The JBL Clip 4 and the Go 3 are small portable Bluetooth speakers, but they deliver different sound performance and have slightly different battery life and specs. Both speakers are designed to be highly portable, with the Clip 4 featuring JBL’s signature carabiner clip for you to attach the speaker to your backpack on the go. The JBL Clip 4 is slightly more powerful than the JBL Go 3 in terms of volume and bass output, but the main difference between both speakers is in the battery life and carabiner clip design. There is not much difference in the sound performance of the Clip 4 and the Go 3, but the Clip 4 has better battery life and is geared towards outdoor adventures.
The JBL Clip 4 is designed as an ultra-portable speaker that can be clipped onto a belt, strap or buckle and taken anywhere outdoors. It comes with a built-in battery that delivers up to 10 hours of playtime on a single charge. Like the Go 3, the Clip 4 uses Bluetooth 5.1 for high quality music streaming and is IP67 waterproof and dustproof, so you can bring it virtually anywhere outdoors and not have to worry about dropping the speaker or getting it wet.
The JBL Go 3, by contrast, is slightly smaller and lighter than the Clip 4 (it weighs 7.37 oz as compared to the Clip 4’s 8.43 oz) and also features an IP67 waterproof and dustproof design for you to bring the speaker virtually anywhere. The JBL Go 3 delivers up to 5 hours of playtime on a single charge and charges using the latest Type C USB cable.
Comparing the Specs
| Specification | JBL Clip 4 | JBL Go 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| Wireless Network (Wi-Fi) | No | No |
| Battery Capacity | 3885 mAh | 750 mAh |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours | Up to 5 hours |
| Weight | 240 g | 210 g |
| Dimensions (HxWxD) | 5.3 in x 3.39 in x 5.31 in / 13.5 cm x 8.6 cm x 4.6 cm | 1.61 in x 3.46 in x 2.95 in / 4.0 cm x 8.6 cm x 6.9 cm |
| Waterproof Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| USB Port | Yes (USB Type-C) | Yes (USB Type-C) |
| AUX Connectivity | No | No |
| Output Power | 5 W (RMS) | 4.2 W (RMS) |
| Frequency Response | 100 Hz – 20 kHz | 110 Hz – 20 kHz |
| Signal to Noise Ratio | >85dB | >85dB |
| Color Options | Various | Various |
| Additional Features | Upgraded integrated carabiner, vibrant color options, IP67 waterproof and dustproof | Original JBL Pro Sound, vibrant color options, IP67 waterproof and dustproof |
Both speakers are compact and portable with IP67 waterproof and dustproof ratings, making them suitable for outdoor use. The JBL Clip 4 offers a longer battery life and slightly higher output power, while the JBL Go 3 is lighter and has a more compact size. The JBL Clip 4 has a slightly deeper frequency range down to 100 Hz as compared to the JBL Go 3’s 110 Hz.
Sound Performance
When we compared the JBL Clip 4 with the Go 3 side by side, the Clip 4 speaker delivered slightly louder sound performance with decent bass output, while the Go 3 also delivered similar sound performance (although technically the Go 3 is not as loud as the Clip 4). Having said that, we felt that both the Clip 4 and the Go 3 delivered practically the same sound performance with decent bass output at low to mid volume levels; the Clip 4 only edges out the Go 3 slightly at higher or max volume levels. The Clip 4 speaker has a power output of 5W while the Go 3 has a output power of 4.2W which makes the Clip 4 slightly louder only at max volume levels. The Clip 4 also has a wider frequency range of 100 Hz to 20 kHz which is slightly wider than the Go 3’s 110 Hz to 20kHz, and can deliver slightly deeper bass down to 100 Hz. That being said, the difference in bass output is minimal and is virtually indistinguishable from the Go 3 are mid-volume levels.
Surprisingly, the Go 3 is equipped with a slightly larger 1.69” (4.3cm) full-range driver as compared to the Clip 4’s 1.57” (4cm) driver, and both speakers have a max SPL of 85dB.
Design
Both the JBL Clip 4 and the Go 3 speakers are highly portable and feature a IP67 waterproof and dustproof design, allowing you to take both speakers virtually anywhere outdoors. With an IP67 waterproof design, you can also immerse the speaker into water to a depth of 1m for 30 minutes and not have to worry about the speaker getting wet. With that said, the JBL Clip 4 comes with a carabiner clip which makes it more suited for outdoor hiking and adventures; the carabiner clip is made from stainless steel and secures the speaker effective onto a backpack or carry-on item. The Go 3 speaker, by contrast, does not come with a carabiner clip and only has a strap at the side of the speaker. You will need to tie the strap to a carry on item or use your own carabiner clip with the Go 3 speaker to attach the speaker. In this regard, the Clip 4 is a much more convenient and portable speaker with a built-in carabiner clip.
Specifications
Apart from the battery life, both the Clip 4 and Go 3 have virtually the same specifications. Both speakers use Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless music streaming and support A2DP 1.3 and AVRCP 1.6 codecs. Both speakers also use USB-C for charging, although the Clip 4 has a 10 hour battery life as compared to the Go 3’s 5 hour battery. Both speakers also come with nice rubberized buttons at the top of the speaker to adjust the volume and pause or skip soundtracks and to enable Bluetooth connectivity.
The Verdict?
While the JBL Clip 4 slightly edges out the Go 3 in terms of power output and sound performance, we felt that the difference in sound quality between both speakers was minimal. Both speakers sound virtually the same at mid-volume levels and they deliver nice punchy beats. The Clip 4 has a 5W power output which is slightly more than the Go 3’s 4.2W output, but practically speaking, the difference is too minimal to notice any difference in sound performance unless you push both speakers to maximum volume (where the Clip 4 sounds better). The real difference between the Clip 4 and the Go 3 speaker is in the battery life – the Clip 4 has much longer battery (10 hours) than the Go 3 (5 hours), and the Clip 4 has a carabiner clip for outdoor adventures.
We would go for the JBL Clip 4 speaker if you need a mini portable speaker for outdoor adventures, however, if you are looking for portable mini speaker for listening to music at your desk, the JBL Go 3 would be a better option as both speakers deliver virtually the same level of sound performance and bass.