How Long Do Bluetooth Speakers Last? (Let’s Compare)

Bluetooth speakers are an easy and convenient way to play music at home without the need for complicated wired setups and speaker positioning. That’s why I have a bunch of them. However, I mostly use them while traveling and that’s why apart from sound quality, battery life is a priority for me. 

Currently, most Bluetooth speakers in the market offer a playtime of 10-20 hours on a full charge. It depends on the size of the battery, the drivers of the Bluetooth speaker, and other factors. Bluetooth speakers would drain out faster if it’s played at maximum volume with other features like bass boost. 

With most Bluetooth speaker playtime easily exceeding over 10 hours, most people don’t have to worry about battery life while using it. Let’s compare some of the best Bluetooth speakers with long battery life. Before that, check out this chart to have a sneak peek at their specs. 

Speakers	JBL CHARGE 5	Sony SRS-XB43	Soundcore Motion Boom	Marshall Kilburn II	Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Generation)	Tribit StormBox Pro
Price	Check Price on Amazon	Check Price on Amazon	Check Price on Amazon	Check Price on Amazon	Check Price on Amazon	Check Price on Amazon
Weight	2.11 pounds	6.5 pounds	3.4 pounds	5.5 pounds	1.23 pounds	2.15 pounds
Battery Life	20 Hours	24 Hours	Over 24 Hours	More than 20 Hours	18 Hours	24 Hours
Charging Time	4 Hours	5 Hours	4 Hours	2.5 Hours	2 Hours	Around 6 Hours
Output Power	40 Watt	2 x 16 Watt	30 Watt	36 Watt	2 x 140 Watt	40 Watts
Waterproof	IP67	IP67	IPX7	IPX2	IP67	IP67

1. JBL CHARGE 5 (Best All Rounder)

The JBL Charge 5 is a popular Bluetooth speaker from JBL that hits the balance of portability and sound quality quite well. Compared to its predecessors it has a few welcome design changes. Apart from the oversized logo, there is rugged hard plastic protection on either side along with rubber feet and a woven fabric mesh on the body. This makes the speaker look very premium and also makes it rugged enough to handle all kinds of bumps and abuse. 

The speaker is also waterproof with an IP67 rating and that means you don’t have to worry about it falling in the pool. When it comes to battery life the Charge 5 can easily pull off 20 hours of playtime. However, that’s the battery life I got when I played it at 50 percent volume. When I crank up the volume to around 80 percent, the playtime is cut in half to just around 10 hours. Still pretty impressive. Moreover, it also has a low charging time of 4 hours. 

With Bluetooth 5.1 the Charge 5 can also be connected to two devices at the same time and also provides a smoother connection and better range. I could go to a different room without the speakers cutting out. However, When I connected the speaker to two devices at the same time, there was noticeable latency.   

https://youtu.be/Cuigdjrq-xw

For ports, the Charge 5 has been upgraded with USB-C and that allows me to carry fewer adapters and cables while traveling. The USB ports on the Charge 5 also allow you to charge your phone with the speaker’s battery. However, that eats into playtime. Unfortunately, the Charge 5 doesn’t have an AUX port and that means no wired connection. The USB ports are only for charging, they don’t handle any data.

When it comes to sound, the Charge 5 manages to justify its size and cost. This speaker has a big 30-watt woofer occupying one half and a 10-watt tweeter occupying the other half along with dual passive radiators on either end. Since the tweeter sits in all that space it sounds a lot more open than the Charge 4 and the Charge 3. The mids and highs are clear and separate and the bass is punchy. The vocals stand out due to the balanced sound signature. 

While it comes with a companion app for pairing multiple compatible JBL speakers, the PartyBoost button on the JBL speaker works flawlessly to pair up with another speaker. You’ll also need it if you want to play stereo sound. 

2. Sony SRS-XB43 (Best Speaker with Customizable Lights)

The Sony SRS-XB43 is a well-built Bluetooth speaker that can be used both horizontally and vertically. Design-wise it’s very different from its predecessor, the XB41. It feels denser and heavier and is noticeably larger as well. Its fabric mesh and hard plastic body can take a lot of beating and the IP67 rating makes it suitable for all sorts of outdoor environments. However, the bulky build also makes it slightly less portable. I need a bigger backpack to carry it around. 

The speaker is also feature-rich with the lights taking a key role. There are light strips on either side and the woofers and speakers also flash independently. I was also able to customize the light features from Sony’s companion app. Similar to the JBL Charge 5, the XB43 also charges via a USB-C port. Fewer cables are always a welcome upgrade. 

