The JBL Flip 3 is one of the most popular Bluetooth speakers to ever hit the consumer market, but is the newly released JBL Flip 4 worth your money?
How does the Flip 4 compare to its predecessor?
Read on to find out more.
Features
The Flip 3 is not waterproof and offers splash resistance only. While it may be okay for you to take the Flip 3 to the poolside, you can’t submerge it in water. The Flip 4 comes with IPX7 rater waterproofing which is great if someone at your poolside gets clumsy and flips your Bluetooth speakerinto the pool or if you get caught outside during bad weather.
Both speakers come with JBL’s Connect technology which allows you to connect multiple JBL speakers for a true party experience. The Flip 4 comes with Connect+ which is essentially the same feature but allows up to 100 devices to sync together. Realistically you would never need the upgraded Connect feature unless you’re having a crazy party where everyone owns a set of JBL Connect+ speakers!
Design and Build Quality
The exterior of the new Flip 4 feels quite premium,and it comes with the same mesh fabric and rubber housing that you get with the Flip 3. Both speakers are perfect for regular usage,and you can carry them to your gym. But, there’s a catch with the Flip 3!
The JBL Flip 4 seems to be using a slightly softer fabric compared to the JBL Flip 3 which is not exactly noticeable. The JBL Flip 3’s specification sheets measure it at 64 x 169 x 64 mm while JBL Flip 4 is at 68 x 175 x 70 mm. The Flip 3 is lighter by a decent margin while the Flip 4 feels better to hold.
It’s all about personal preference,and the size difference only really matters if you carry your Bluetooth speakers often in your hand. Both the JBL Flip 3 and the JBL Flip 4 are quite compact and can comfortably sit in the corner of a room and offer a great audio experience.
The fourth-generation speaker is slightly slimmer and taller,and it isn’t exactly an upgrade or downgrade as it’s all about personal preference. Both speakers are quite compact,and you can’t go wrong with either of them really.
Sound
When we go by pure specs, the Flip 3 offers us a frequency response range starting at 85 Hz,and it goes up to 20,000 Hz. The Flip 4, on the other hand, goes slightly deeper with a 70 Hz starting point but caps out at the same frequency as the Flip 3. When you listen to music with a lot of lows, you will definitely feel the difference.
The mids and highs on both of JBL’s offers are actually quite great,and the products offer extremely loud volume levels. There is clarity across the board,and you can’t go wrong with either one if you do not listen to music with a lot of lows.
Both units come with the same speakerphone unit,and you can handle calls with ease. We had no trouble connecting the Bluetooth speakers with phones, tablets or even computers with Bluetooth connectivity. Call quality is clear and people at the other end were able to hear us fine with sufficient clarity.
Battery life and connectivity
The JBL Flip 3 offers 10 hours of usage while the JBL Flip 4 offers 12 hours of usage. However, you have to consider that the JBL 3 has larger speakers which draw more power.
When it comes to features and setting up the devices, you should be able to connect with any popular Bluetooth-enabled device with audio streaming capabilities. There are no difficult setup procedures on either product,and you can simply tap on the Connect button,and you will be able to pair your speaker with a Bluetooth-enabled device.
You do not need any special software to use either of these devices. However, if you want to pair multiple JBL Connect speakers at the same time, you can download the JBL Connect app for Android or iOS to pair multiple speakers for an immersive audio experience.
The Flip 3 comes with JBL Connect while the Flip 4 comes with Connect+, allowing you to connect with 100 other JBL Flip 4 speakers at the same time. Both speakers can connect up to 3 streaming sources at a time,and you can switch between your playback devices by simply playing or pausing media with Bluetooth connected. There is no special setup required to connect to devices,and everything can be done with a press of a button.
Reasons to Choose the Flip 4 Over the Flip 3
Flip 4
The Flip 4 is the successor to the Flip 3 but does it warrant the extra price premium from your hard-earned money? Let’s find out.
The Flip 4 is more compact and offers a slender design. It is lighter and more portable making it much easier to carry around than the Flip 3. Moving on the sound, the bass reproduction on the Flip 4 is much more accurate and powerful making it a perfect Bluetooth speaker for people who love listening to bass-heavy songs.
When it comes to usage, you are better off with the Flip 3 for small gatherings as it is much easier to carry around. To add to its advantages over the Flip 3, you can connect up to a hundred Flip 4 speakers using JBL Connect+to truly bring the music to the party.
The Flip 4 comes with IPX7 certification which the Flip 3 does not. It means that you can submerge the speaker under water for 30 minutes without any issues. Of course, it does mean that you should dip your speaker in water as other chemicals or corrosives may damage your hardware. However, it feels great knowing JBL put in effort to protect the portable speaker from spills and drops.
Finally, you also get access to more battery life with the Flip 3 thanks to the smaller size. You can expect up to 12 hours of usage according to JBL if you play music at medium volumes. Expect less usage time if you always max out the volume.
Reasons to Choose the Flip 3 Over the Flip 4
Flip 3
Needless to say, the Flip 3 is larger and offers a more powerful audio experience. At maximum volume, the larger grille on the Flip 3 barely edges past the Flip 4. However, it does fall short in terms of audio quality when it comes to bass-heavy music.
Design is another factor that may tip you towards the Flip 3 over the Flip 4. It offers a more robust design compared to the slim and slender design on the Flip 4. The speaker feels bulkier and better built than its successor.
Most importantly, you pay a premium for the Flip 4 considering you receive minor upgrades that are very situational. If you do not listen to music with a lot of lows or do not need the waterproofing, you can definitely save some of your hard-earned cash and go for the JBL Flip 3 instead without a doubt.
The Final Verdict
The Flip 4 is our winner but only by a slight margin. The biggest advantage that the Flip 4 has over the Flip 3 is the added 20% battery life which is a substantial increase considering the devices are designed for outdoor usage. You also get access to slightly better audio quality and of course, waterproofing.
The Flip 3 is no slouch by any means and it definitely still is a solid Bluetooth speaker,and the considerably lower price should definitely warrant a pickup for anyone looking for a decent Bluetooth speaker.
Last update on 2024-04-20 at 12:08
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