JBL Go 3 Speaker Review | Watch This Before Buying

Tiny speakers like the JBL Go 3 Speaker interest me for several reasons – they sound a lot louder than the size might suggest, they come in all sorts of colors and cute styles, and they boast decent battery life in a travel-friendly package. The smaller the speaker, the more compromises a manufacturer needs to make and with so many big brands invested in this form factor, I am delighted to see a diverse selection of tiny speakers. It might also be a little tricky choosing the right speaker for your needs so do take note of both the pros and cons when choosing a small speaker. The JBL Go 3 is no exception as it undertakes a delicate balancing act striving to be the perfect portable speaker for the majority.

Video Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:55 Unboxing
1:10 First Impressions
1:32 Pairing the JBL Go 3
1:51 Overall Design
2:20 Is The JBL Go 3 Waterproof?
2:34 Product Limitations
2:54 JBL Go 3 Sound Quality
3:29 Battery Life
4:06 Overall Review
4:38 Alternatives to the JBL Go 3
5:06 JBL Go 3 Price

Onboard controls

The 1st and 2nd iterations of the JBL Go had all the physical controls on the top side. The JBL Go 3 breaks that tradition by putting the power and pairing buttons on the side while the “Play” button and volume controls take the top center stage. This could make it easier to fiddle with the media controls without accidentally powering off device or putting the speaker back in pairing mode. Double tapping the “Play” button can also trigger a “Next” function if the active player supports it.

Set up process

Pairing the JBL Go 3 with your device is no different than most other Bluetooth devices with a Bluetooth button. Just hold that Bluetooth button and go through the usual Bluetooth pairing steps depending on your device. There is no other way to hook up this speaker with a device as it lacks both NFC and a 3.5mm jack.

Connections/Ports

JBL deserves some high praise for finally putting a USB-C port on the JBL Go 3. The included charging cable has a USB-A port on one end but if you have a spare USB-C to USB-C cable, you may use that instead. With the charging port being the only exposed port, the JBL Go 3 maintains its waterproof stature. However, with the redesigned rugged body, the JBL Go 3 scores a cool IP67 rating making the speaker dustproof as well!
JBL also bumped up the Bluetooth version to 5.1 which isn’t a huge deal for a small speaker but it puts the version more in line with modern Bluetooth 5 devices which boast extended range. One connectivity improvement I would love to see in a future model is the ability to pair with multiple devices.

The JBL Go 3 is also another reminder that a newer version doesn’t mean an improved version in every single aspect. Folks hoping for a built-in microphone for speakerphone functionality will have to opt for the nearly 4-year-old JBL Go 2.

Battery Life/Charging

JBL didn’t change their battery life estimates so you can expect about 5 hours at regular volumes. Cranking up the volume will obviously shorten the battery life. Fortunately, if you have a spare powerbank, you may use it to add some extra juice. With other portable speakers being able to last more than twice as long, the JBL Go 3 might seem out of place here. However, JBL always positioned their Go product as a travel-friendly one prioritizing the small and light form factor. The JBL Go 3 simply has a smaller battery thus contributing to the speaker weighing less than a half-pound. That does matter for some folks and if battery life is more important without sacrificing too much portability, check out the JBL Clip 4. The Go 3 doesn’t feature any sort of fast charging tech which is fine as that would probably add to the cost.

Overall review: JBL Go 3

The JBL Go 3 continues its reputation as the cute JBL product for those who want the JBL sound and craftmanship in an affordable package. I wouldn’t take the JBL label too seriously because it is still missing some of JBL’s proprietary technologies like Connect+ or PartyBoost for multi-speaker setups. JBL launched the speaker back in Q4 2020 so a new model could be on the horizon and hopefully it can party with its bigger JBL siblings. Despite the removed features, the JBL Go 3 has a more polished design with that all-important USB-C port and comes in all sorts of fun styles easily making this a nice $49 USD / $59 CAD gift for the wanderlust types.

[sharonlee]

This is the best review I've seen, it answered all of the questions I had 😊

[Lans]

Will it damage the gadget if I always use it while it's plugged so that the battery won't drain?

[purezen]

My jbl go 2 is still working and go 3 is dead in 20 days . Horrible quality . At least mine didn't catch fire like some other users have complained