When it comes to battery life, this speaker has a playtime of 24 hours in stamina mode. However, turning on the extra bass mode reduces the battery life to around 14 hours. If you prefer a flat sound signature, you’ll like the stamina mode. However, I had to switch to the extra bass mode when I played EDM and hip-hop tracks to get that extra oomph. While you get more battery life than the JBL Charge 5, the XB43 also has a longer charging time of 5 hours.  

https://youtu.be/Exsyg6XaDKQ

Bluetooth connectivity is also impressive on this speaker. With Bluetooth 5.1, it can connect to two devices at the same time and I was surprised to see zero latency on both Android and iPhone. It also one-ups other speakers with codec support. Apart from the standard SBC and AAC, it also supports Sony’s proprietary LDAC codec. If you don’t like to use the Bluetooth connection you can use the AUX port for playing music.   

The sound quality is also stunning. With dual tweeters, the vocals and highs are much cleaner and more refined. It also features dual passive radiators on the side. Surprisingly, the XB43 isn’t louder than its predecessor, the XB41. However, its bass packs a lot more punch and body. The vocals and highs also sound a lot cleaner due to the added tweeters. 

Apart from that, Sony is also using a new connection protocol for this speaker, PartyConnect. That makes the speaker incompatible for a party chain with older speakers. In my opinion, the XB43 seems more of a sidegrade than an upgrade compared to its predecessor. However, if battery life and a clearer and more open sound are your priority, this is the one.

3. Soundcore Motion Boom (Best Bang for buck)

With the Motion Boom, Soundcore proves that you don’t need to make a lot of compromises to deliver great sound quality at a budget price. While others would dismiss the build quality as average due to its plastic build, I would say that the plastic build is its strong point. The plastic used here isn’t cheap by any means and doesn’t feel hollow. It’s also able to stay lightweight due to that plastic build. It’s half the weight of the Sony SRS-XB43. 

Yes, it isn’t the most pretty-looking speaker with a utilitarian design. However, I don’t mind the boxy-style speaker with a large handle. It makes carrying with one hand very convenient. The speaker has raised feet at the bottom and at the sides that allowed me to play it both vertically and horizontally without any lean. That includes uneven surfaces. I even tried knocking out the speaker a few times into the pool. But the feet kept it surprisingly stable. 

Even if I knocked it into the pool I wouldn’t be concerned since it has IPX7 protection. As long as the charging ports are covered the speaker should work even when immersed in the pool. The lightweight build even makes the speaker float in the water. When it comes to ports, the speaker has a USB-C port for charging and a USB-A port for using the speaker as a power bank. Unfortunately, there’s no auxiliary port.  

https://youtu.be/YVActuCf3Ts

Battery life is beastly on this device. It has a massive 10,000 mAh battery that can keep the speaker playing your favorite tracks for over 24 hours without the Bass-up feature. It’s enough to beat most other speakers on this list that cost a few times more. While no one needs 24 hours of playtime in a real-world scenario, it means that I’ll need to charge the speaker far less often and battery degradation would take many years. 

The sound quality is extremely customizable with these speakers. You can use this speaker as it is, out of the box. However, I would recommend turning on the Bass-Up feature and tinkering around with the EQ settings in the companion app. The difference is like night and day. It has high-quality drivers that respond well to EQ customization and that allow you to tweak the sound signature to your preference.   

4. Marshall Kilburn II (Best Looking Speaker)

Don’t judge it by its size since the Marshall Kilburn II packs in quite a lot of punch and battery life in its small package. It is one of Marshal’s largest Bluetooth speakers and has that iconic Marshall look with a front mesh grill and a solid rectangular body that’s rounded off around the corners. It’s a tried and tested look that has lasted for decades and I think it looks the best among most speakers in this list or any other. 

For carrying the speakers you get a carrying strap instead of a solid handle. While the strap feels sturdy, only time will judge its durability. I would have liked the carrying strap to be removable. The rubberized body is built like a tank and can tolerate all sorts of bumps and scratches. However, I wouldn’t take it anywhere near water since it has an IPX2 rating. Ports are exposed and water can enter and damage the speaker from numerous places. 

Kilburn II does ports a bit differently. While a USB-C port would have been more convenient, I don’t mind DC fast charging via the included two-pronged cable. It also retains the AUX port that has been disappearing from most modern portable devices like phones and speakers. It also has solid connectivity with Bluetooth 5.0 and has aptX HD support. iPhone users won’t have a problem either since it supports the AAC codec. 

https://youtu.be/cc3VvvyrZJw

I love and hate the controls on this speaker at the same time. The controls at the top are well-crafted and the volume, bass, or treble knobs don’t have any wobble to them. However, I hate the lack of a multi-function button on this speaker. The pairing button on this speaker can only be used for pairing to other devices. I don’t know why Marshall went along with this stupid decision when their other Bluetooth speakers have the multi-function button for skipping tracks. 

