 mm tweeter, driven by 30 W and 10 W amplifiers (What Hi-Fi?).
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4 and Auracast on the Charge 6, Bluetooth 5.1 and PartyBoost on the Charge 5.
- Power bank: both charge a phone. RouteNote lists the Charge 6 battery at 4,722 mAh with a USB-C output.
Sound is the one difference a spec sheet cannot settle. What Hi-Fi? describes the Charge 6 as clearer and more detailed than the Charge 5, with extra presence in vocals, and also notes it loses some energy at lower volumes. Both speakers carry the same 40 W rating, so the gain comes from tuning and the new woofer rather than raw output.
How much more does the JBL Charge 6 cost than the Charge 5?
Between £5.27 and £50.00 more on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026), because both speakers sell at different prices by colour. At launch the gap was £10.00: What Hi-Fi? lists the Charge 5 at £160 and the Charge 6 at £170.
| Speaker | Colour | Price | Rated battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| JBL Charge 6 | Purple | £104.27 | 28 hours |
| JBL Charge 6 | Black or Blue | £149.00 | 28 hours |
| JBL Charge 5 | Camo | £99.00 | 20 hours |
| JBL Charge 5 | Black | £116.71 | 20 hours |
| JBL Charge 5 | Blue | £131.90 | 20 hours |
| JBL Charge 5 | Green | £159.99 | 20 hours |
The older speaker is not always the cheaper one: the JBL Charge 5 in Green costs £10.99 more than the JBL Charge 6 in Black. Compare Electronic divided each Amazon UK price by the rated hours and the 40 W output to compare the speakers on equal terms.
| Speaker | Price | Rated battery | Price per hour | Output | Price per watt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JBL Charge 6 (Black) | £149.00 | 28 hours | £5.32 | 40 W | £3.73 |
| JBL Charge 5 (Camo) | £99.00 | 20 hours | £4.95 | 40 W | £2.48 |
| JBL Flip 7 | £104.99 | 16 hours | £6.56 | 35 W | £3.00 |
On those listings the JBL Charge 5 is cheaper per hour (£4.95 against £5.32) and per watt (£2.48 against £3.73). With the Purple Charge 6 at £104.27 the maths reverses: £3.72 per rated hour. A buyer should check the colour price before choosing the older model.
Can a JBL Charge 5 pair with a JBL Charge 6?
No. What Hi-Fi? reports that the two speakers use different audio-sharing technologies, so a Charge 5 cannot be combined with a Charge 6. The Charge 6 uses Auracast, which links it to any Auracast speaker, such as the Harman Kardon Luna 2. The Charge 5 uses PartyBoost, which What Hi-Fi? says uses more power and connects only to PartyBoost speakers.
A household that already owns a Charge 5 and wants a second speaker should buy a second Charge 5 or another PartyBoost model. A household starting from nothing gets a wider choice of partners from the Auracast-based Charge 6.
JBL Charge 6 - the better Charge
JBL Charge 6 specifications (JBL, What Hi-Fi?, RouteNote)
- Output: 40 W
- Battery: up to 28 hours with Playtime Boost, 4,722 mAh
- Bluetooth: 5.4, Auracast, SBC and AAC
- Protection: IP68, 1 metre drop claim
- Drivers: 53 x 93 mm woofer, 20 mm tweeter, AI Sound Boost
- Weight: 960 g, 990 g with the strap
- Dimensions: 228.8 x 98.5 x 94.0 mm
- Wired: USB-C, 24-bit/96 kHz lossless playback
The JBL Charge 6 suits buyers who want one speaker for the garden, the beach and the kitchen, and who want it to last a weekend between charges. What Hi-Fi? gave it an Awards winner badge for 2026.
JBL Charge 6 - pros and cons
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JBL Charge 5 - the cheaper Charge
JBL Charge 5 specifications (JBL, What Hi-Fi?)
- Output: 40 W (30 W woofer amplifier, 10 W tweeter amplifier)
- Battery: up to 20 hours
- Bluetooth: 5.1, PartyBoost
- Protection: IP67
- Drivers: 52 x 90 mm woofer, 20 mm tweeter
- Weight: 960 g
- Dimensions: 220 x 96 x 94 mm
- Ports: USB-C charging, USB-A power-bank output
The JBL Charge 5 suits buyers who want the Charge sound and a power bank at the lowest price, and who find it in a colour near £99.00. What Hi-Fi? still calls it a great option, though outperformed by the Charge 6.
JBL Charge 5 - pros and cons
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Radar · 0-100 scores
- JBL Charge 6
- JBL Charge 5
- JBL Flip 7
Is the JBL Flip 7 the better buy than a Charge?
For a speaker that travels daily, yes: the JBL Flip 7 weighs 560 g, which is 400 g or 42% less than the 960 g Charge 5 and Charge 6, and it matches the Charge 6 on IP68, Bluetooth 5.4 and Auracast. What Hi-Fi? lists it at 35 W, 14 hours of battery (16 hours with Playtime Boost) and 6.9 x 18.3 x 7.1 cm, and also gave it an Awards winner badge for 2026.
The trade is battery and bass. The Flip 7 gives up 12 rated hours against the Charge 6 and 4 hours against the Charge 5, and What Hi-Fi? lists its USB-C port for charging only. At £104.99 it costs £44.01 less than the Charge 6 (Black) and £5.99 more than the Charge 5 (Camo). Buyers who leave the speaker in a bag or a bike basket should choose the Flip 7, and buyers who leave it on a patio table should choose a Charge.
