JBL is a pretty famous brand when it comes to headphones and speakers, which can provide you with a remarkable experience. Almost all of its products, including wireless speakers and earbuds, provide a promising experience, and will not disappoint you in any way. Two of such famous products by JBL are JBL Clip 3 and Clip 4. These are two Bluetooth speakers, which have a lot of similarities, making it confusing for customers to choose one.
The JBL Clip 3 and Clip 4 are two of the most popular portable Bluetooth speakers today, but which one does it better? These two speakers have similar prices and are both great choices if you’re looking for an affordable, compact Bluetooth speaker that gets the job done.
The only way to know which one of these JBL speakers you should buy is to compare them. In this article, we cover their differences and similarities side by side to see which one will suit your needs better!
This will make it easier for you to understand which one you should buy from the market and which will suit you the best according to your preferences. So without further ado, let’s get started.
The Main Differences
While both speakers are fairly small and relatively similar, they have a few key differences. Most notably, while they’re water-resistant, only the Clip 4 has an IP67 rating that allows it to go underwater for 30 minutes and makes it dust resistant. This means you can use it in a pool (although probably not underwater).
The tiny internal speaker on either one of these isn’t going to be great if you want to create a boom since they are pretty small, but what matters is that they can connect to other devices via Bluetooth or NFC or aux cable pretty efficiently.
Thus, while the sound quality is adequate for both devices, they offer solid connectivity, which comes in handy in portable Bluetooth speakers. Both of these devices are great options if you want to get something affordable and reliable quality at the same time.
But, let’s take a look at all the differences between these to know which one will work perfectly for you. So that you can finally make a decision on which one you should get.
Speaker Size
The Clip 3 measures 3.8 inches wide, 5.4 inches long, and 1.8 inches tall, while weighing around 0.46 pounds, making it pretty portable. It is a mini speaker that you can even place in your pocket and carry around anywhere without a problem.
The Clip 4, on the other hand, boasts a slightly smaller form factor, measuring 3.4 inches wide, 5.3 inches long, and 1.8 inches tall. But it is slightly heavier than Clip 3, weighing around 0.53 pounds which is still very portable and travel-friendly.
The difference in size makes very little difference to most people when wearing or carrying these small speakers. If anything, some may prefer that the newest model be just a bit smaller than its predecessor to fit into tighter spaces like a pocket or purse with ease.
Both models are approximately half as thick as an iPhone 6s Plus smartphone; thus, carrying it around should never be a problem for you. The size difference between JBL Clip 3 and Clip 4 is pretty minor; therefore, it is hard to decide which one is better based on the size.
Design Choices
The JBL Clip 3 and 4 are very similar, but both models have some design differences. The main plus point between them is that while both can be clipped to clothing or used as a standalone speaker, both of them come with an included carabineer.
While both of the devices have a plastic body, the aesthetics of the devices are pretty different. In terms of appearance, though, there’s a lot to choose from between these two speakers; both come in a ton of different colors, including red, blue, pink, black, and much more; with grey highlights along the sides (the JBL logo on each model’s front).
Plus, both the devices have plastic padding at the back: Clip 3 has a complete pad, whereas Clip 4 features plastic strips allowing both the devices to stay in place. Both models are small enough to hold in one hand and weigh about 2 ounces apiece.
The clip-on functionality of both models works well, although I did find it more difficult to clip onto my shirt than my pants due to its shape. When clipped onto clothes, you can speak into either speaker without it falling off your clothes. However, if you want something a bit more secure, you can buy separate accessories like belt clips or lanyards that work just fine with either model.
Moreover, both models have volume buttons on one side of their body for easy access when clipped onto clothing or other items. On top of each speaker sits a power button that glows white when active and blinks white when pairing with another device via Bluetooth. A micro-USB port sits on each side of both models for charging via computer or wall outlet.
Sound Quality
If you’re looking for a budget Bluetooth speaker, one of your main concerns will be sound quality. It’s critical that you can still hear music at maximum volume without getting any distortion or clipping (where the music suddenly cuts out).
This point isn’t as important if you plan to use your speakers mainly for podcasts and videos. Still, for anything with actual singing, including podcasts and videos, you need to be able to turn up loud without losing clarity.
The JBL Clip 3 has 5W of output power (the number of decibels produced), while its big brother, the JBL Clip 4, has 15W total output power, which allows it to pump out loud sound at lower volumes than its smaller sibling.
We think that if you want to listen to music from a small portable speaker, then go for the JBL Clip 4 because it sounds much better than its little brother. The audio is a lot louder, balanced, and deep compared to Clip 3.
Overall, both speakers have good enough sound quality considering their small size. However, they can’t create room-filling audio in a large room. But if you want to listen to some well-balanced audio on the go with your friends, they are a satisfactory option.
