(Image credit: Future | Max Freeman-Mills)

JBL waited quite a few years between the Xtreme 3 and Xtreme 4, but now has left just a year before bringing out a new model, the predictably-named Xtreme 5, and I've been using it over a week to see how it stacks up to both its chunky predecessors and the best Bluetooth speakers competition.

This is a speaker that puts the emphasis on oomph, with a pretty serious bulk to it, and an included carrying strap that's more of a necessity than optional extra. Does it add enough to make this a worthy successor to last year's five-star Xtreme 4, or is it a pretty minor update that won't really make ripples? Read on to find out.

Price and Availability

The Xtreme 5 was announced earlier this year and is now available through JBL directly and a range of storefronts, priced at £329.99 here in the UK and $399.95 in the US.

That means those paying attention to the history of the range will see it hasn't gone up in price in the UK, which is always nice. The US isn't so lucky, where it's been given a minor $20 price bump, for what that's worth.

Design and features

Put the Xtreme 4 and the Xtreme 5 next to each other, and from the right angle, plenty of people might struggle to see many differences between the two generations of speakers. But they are there if you're paying attention.

It still has the same overall shape, in a massive sort of oval, but there's now more rubber in its design – with a foot that extends up into the grille a bit more, ending in a strip of mood lighting that can pulse while your music plays.

The top controls are now mounted on a larger rubber area that similarly has some lighting strips along its edges, while the carrying strap's hooks also live in this same area. It gives the speaker a slightly different feeling, with the buttons more obvious to the eye, but whether you prefer it or not will be down to individual taste – I'm not sure either design is way ahead of the other.

The sextet of buttons on offer hasn't changed from last year, though. You still have a big play/pause button with volume keys to either side of it, while the upper row offers power, pairing and Auracast buttons, too. At the back of the speaker, a small panel holds the USB-C charging port.

The design has one massive upside, of course, in the form of IP68 water and dust resistance, meaning it's completely waterproof and can be relied upon even in pretty terrible conditions.

One interesting tweak that might not stand out is that the bottom of the speaker now features two subtle screws and a panel that could visibly be removed. This is almost certainly to facilitate battery replacements, and probably represents JBL getting its ducks in a row before the EU deadline for replaceable batteries hits next year.

A more crucial detail to note about the Xtreme 5 is that it's now an even heavier speaker than before. The Xtreme 4 weighed in at 2.1kg, which has gone up to a chunky 2.9kg for the Xtreme 5, which is a massive leap. That'll make it more cumbersome to move around with – especially without the included, very sturdy clip-on strap.

Still, you're unlikely to be even considering the Xtreme 5 unless you want a big speaker, so arguably that comes with the territory. The weight gain hasn't come with major battery life boosts, either – it's still 24 hours of normal use, or 28 hours if you use the Playtime Boost mode.

Sound and Performance

Of course, with the added heft of this year's model, JBL is very much pitching it as having boosted and improved sound, and while I haven't used the Xtreme 4 personally, the sound profile offered by the Xtreme 5 is indeed punchy and aggressive.

This is a speaker that, frankly, sounds better than I expected it to, despite long-time familiarity with JBL's smaller speakers, many of which I've been recommending for years. The Xtreme 5 is bigger and consequently bolder, but retains much of the same sound signature.

That means real warmth and surprising balance, and I found the speaker paired really nicely with the sort of bouncy music you might want to play outdoors in the sun. Jungle's debut album is full of groove, and its beats were excellent on the Xtreme 5, with plenty of precision to the arrangement, too.

If you crank up the equaliser (EQ) in JBL's app, you can also get pretty seismic bass, as you'd hope given the 80dB of output that it can generate – but, in another "kudos to JBL" way, you don't have to do much EQ tweaking in my experience. The speaker has an AI Sound Boost feature that actually does a good job of adjusting things to sound rich and just right in most settings.

From a codec point of view, you get SBC, AAC and LC3 support, but there's no LDAC here, which might disappoint some people.

Something I really appreciate about the Xtreme 5 is that, despite being quite clearly aimed at gatherings and parties for the most part, it can get impressively quiet and still sounds great at those lower volumes, which goes quite a long way toward making it a reliable option for life as opposed to just events.

Verdict

The Xtreme 5 is exactly what it says on the box. It's a more powerful version of the Xtreme 4, with punchier sound and a refined design that I really like.

That said, the box also hints at a couple of hangups – for one, the price tag is fairly lofty.

For another, pick up the Xtreme 5's box and you'll immediately notice how heavy it is, such that the carrying strap becomes required instead of optional.

Overall, if you're seeking a beefy party speaker then this JBL is a great choice. But I have a feeling that a now-cheaper Xtreme 4 remains a smarter buy.

Also Consider

As I've mentioned a few times, the best alternative to the JBL Xtreme 5 is the Xtreme 4 – here in the UK it's currently nearly £100 cheaper, and you'll likely find even steeper discounts in sales events like Prime Day this year.

If you want a more elevated party speaker that still retains some power and isn't too small, the Sonos Move 2 is a great option even a couple of years on from its launch. It has more multi-room and Wi-Fi sophistication, but isn't quite as hardy and costs more.