Who should skip the JBL Charge 6?
Three kinds of buyer gain little from the extra £50.00. Owners of a Charge 5 gain a newer radio and a better rating but lose the ability to link to their existing PartyBoost speaker. At three hours of play a day, a 20-hour Charge 5 needs a charge every 6.7 days and a 28-hour Charge 6 every 9.3 days, a small convenience for £50.00. Buyers who mostly stream over Bluetooth never use the USB-C lossless input.
The JBL Charge 6 pays off for buyers who take a speaker on camping or beach trips, where 28 hours covers a weekend without a charger, and where the IP68 body and the carrying strap matter.
What does the extra money for the Charge 6 buy?
Eight more rated hours, a better dust and water rating, a newer radio and wired lossless audio. Compare Electronic priced the battery gain at £6.25 per extra hour on the £50.00 gap between the Black Charge 6 and the Camo Charge 5, and at 66p per extra hour on the £5.27 gap with the Purple Charge 6.
| Feature | JBL Charge 5 | JBL Charge 6 | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery | 20 hours | 28 hours with Playtime Boost | 8 hours more, £6.25 per extra hour at the £50.00 gap |
| Water and dust | IP67 | IP68 | Fully dust-tight, deeper submersion rating |
| Bluetooth | 5.1 | 5.4 | Newer radio and Auracast |
| Speaker linking | PartyBoost | Auracast | Links to other brands, not to a Charge 5 |
| Wired audio | USB-C charging only | 24-bit/96 kHz over USB-C | Lossless playback from a phone |
| Carrying | No strap | Detachable strap | 990 g with the strap against 960 g |
| Launch price (What Hi-Fi?) | £160 | £170 | £10.00 more at launch |
The JBL Flip 7 is the third route. At £104.99 it costs £5.99 more than the Charge 5 (Camo), weighs 560 g, and carries IP68, Bluetooth 5.4 and Auracast, but it rates 16 hours of battery and 35 W. Buyers who carry a speaker daily should read Best Bluetooth speaker UK 2026.
Verdict
The JBL Charge 6 is the Charge to buy when its price is near the Charge 5, and at £104.27 in Purple it is. At £149.00 in Black the Charge 6 costs £50.00 more, and the JBL Charge 5 at £99.00 stays the value pick for buyers who do not need 28 hours, Auracast or IP68. Buyers who want the full field should start with Best Bluetooth speaker UK 2026, and buyers who also need a desk setup can read Best desktop speakers UK 2026. Buyers who want voice control at home should read Is an Echo Dot worth it? first, and gift buyers will find more ideas in Best tech gadgets UK 2026.
Frequently asked questions
JBL Charge 5 vs Charge 6: which should I buy?
Buyers who want the longer battery, IP68 protection and Auracast should buy the JBL Charge 6, which What Hi-Fi? rates above the JBL Charge 5 on sound. Buyers who want the cheapest Charge should buy the JBL Charge 5. At the time of writing (October 2026) Amazon UK lists the Charge 6 (Black) at £149.00 and the Charge 5 (Camo) at £99.00.
Is the JBL Charge 6 worth the extra money over the Charge 5?
It depends on the colour. On the listings used here the JBL Charge 6 (Black) costs £50.00 more than the JBL Charge 5 (Camo), or £6.25 per extra rated hour of battery. The JBL Charge 6 (Purple) costs £104.27, only £5.27 more than the Charge 5 (Camo) at £99.00, and is worth it at that gap.
How much longer does the JBL Charge 6 battery last than the Charge 5?
JBL rates the Charge 6 at up to 28 hours with Playtime Boost against 20 hours for the JBL Charge 5, eight hours more. Playtime Boost trims bass to save power. What Hi-Fi? reports 24 hours for the Charge 6 without it. The Charge 6 battery is 4,722 mAh, according to RouteNote.
Can a JBL Charge 5 pair with a JBL Charge 6?
No. The JBL Charge 6 links to other speakers with Auracast, and the JBL Charge 5 uses JBL's older PartyBoost, so What Hi-Fi? reports the two cannot be combined. Two Charge 6 speakers pair with each other, and a Charge 6 also links to any Auracast speaker from another brand. Two Charge 5 speakers pair through PartyBoost.
Is the JBL Charge 6 more waterproof than the Charge 5?
Yes. The JBL Charge 6 is rated IP68, which What Hi-Fi? describes as completely dust-tight and more waterproof than the IP67 JBL Charge 5. The Charge 6 also has larger rubber bumper guards at each end, which JBL claims survive a 1 metre drop onto a concrete floor. The Charge 5 is dustproof and rated IP67.
Does the JBL Charge 6 sound better than the JBL Charge 5?
Yes, according to What Hi-Fi?, which names the JBL Charge 6 the winner on sound with deeper bass and more detail. The Charge 6 has a 53 x 93 mm woofer against 52 x 90 mm on the Charge 5, plus AI Sound Boost. Both speakers are rated at 40 W by What Hi-Fi?, so the gain is tuning rather than raw output.
Is the JBL Flip 7 a better buy than the JBL Charge 5?
For most buyers carrying a speaker daily, yes. The JBL Flip 7 costs £104.99, £5.99 more than the JBL Charge 5 (Camo) at £99.00, weighs 560 g against 960 g, and is IP68 with Bluetooth 5.4 and Auracast. The Charge 5 keeps a longer battery, 20 hours against 16 hours, and a USB power-bank output.