So, we recommend going with whichever one looks best in terms of design and size, but if audio is your priority, Clip 4 is a better option. We also recommend considering other factors like battery life and price before deciding between these two models.
Battery Life
The battery life of both devices is not that big of an issue as both of them offer the same battery life. Both JBL Clip 3 and Clip 4 feature a solid battery life of 10 hours which makes them perfect for traveling with.
Moreover, both the devices just need 3 hours to charge completely from scratch. Thus, if the want is to compare the battery life there is nothing much to compare. So, let’s move on to the other factors that will help you decide the one of the two.
Connectivity
Having strong connectivity is important in Bluetooth devices. Both the speakers feature Bluetooth connectivity, which provides a pretty stable connection. But one thing that Clip 4 lacks is the ability to connect with devices using the AUX cable.
Thus, if you want the Aux option, Clip 3 is the one that will work perfectly for you, as Clip 4 lacks AUX connectivity. Meanwhile, when it comes to Bluetooth, the JBL Clip 4 has Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity and NFC pairing for easier use. Whereas, Clip 3 features Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity.
Features
Other features that will help you differentiate between both the devices include the water resistivity and features like noise cancellation. One major difference between the JBL Clip 3 and Clip 4 is that Clip 3 comes with a mic, whereas Clip 4 doesn’t. Thus, if you want to use the speaker to attend calls and communicate, using a speaker Clip 3 is a better option.
Moreover, the Clip 3 features noise and echo cancellation technology which means you can make a crystal clear call using the speaker. Another thing that Clip 4 lacks; thus, that if you want the device solely for listening to music, Clip 4 is great. But if you need a device to attend calls and communicate, Clip 3 should be the one you should choose.
Another thing to keep in mind is that both the devices feature a decent IP rating making them waterproof. Clip 3 features an IPX7 rating allowing it to survive being submerged in water for 30 minutes. On the other hand, the Clip 4 features an IP67 rating, which makes it both water and dust resistant allowing it to survive in water for 30 minutes as well.
It’s not enough to take scuba diving, but you don’t have much to worry about if you drop it in a pool at a barbecue party. The audio quality also stays adequate while the speakers are submerged in water. Thus, they make great options for pool parties and for going swimming with them.
Which JBL Clip Is Better 3 or 4?
Both of these speakers are solid additions to anyone’s collection. They are small, portable, durable, have long-lasting battery life, and perform well outdoors. These speakers are compatible with both iOS and Android devices, a big plus for anyone who likes to listen to music on their phone or tablet and their computer or MP3 player.
The only real difference between these two models is that one has an auxiliary input while the other doesn’t, and the same goes for the mic. If you use headphones or another audio source frequently, you might prefer an input port. Otherwise, either speaker will serve you well for all your outdoor needs at home and beyond.
Does the JBL Clip 3 have good sound quality?
The JBL Clip 3’s sound quality is quite decent. It was a little bit worse than its successor, our previous budget pick. For example, on tracks with intense sub-bass content, The Knife’s Silent Shout, the speakers distorted and struggled to produce deep tones.
Some vocals on quieter tracks also sounded distant and indistinct. Fortunately, for streaming music services that compress audio files heavily (like Spotify), you can tweak these files to increase their overall loudness before playing them back through your speakers or headphones.
Is the JBL Clip 4 Loud?
The new JBL Clip 4 has a maximum volume of 78 dBA. This makes it slightly louder than its predecessor, but still just barely. Both speakers will sound good at medium volumes, but if you want to be able to blast your music while having your friends over or cranking up your tunes at a party, you’ll probably want something louder.
This isn’t necessarily a downside for most people. Both speakers will work well if you mostly listen to acoustic music or podcasts at low-medium volumes close to your phone/laptop/media player. For $30 less, though, we recommend checking out these other budget portable Bluetooth speakers. They are louder and offer more features like waterproofing and battery-powered charging via USB.
Can JBL Clip 3 Connect to Clip 4?
While it’s not technically impossible to connect a JBL Clip 3 to a JBL Clip 4, they are not designed to connect. As a result, you can only use one at a time on your phone or tablet. The main difference between these speakers is that one has Bluetooth (Clip 4) and another doesn’t (Clip 3).
While some people may prefer having no music over the low-quality sound from low-quality speakers, others need some backup when out of range from their phone or when listening through multiple apps. Since these devices support different features with different playback options, using them together may not work for what you want.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while both the devices are pretty similar both are better for different uses. While Clip 3 is perfect for making calls, Clip 4 gives you better audio quality for music. JBL’s new Clip Bluetooth speakers offer everything that users loved about its predecessor but at a lower price point.
Boasting an impressive 10-hour battery life with a USB charging port and water resistance up to 1 meter, you can use it almost anywhere without worrying about damaging it. With their built-in carabiner clip, you can attach it to your belt loop and go hiking or take it with you on vacation. Thus, try both of them out and choose the best one according to your needs.
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