JBL Pulse 3 vs Flip 4 – Two of the Best Portable Speakers

First, let me just say that you can’t go wrong with either speaker. Both speakers are IPX7 waterproof, which means they can be submerged in water down to 3 feet for 30 minutes. Both speakers also come with JBL+ connectivity so they can connect to other JBL speakers. The Pulse 3 comes in black and white while the Flip 4 comes in red, blue, black, grey, teal, and white. Battery life on both speakers is quoted at 12 hours but when played at max volume, your more likely to get around 8-10 hours.

So what sets the Pulse 3 apart from the Flip 4?

JBL Pulse 3 Gets the Edge with Sound Quality/Volume

The Pulse 3 is a significant upgrade over the Pulse 2 in terms of sound quality. The sound is fairly clear, however, in certain songs we felt the range and depth were missing. On top of that, the bass wasn’t anything special (pretty similar to the Flip 4 in fact), but mids and highs tend to be pretty good. At the higher volumes, the speaker falls apart somewhat, but overall, the sound quality and overall volume levels are preferable with the Pulse 3, though not by much.

Payne Train Enjoying The Light Show On His Desk

One thing that is nice with the Pulse, however, is that it incorporates 360 degrees of audio which really helps to fill up a room. We much prefer speakers that feature 360 audio. The Flip 4 only has forward facing speakers. Additionally, given the size of the Pulse 3, it gets louder and has deeper bass.

JBL Pulse 3 has a Better Visual Experience

Aside from the sound quality, the other difference between these two speakers is the awesome visual experience. JBL redesigned the LED light feature on the Pulse 3 to look more fluid than the Pulse 2. The Pulse 3 no longer has the mesh grill around the lighting area – It’s been replaced with a hard plastic, which looks a lot better.

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Speaking of the light feature, you can customize the animations using the JBL Connect app. The app lets you cycle through many preset light sequences and color options and overall, it’s easy to use. If you aren’t satisfied with the presets, you have the option to set your own custom animations. This, along with the improved LED animations, helps add a nice visual to your overall listening experience. This will make for a great desk speaker or speaker for your patio or backyard.

One drawback of the Pulse 3, however is that it isn’t as durable as the Flip 4 since the Pulse 3 actually incorporates a fair amount of hard plastic.

The Flip 4 is Cheaper!

Not a whole lot to say here. The Flip 4 has an MSRP of $100 while the Pulse 3 has an MSRP of $200. Big difference there. Basically, if you really want the light show animation, it has to be worth $100 to you. If you ask us, on price alone, it’s hard to recommend a different speaker over the Flip 4.

The JBL Flip 4 is More Durable

The Flip 4 is wrapped entirely in a mesh fabric to protect the speaker. On top of this, the speaker has a good amount of rubber. The mesh and rubber combined make for a durable speaker that is ideal for anyone that truly plans to bring their speaker everywhere.

The JBL Flip 4 is More Portable

Again, pretty self explanatory. The Flip 4 is the smaller, more portable speaker. You can fit it easily into a sweatshirt pocket or any backpack. The Pulse 3, on the other hand, is far less portable and ultimately is more of an indoor, desktop speaker (even though it can easily be transported as well).

You can see how portable this speaker is.

Bottom line: save your money and get the Flip 4…unless you really want a louder speaker with cool color animations.