Recently, I got my hands on the JBL Go 5 — the latest edition of the audio specialist’s smallest, and most affordable Bluetooth speaker. And to say it impressed me would be an understatement.

With exceptional sound quality in a small package, top-tier durability, and enticing LED lights, it proved that JBL is still king of the mini Bluetooth speaker world. It’s also available at a very low price…

However, with the Go 5 finally on the market, you can now easily swipe the previous-gen JBL Go 4 model with major discounts that could easily tempt you to go for that option instead, saving a bit of cash.

Given that the Go 4 was already one of the best Bluetooth speakers in the small-size category, I can see a lot of people being torn on which one to buy. So is the JBL Go 5 worth buying over its predecessor even at a higher price?

After testing both side-by-side, for me the JBL Go 5 is the better buy, even if you have to pay up to 30% more for it — because that difference isn't actually a lot of money, but the speaker itself is a big improvement. Let me break it all down for you.

JBL Go 5 vs JBL Go 4 specs at a glance

How do the JBL Go 5's features & design differ from the Go 4?

First of all, let’s take a look at the key differences between the Go 5 and Go 4.

Both models have a similar, rectangular build and feature the JBL logo at their core. Buttons are layered on the outside edges, enabling you to swiftly turn your speaker on, control playback, and pair via Bluetooth. They also feature a loop for hooking the speaker to something, which are constructed from hardy fabric in both cases.

The differences in terms of build are quite minor, really. The Go 5 is slightly larger, the logo pops a little more, and there are raised 'feet' on the back for when you’re laying the speaker flat. It also has IP68 dust and waterproofing, meaning it's fully protected against dust ingress, and can survive a 30 minute dunking under a meter and a half of water.

The Go 4 is IP67-rated, meaning it can only swim under a meter of water safely, but that level of protection will be more than enough for most.

The obvious and major difference between the Go 4 and Go 5 is the latter’s inclusion of lighting. You can select from a number of lighting effects in the JBL Portable app, and enjoy ambient effects while listening to your tunes. It’s a nice touch, but if you’d rather turn it off to conserve battery life, you can do so.

Speaking of battery life, you get a bit more out of the Go 5 than its predecessor. JBL’s new model supplies eight hours of playtime, with an additional two available using PlayTime Boost.

The Go 4 gets close, with seven hours — and up to nine with playtime boost on — so you should get enough charge to keep the tunes going for a cookout.

Otherwise, things are fairly similar across the two models. You’ll get multi-point connectivity, EQ tweaking in the JBL Portable app, fast-pairing, and Auracast connectivity for multi-speaker pairing.

Usefully, though, the Go 5 supports AirTouch, which enables you to instantly stereo pair to another Go 5 unit just by tapping them together.

Sound quality: more of a difference than you may expect

So, other than the Go 5’s lighting, a lot of the feature and design differences are the sort of incremental things you’d expect from a next-gen refresh. However, when it comes to sound quality, the upgrade is a lot more substantial than you may expect.

I’ve appreciated the Go 4’s sound since I first heard it a couple of years back — it was pretty clear and punchy given the model’s limited confines. But the Go 5 has redefined what is possible for a small-sized speaker.

The Go 5 has a much more open, detailed quality to its audio playback — the Go 4 sounded compressed and restricted in comparison when I used both side by side.

In tracks such as Marco Castello’s Editto Dal Sottoscoglio, I was treated to a much more full-sounding presentation on JBL’s newer release — the definition of dreamy vocals, the sharp, expressive hit of hi-hats, and the tonality of gliding guitars just came through with so much more life and color.

Even though bass is inherently limited on the Go 5, it’s also a bit cleaner sounding against the relatively punchy but slightly less powerful Go 4.

You’ll also be able to get more powerful sound from the Go 5, as its output power has increased to 4.8W from 4.2W, and the speaker does reach pretty impressive volumes — both models will succumb to compression at peak loudness, though.

Unlike the Go 4, you can also make use of wired audio on the JBL Go 5, with USB-C audio passthrough. This unlocks lossless playback, resulting in even more agile, responsive bass, surprisingly detailed mids, and controlled treble. Most will probably stick with Bluetooth, but this sort of feature is great to see regardless.

Verdict: here’s how I’d spend my money

So, in the end which speaker do I think is worth buying? Considering that the JBL Go 5 has a modest list price of $54.95 / £39.99 (about AU$75), representing a very small increase over its predecessor in real terms, I’d say there’s no contest.

With appealing, customizable lighting, incremental feature enhancements, and considerably better sound, the JBL Go 5 is almost like a blueprint on how to do an upgrade right.

Sure, the Go 4 is often on sale now, and I’ve seen it drop below $40 / £30 / AU$50 regularly, so saving the extra $15 / £10 will be tempting. And it still offers solid sound quality, a durable design, and phenomenal portability.

But the audio improvement alone makes the Go 5 worth choosing over its ancestor. For me, it’s the best little Bluetooth speaker that money can buy.

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Harry is a Senior Reviews Writer for TechRadar. He reviews everything from party speakers to wall chargers and has a particular interest in the worlds of audio and gaming. Harry has a background in business tech journalism, particularly around the telecoms industry.