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JBL Flip 4 vs Anker SoundCore 2 - The Two Popular Outdoor Speakers

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The Anker SoundCore 2 is one of the best budget options if you are looking for an outdoor speaker.

It has a very affordable price, however, how good is it compared to the best speakers?

To find this out, today, I will compare it to the JBL Flip 4 which is the most popular, compact outdoor speaker and also my best pick under 100 dollars.

I tested several attributes of the speakers and summarized my results in this ultimate JBL Flip 4 vs Anker SoundCore 2 comparison review.

Bluetooth range

Battery life

Water protection

Pros

Cons

Bottom line

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JBL

Flip 4

Bluetooth range:

  • 200 feet

Battery life:

  • 70% volume: 6 hours 40 minutes
  • Maximum volume: 3 hours 10 minutes

Water protection:

  • IPX7 water protection
  • Completely waterproof, it can be submerged into 1-meter-deep water for 30 minutes

Pros:

  • Long Bluetooth range
  • Durable design
  • Water protection
  • Nice, balanced sound

Cons:

  • No track navigation buttons

Bottom line:

The Flip 4 comes with some extra features and has a better sound, Bluetooth range and water protection. If you can afford it, it is a better choice.

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Anker

SoundCore 2

Bluetooth range:

  • 90 feet

Battery life:

  • 70% volume: 12 hours
  • Maximum volume: 8 hours

Water protection:

  • IPX5 water protection
  • Splash-proof

Pros:

  • Long battery life
  • Low price
  • IPX5 water protection
  • Solid, rugged feel

Cons:

  • Weak deeper lows
  • No track navigation buttons

Bottom line:

The Anker SoundCore 2 can only beat the Flip 4 in terms of battery life, however, it is available for a very reasonable price. If you are on a budget then the Anker SoundCore 2 is an excellent choice.

 

Price

The Anker SoundCore 2 comes with a very affordable price, the Flip 4 costs around twice as much as the SoundCore 2.

Click here to check the current price of the JBL Flip 4

Click here to check the current price of the Anker SoundCore 2

You can find the reviews of the speakers here:

Anker SoundCore 2 full review

JBL Flip 4 full review

The Design

Checking their dimensions, the two speakers are quite similar, the SoundCore 2 is the more compact device with its brick-like shape, while the Flip 4 is a bit bulkier with is cylindrical form.

However, both speakers are easily portable and can be carried in a backpack or a notebook bag.

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While I like the design of both speakers, undoubtedly, the Flip 4 got a more interesting, stylish look.

Its mesh fabric coverage looks great and gives a nice grip to the speaker.

Its two exposed passive radiators look great, they are moving to the beats of the songs when playing music.

The SoundCore 2 got a more conventional, subdued design with its classic brick-like shape.

Despite its low price, it was built from good materials, it got a metal speaker grill and a full rubberized plastic coverage, which looks durable and nice to touch.

Music Control

In terms of track management, both speakers provide a limited possibility.

They do not have dedicated music control buttons and with them, you can pause/play the music and skip a song, however, you cannot jump back or forward/backward in a song.

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

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Attachment Option

The Flip 4 got a shoelace type lanyard, what you can use to hang the speaker on a hook or the handlebar of your bike.

In addition, it gives an extra protection wearing it on your wrist while carrying the speaker around.

Water Protection

In terms of water protection, the SoundCore 2 got an IPX5 certification, which means it is splash-proof and can be used in rain or as a shower speaker, however, you cannot submerge it into the water.

The Flip 4 got a better IPX7 water protection, it can be submerged into 1-meter-deep water for 30 minutes, so it is a better choice if you want to use it on a beach or at a pool.

To ensure the water protection, the ports of both speakers are covered by a waterproof flap.

The design of the flap is nice by both devices, they open and close easily and seal correctly.

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Connectivity, Bluetooth range

In my outdoor test, I measured around 90 feet Bluetooth range by the SoundCore 2 and 200 feet Bluetooth range by the Flip 4.

So the Flip 4 is the winner here, it has an exceptionally long Bluetooth range, however, it is worth to mention that the 90 feet range of the SoundCore 2 is also above the average and likely you will not have any connectivity problem with it.

Both speakers feature an audio jack input port so, besides Bluetooth, they can be also connected via cable.

If you have two Flip 4, you can connect them together for an amplified or a stereo sound.

Since it supports the JBL Connect+ technology, it can be also connected to more than 100 other JBL Connect+ compatible speakers.

With the SoundCore 2, you do not have any possibility to connect more devices together.

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Battery Life

In my test, when I played various types of songs on the speakers at 70% volume I measured 12 hours play time by the SoundCore 2 and 6 hours 40 minutes by the Flip 4.

Repeating the same test at full volume I got 8 hours by the SoundCore 2 and 3 hours 10 minutes by the Flip 4.

So in terms of battery life, the SoundCore 2 is the winner.

One advantage of the Flip 4 over the SoundCore 2 that it has a battery indicator LED, while the SoundCore 2 does not have any battery level indicator, so you do not know the exact remaining battery percentage.

Sound Test

Regarding the sound quality, both speakers have a nice, well-balanced, distortion-free sound.

However, the Flip 4 has a bigger sound with more powerful and deeper lows.

Its sound is more detailed and warmer with a punchier bass.

The SoundCore 2 sounds a bit flat compared to it.

So in terms of audio quality, the Flip 4 is the winner, however, considering its budget price the SoundCore 2 has an outstanding well-balanced sound.

JBL Flip 4 vs Anker SoundCore 2 Sound Test Video

Conclusion

Overall, I like both speakers very much, which is not a surprise since the SoundCore 2 is currently my favorite budget speaker, while the Flip 4 is my best pick in the compact outdoor speaker category.

Comparing them together, it is clear that the Flip 4 is better in many aspects like it has a better sound, water protection, and Bluetooth range.

Only the battery life where the SoundCore 2 can beat the Flip 4.

However, we have to keep in mind that the Flip 4 is a much more expensive device.

I think the Flip 4 can justify this price difference with its better sound and extra features, but if you are on a budget and do not want to spend a lot of money then choosing the Anker SoundCore 2, you do not have to make a lot of compromises compared to the Flip 4.

Click here to check the current price or to buy the JBL Flip 4

Click here to check the current price or to buy the Anker SoundCore 2

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

Anker SoundCore 2 full review

JBL Flip 4 full review

Alternatives

One alternative is the Sony XB21 which is also a compact outdoor speaker with water protection and durable body.

It is in the same price range as the Flip 4 and got some extra features like the built-in NFC chip, LED lights and the ‘Party Booster’ mode which means that you can hit the speaker in different places to play different sounds just as an instrument.

However, it lacks behind the Flip 4 in sound quality and battery life.

If you are on a budget, it is worth to take a look at the Tribit XSound Go, which also provides an IPX7 water protection and a pretty long battery life for a very reasonable price.

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