With that out of my system, let’s talk about battery life. In my testing, the speakers were able to last over 20 hours at the typical 50 to 60 percent volume. However, when I turn up the volume, bass, and treble knob, it gets reduced to 11 hours. Still impressive since the speaker was fairly loud. I also found the sound signature more balanced than others. It isn’t too warm or bright, it’s just right. Distortion is non-existent at maximum volume. Instrument separation is also amazing.   

5. Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Generation) (Best Speaker with Smart Assistant) 

The Beosound A1(2nd Generation) would look like an overpriced small speaker if you aren’t familiar with Bang & Olufsen. To be honest, it probably is. However, the brand is well-known among buyers of high-end audio products. I still remember how the Beolab 28 changed my view of wireless stereo speakers. That’s what makes the A1 one of their most affordable speakers. 

There are a few things that set this speaker apart from the rest in its segment. It features the minimalist Scandinavian design that has been on the trend in home decor for a few years. It’s a simple, clean, circular design with an anodized aluminum grill on the top and a rubberized bottom with a leather strap on the side. There’s also an LED indicator light that sits flush in one of the holes on the grill and changes color to let you know about the speaker’s status. 

On the side, there’s a power button, Bluetooth pairing button, and mic button for Alexa support. The buttons also act as volume rockers and let you skip tracks. The last thing on the body is a USB-C charging port. While the build quality and looks are very premium, the speaker isn’t too practical as a portable device. The aluminum top would pick up scratches very easily. Even if I put it on the desk it takes up a lot of surface area.  

https://youtu.be/2G68ERdBStc

The sound quality is also good, but not great. There’s only so much a 3.5-inch woofer and a ⅗ inch speaker can put out. However, the sub-pass is amazing and the speaker really shines at vocals. Everything is crystal clear with little to no bass-bleed into the higher frequencies and instrument separation is stunning. It’s a speaker that’s made for people who care more about sound quality instead of volume and bass.    

The speaker also gets a companion app that lets you adjust the EQ settings. However, there’s no graph or curve. Instead, you’re limited to preset sound signatures like ‘bright’, ‘energetic’, ‘relaxed’, and ‘warm’. I was also able to pair up two of these for stereo sound. Another highlight of this feature is its battery life. I was blown away that a speaker of this size could put out 18 hours of playtime. I don’t worry about charging the speaker when I’m going out. 

6. Tribit StormBox Pro (Best Budget Speaker)

The Tribit StormBox Pro may offer the most value in this list since it delivers a phenomenal sound and build quality for an insanely low price. Tribit is probably the only other brand apart from Soundcore that manages to offer great-sounding budget Bluetooth speakers. The Stormbox Pro is made to be ultraportable. At just over 2 pounds, it is lightweight and its overall footprint makes it easy to put into your backpack. 

It comes with a sturdy rubberized strap that gets the job done and holds up the longitudinal box full of drivers and nifty tricks. The body is covered by a fabric mesh that hides the driver underneath and feels nice to the touch. At the top, there are large buttons that give off the “Ultimate Ears” vibe and a central circular button that can play/pause and skip tracks. You can also use the circular button to summon Siri. So, it also scores some smart-assistant points. 

Under the large buttons, you’ll see smaller buttons for powering on the speaker, pairing, and activating XBass, Tribit’s version of Bass Boost. There are also indicator lights showing the battery level. I was confident in taking this speaker out on hiking, camping, and to pool parties since it is both dustproof and waterproof with an IP67 rating. It also features Bluetooth 5.0 and in outdoor conditions, I was able to stay connected to the speaker with my phone even when I was 100 ft away. 

https://youtu.be/YxIwDgDd8II

With two 5000 mAh batteries, this speaker can literally last all day. It powers two 40mm tweeters and a downward-firing subwoofer. Apart from that, there are dual passive radiators that emphasize the bass. The beefy batteries can drive these speakers all day and then some. Behind the cover, there’s also a USB-A port that allows you to draw power from the batteries to charge your phone. However, the speakers take around 6 hours to get fully charged. 

It’s also nice to see that this speaker supports aptX codecs that make Bluetooth data transfer with Android devices much smoother. It also works without any latency on iPhones due to the AAC codec. This is probably the only stereo speaker at this price. However, without the XBass mode, the speaker sounds too quiet. I had to leave it on at all times to make the music enjoyable. However, that also eats up the battery life significantly fast. 

In terms of sound signature, the Tribit StromBox Pro sounds a bit bright with a congested midrange. While the vocals are centrally placed and have a lot of texture they can sound muddy at times. The bass also gets distorted at higher volumes. Moreover, there’s no companion app and EQ to tweak the sound. 

Conclusion

While 15 hours of playtime is enough for most kinds of use, I appreciate the extra battery life that can be drawn from the above-mentioned speakers. Depending on your needs and budget, you can always find one that best suits you.