While you lounge on the beach, a campsite, or your own backyard, wouldn’t it be more exciting if you could listen to some awesome music? The problem is, inclement weather and accidents tend to happen. For partying outdoors with no worries, get yourself a waterproof Bluetooth speaker. One of the best makers of rugged portable Bluetooth speakers is JBL, and right now three of its biggest sellers, the Flip 5, Charge 4, and Xtreme, are available on Walmart at awesome discounted prices. Save as much as $140 when you get them today.
JBL FLIP 5 – $100, was $120
The latest iteration of the acclaimed Flip series (the Flip 4 was our choice for the best rugged Bluetooth speaker of 2020), the JBL Flip 5 offers a bigger sound, better battery life, and a USB-C port for quick charging. Like its predecessor, it can be submerged in meter-deep water for up to 30 minutes, making it the perfect companion for beach and pool parties. Control buttons are pretty standard, including play/pause, track skipping (you can’t skip backward though) and volume control.
When it comes to sound quality, the JBL Flip 5 is pretty good, although not by any means audiophile-grade. It doesn’t go nearly as loud as the JBL Charge 4 or Xtreme, and the bass won’t make your innards vibrate, but it still packs plenty of punch. When fully charged, the Flip 5 can last up to 12 hours, just three hours shy of the Xtreme. Not bad.
The JBL Flip 5 is an excellent mix of ruggedness and decent sound quality. Get it for the incredibly low price of $100 instead of $120 on Walmart.
JBL CHARGE 4 – $150, was $180
The JBL Charge 4 offers a few minor updates from the Charge 3. Their designs are nearly identical (it’s just slightly larger and heavier than its predecessor), and even the specs are largely similar. The improvements may not be obvious, but there are certainly some subtle refinements especially when you listen to it. For starters, the Charge 4 has fixed its predecessor’s problem with high-frequency sounds. They no longer sound weak and everything comes together for a much more well-rounded and balanced audio experience. The bass is still as powerful as ever, but it doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the sound spectrum. This speaker can also be cranked up impressively loud — in fact, even louder than the Charge 3. Even at max volume, whatever genre you’ll be listening to will sound great, from hip-hop to classical music (the Charge 3 is more suited to bass-heavy beats)
Another welcome update to the Charge 4 is the inclusion of a USB-C port aside from the USB-A ports, which means faster charging. On a full charge, the Charge 4 can last up to 20 hours but expect playback to shorten if the volume is too loud. And just like the Charge 3, you can use JBL’s Connect+ feature to pair it with other JBL Connect speakers to amplify your music. It is also IPX7-certified, so you can take it with you near water and not worry about accidents.
The JBL Charge 4 boasts numerous updates and refinements from its predecessor, resulting in better-than-ever sound quality. It usually comes with a $180 price tag, but take advantage of Walmart’s $30 discount and get it for just $150.
JBL XTREME – $160, was $300
The JBL Xtreme uses the word portable very loosely. At 6.61 pounds, it’s definitely not the lightest Bluetooth speaker out there. But what it lacks in portability it more than makes up for in how amazing it sounds. It boasts two external dual-passive radiators on both ends that pump out terrifically powerful bass and cranking up the volume won’t compromise audio quality at all. It also comes with two metal hooks on its ends so you can attach it to a strap on your bag. Its bottom is also flat so even though it’s cylindrical it won’t go rolling around.
This speaker is covered in mesh fabric and its ports (including two USB ports to charge devices) are protected by a zipper, making it splash-proof. It’s not completely waterproof though, so don’t dip it in the pool. Control buttons are found up top, including power, volume control, play/pause, Bluetooth, and JBL Connect, which allows it to pair up with other wireless JBL speakers to play music simultaneously. Finally, the JBL Xtreme can last a tremendous 15 hours at normal volume. Bringing the volume even lower will allow you to squeeze an extra couple of hours out of it.
If you need something impressively loud (and large) that can survive the occasional splashes of water, get the JBL Xtreme on Walmart for $160 instead of the usual $300. That’s a whopping $140 worth of savings.
Want more options? Here are more waterproof Bluetooth speakers from Ultimate Ears. Don’t forget to visit our curated deals page for more exciting discounts.
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