For a speaker with an excellent balance between volume and portability, the Flip 5 is the best product for you. It delivers clear, high-quality audio that will let you enjoy music of any genre. Aside from that, it’s easy to carry around and has a well-constructed design.

With notable improvements over the Flip 4, this portable Bluetooth speaker ticks the small-scale, waterproof, bass-hitting and good-sounding boxes. There's no 360-degree sound design like some of the competition, though, which might see you look elsewhere instead.

Waterproof design; Loud and convincing sound; Easy USB-C access;

Not 360-degree sound; Lots of competition - some slightly fuller sounding;

Thanks to above-average sound in a small package, the JBL Flip 5 remains one of the best portable Bluetooth speakers. Since its first version, the Flip has been one of the best portable Bluetooth speakers. The Flip 5 does just enough to keep it among the leaders.

Balances sound quality and size well, Rich bass, Rugged

Limited app, No auxiliary input, No integrated voice assistant

I love the personalized aspect of the speaker. We used a precious family photo that brings us great joy every time we see it. There is a problem with the speaker cutting in and out at times. I have to shut down all of the permissions in the apps so they don't interfere with the phone doing phone things. I have to make sure it's only being used as a speaker. Also, wifi in my location is always dicy sometimes I need to run the phone on the data link. Overall, I love the stunning bass response and great quality of the sound. Still glad I got it even though I have trouble with it at times. It could be just related to where I live.

The Flip 5 is a worthy successor to the Flip 4 and if you're going to be heading out for a weekend trip or just going to the backyard, these are definitely worth the asking price.

IPX7 waterproof; Lightweight and portable; Decent sound; Battery life; USB-C charging; Price

No Bluetooth 5 or high quality codecs; Sound quality is good for hikes or the beach; but isn't great

A great balance of sound quality, portability, and price

Good sound quality; waterproof; long battery life

Not the best sounding nor most portable

JBL’s Flip 5 is a simple soul with Bluetooth-only playback and modest features, but if you desire a rugged, great-sounding portable speaker and can sacrifice voice control or hands-free call functionality, you won’t be disappointed.

Engaging; entertaining sound; Easy to use; USB-C Fast Charging

No 3.5mm input; No mic for hands-free calls; ‘Only’ Bluetooth 4.2

Killer portable party speaker

The Flip 5 does more than just get the job done: it’s intelligently designed, sounds terrific, and is exceedingly easy to use. While there are a ton of decent Bluetooth speakers available for less cash if you want stellar design and sound quality, the Flip 5 is worth the investment.

Excellent sound, Rugged & water-resistant, Multiple color options

No dust resistance

This popular pick has a slightly larger driver size and power output than its previous model. Although the Flip 5 doesn't feature a mic for hands-free calling and has no 3.5mm jack for aux audio, it boasts a IPX7 waterproof rating and purported 12 hour battery life.

Weight: 1.2 lbs, Claimed Battery Life: 12 hours, IP Rating: IPX7, Connectivity: Bluetooth