JBL Go 5: New portable speaker launches with up to 10 hours runtime and lossless audio

JBL has introduced the Go 5 in China, and the new portable speaker has seen a good number of upgrades over its predecessor. Of course, none of them is a significant jump from the last-gen wireless speaker. Instead, all of them are incremental improvements.

One of the notable improvements is longer runtime. The JBL Go 5 is rated for up to 8 hours of battery life in regular mode, but the "Playtime Boost" mode can extend the playtime by 2 hours, making the total playback time sit at 10 hours.

The wireless connectivity has seen an upgrade as well, with the Go 5 coming with Bluetooth 6.0. Compared to the Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity found in the predecessor (curr. $44.95 on Amazon), JBL says that this improvement should lead to better and more stable wireless connections.

There's support for more audio codecs as well. While the JBL Go 4 only had SBC, the new wireless speaker adds AAC and LC3 support, and alongside Auracast compatibility, there's "AirTouch" tech. Per the brand, this allows users to make an instant connection with compatible devices.

Another notable addition is the support for USB audio playback. JBL says that this connection mode allows lossless playback. The driver setup has seen a slight upgrade as well, and the Go 5 has a rated output of 4.8W, which is up from 4.2W.

As for the design, the new wireless speaker has light strips on the front, which JBL is calling Ambient Edge Lighting. The waterproof rating has seen an upgrade, with the Go 5 coming with an IP68 rating instead of IP67.

The Go 5 launched in China with a price tag of CNY 399, about $58. While JBL didn't share global launch plans yet, it should make an international debut soon. Check out the promotional video below to learn more about the waterproof speaker.