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JBL Clip 2 vs JBL Clip 3 - How Big is the Difference?

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This year, JBL has upgraded all of its models and also the popular JBL Clip 2 got its successor the JBL Clip 3.

The Clip 3 comes with a newly designed carabiner and a refreshed look, however, will it be enough to retain the success of the former model?

Still, you can buy both of them, so let’s see in this in-depth JBL Clip 2 vs JBL Clip 3 comparison review which one is the better model and which one is the better choice.

Bluetooth range

Battery life

Water protection

Pros

Cons

Bottom line

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JBL

Clip 2

Bluetooth range:

  • 20 feet

Battery life:

  • 70% volume: 13 hours 20 minutes
  • Maximum volume: 3 hours 40 minutes

Water protection:

  • IPX7 certification
  • It is completely waterproof, it can be submerged into 1-meter-deep water
  • It floats on the water

Pros:

  • Replaceable carabiner
  • Daisy chain functionality

Cons:

  • Short Bluetooth range
  • Lacking bass
  • Hard to reach the charging port

Bottom line:

  • The Clip 2 is cheaper, its carabiner is replaceable and supports the daisy chain functionality, however, if you can afford the Clip 3 is a better choice.
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JBL

Clip 3

Bluetooth range:

  • 100 feet

Battery life:

  • 70% volume: 8 hours 50 minutes
  • Maximum volume: 5 hours 20 minutes

Water protection:

  • IPX7 certification
  • It is completely waterproof, it can be submerged into 1-meter-deep water
  • It floats on the water

Pros:

  • Long Bluetooth range
  • More stylish look
  • Sturdier design
  • Fuller sound

Cons:

  • Lacking bass
  • No daisy chain, no JBL Connect+

Bottom line:

Overall, the Clip 3 was upgraded in many aspects and now it is a more durable and stylish device. It has a longer Bluetooth range and a fuller, richer sound.

Price

Being the newer model, it’s not a surprise that the Clip 3 is the more expensive device from the two.

Click here to check the current price of the JBL Clip 2

Click here to check the current price of the JBL Clip 3

You can find the reviews of the speakers here:

JBL Clip 2 full review

JBL Clip 3 full review

Both speakers come in the same, small transparent box with only some papers and a micro USB cable included.

It was great by the Clip 2 that it was available in many color options, so everyone was able to choose the color they liked.

This is also the case with the Clip 3, it comes in 11 different colors.

The Design

While the size and the form remained the same, the design of the Clip 3 has been upgraded in many aspects.

The carabiner has been re-designed and now it embraces the whole speaker as a metal frame.

This makes the speaker more solid and durable but I still prefer the replaceable carabiner of the older model.

It is very convenient by the Clip 2 that you can easily replace it if you need a larger one or if it gets damaged.

The carabiner of the Clip 3 is also slightly smaller, which can limit its usability.

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The Clip 3 got a new speaker grill which now curves to the edges of the speaker and while the Clip 2 has the control buttons on the side, on the Clip 3 they were moved to the front of the speaker grille.

I prefer the button placement of the new model, it looks better and more convenient to use.

Overall, the Clip 3 is a more stylish and well-built device.

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Music Control

In terms of music control capabilities, there is no difference between the two models, both provide a limited music control capability.

Which means that you can pause/play the music by pressing the ‘Play’ button and you can skip a song by double pressing it.

However, you cannot go back to the previously played song or forward/backward in a song.

They have a built-in microphone, so they can be used as a speakerphone to answer phone calls.

Water Protection

Both speakers got an IPX7 water protection, so there is no difference here, they are completely waterproof.

To ensure the water protection the ports are covered by a waterproof flap by both models.

The design of the flap is better by the Clip 3, it is larger and easier to connect the cables to the ports.

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Connectivity, Bluetooth range

The Clip 2 has a built-in audio cable which is threaded along the outside of the speaker.

In contrast, it has been removed by the Clip 3 and it only has an audio jack input port.

I think this was a good decision because while the built-in cable was a convenient solution if the cable got damaged you completely lost this connectivity option.

In terms of Bluetooth range, in my outdoor test, I measured 20 feet range by the Clip 2 and 100 feet by the Clip 3.

So the Clip 3 has a much longer range, the range of the Clip 2 is pretty short, it is below the average.

If you plan to use the speaker far from your Bluetooth source, then the Clip 3 is a much better choice.

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One disadvantage of the Clip 3, where it actually stepped back compared to the older model, that it does not support the ‘daisy chain’ functionality.

This means that while with the Clip 2 you can connect two devices together for an amplified sound, it is not possible with the Clip 3, which can be a bad news if you plan to obtain two units.

Battery Life

The Clip 2 has a 730mAh battery, which was upgraded to 1000mAh in the Clip 3.

In my outdoor test, when I played various types of songs on the speakers at 70% volume, I measured 13 hours 20 minutes by the Clip 2 and 8 hours 50 minutes by the Clip 3.

Repeating the same test at maximum volume, the Clip 2 could play for 3 hours 40 minutes, while the Clip 3 for 5 hours 20 minutes.

So at maximum volume the Clip 3 performed better with its larger battery, however, surprisingly at 70% volume the Clip 2 was the winner.

Unfortunately, none of the speakers have a precise battery level indicator, so you do not know the remaining battery percentage.

JBL Clip 2 vs JBL Clip 3 Sound Test

Under the hood, both speakers have the same size 3W driver, however, the Clip 3 got a newly designed, larger passive radiator.

Thanks to its new radiator, its sound could significantly improve compared to the older model.

It has a bigger overall sound with a more pronounced bass.

So regarding the sound quality, the Clip 3 is the winner, although even the Clip 3 lacks some bass especially comparing it to the Bose SoundLink Micro, which has one of the best sound in this category.

Conclusion

Overall, the Clip 3 was upgraded in many aspects and now it is a more durable and stylish device.

It has a longer Bluetooth range and a fuller, richer sound.

Its only disadvantage compared to the Clip 2 is the missing ‘daisy chain’ functionality.

If you are considering these two speakers, I suggest spending some more bucks and buying the new model.

Click here to check the current price of the JBL Clip 2

Click here to check the current price of the JBL Clip 3

If you want to know more about the speakers click here for the full reviews:

JBL Clip 2 full review

JBL Clip 3 full review

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Alternatives

As I have already mentioned, one of the best sounding speaker in this size category is the Bose SoundLink Micro.

It has a compact size with a full water protection and a durable, rubberized body.

Its sound is fuller with much better bass production, however, it is a significantly more expensive device.

From the UE the UE Roll 2 can be a good alternative.

It has a stylish look, with an elastic cord on its back, so it can be easily attached to anything.

It is also a well-built, waterproof device.

If you are looking for something in this price category but you don’t mind if the speaker is larger, then it is worth to check the Anker SoundCore 2.

It is a larger speaker, which is only splash-proof but it has a strong battery life and a much better sound quality.

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Recommended products

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Anker SoundCore 2

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UE Wonderboom

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Bose SoundLink Micro

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