How do you improve on the best portable speaker? Somehow, JBL has managed it with its new Flip 7, the successor to my favourite compact speaker from my hands-on testing last year.
This latest Flip isn’t a total reinvention. However, its smart upgrades – and the fact that it maintains its affordable price – mean this continues to be the portable speaker I'll recommend to everyone. Forgive me for this, but it’s flipping brilliant.
What are the upgrades? It improves on the already excellent sound of the Flip 6, it has a great new clip-on system to attach a carry handle or carabiner, it supports Auracast audio sharing, it has more battery life, lossless wired audio over USB-C, and more robust drop protection, dust, and water resistance.
JBL Flip 7: At a glance
Pros
- Class-leading sound
- 14-hour battery
- Reasonable price
- Excellent app
- Supports wired audio
Cons
- Doesn’t double as a portable charger
- Style might not suit everyone
Key specifications
| Dimensions | 18.25 x 6.95 x 7.15cm |
|---|---|
| Weight | 550g |
| IP rating | IP68 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth |
| Battery life | Up to 14 hours |
What I like about the JBL Flip 7
The best thing about the Flip 7 is the audio quality it can deliver. It’s a far bigger sound than you’d expect for such a small package, and it’s not just that it can get loud; it’s also immersive, nuanced and rich. The Flip 6 was already a great speaker, and this raises the bar yet again for what you can expect from a compact model.
It features JBL's new “AI Sound Boost” technology to analyse music in real time and reduce distortions. The sound quality improvement is noticeable, as you can hear high notes and vocals much more clearly, while there’s still loads of punch and depth to the bass.
It only weighs 550g, so you won’t have any trouble taking it to the park or beyond this summer. It looks very similar to the Flip 6, with its “burrito-shaped” design, although it has slightly more protection on the sides. It has a new ”PushLock” system for attaching straps, too. You can leave this empty, or there’s a quick way to slot in either a carabiner clip or an easy-to-grab carry loop. This is neat and simple, and both accessories are included in the box. It’s also got an IP68 rating and is waterproof, dustproof and drop-proof!
The battery life gets a welcome boost as well, going up from the 12 hours available on the Flip 6 to 14 hours of playtime with this model. You can increase it further with a feature that JBL calls “Playtime Boost” in the app, adding an extra two hours of battery life. However, this feature does have a detrimental effect on the sound quality. You’d be better off grabbing one of the best power banks instead! The speaker fully recharges in 2.5 hours.
Speaking of the app, it’s worth downloading to your phone to access some extra features. It’s the one place to go for support and updates to the device, but it also allows you to tweak the sound with customisable controls (to add more bass, for example), and to link the Flip 7 up to other Auracast-enabled speakers, such as the JBL Clip 5 and Go 4, for a bigger sound.
The other update from the Flip 6 is that you can now connect a phone, laptop or tablet directly to the speaker with a USB-C cable and play “lossless” audio. You’ll need to make sure you’re subscribed to one of the best music streaming services, which support high-resolution quality, and even then, you may not hear a difference. But for some audiophiles, this is a welcome feature.
What I don’t like about the JBL Flip 7
There’s very little to dislike about the JBL Flip 7. At £129, its price may feel a little bit high, but it’s competitive compared to options at around the same size and capability, like the Beats Pill (£149), Bose SoundLink Flex (£119) or Marshall Emberton 3 (£149). Some rival options double up as portable chargers for your gadgets, too, and that’s not something the Flip can do.
I’m also not sure everyone will love the design. I don’t mind it at all. But it’s fair to say that JBL is a little more heavy-handed with its branding than some rivals who take a subtler approach.
This is a nitpick – and one that’s outweighed by the speaker's functionality, sound quality, battery life and ease of use – but if you’re not a fan of big logos, there’s a chance that this style won’t suit you.
The Good Housekeeping verdict on the JBL Flip 7
As you can tell, there’s not that much to criticise about the JBL Flip 7. The brand has refined its approach over seven generations of the Flip speaker series, and it’s no surprise that it continues to deliver with a tremendous sound quality, competitive battery life, portable design, and an easy-to-use app experience.
The upgrades to the Flip 7 make it sound even better and last even longer, while its new carry strap system means it's easy to take with you. If you’ve set aside around £130 for a portable speaker and don’t want one that will weigh you down, I can’t recommend this highly enough.
If you’re on a tighter budget and need more portability, it’s worth looking at the JBL Clip 5 or Marshall Willen 2 for great sound from a compact package. And, if you want something around the same size that competes well at a value price, consider the heavier Soundcore Motion 300 at £79.99.
Simon Cocks is Good Housekeeping UK’s Technology Editor, overseeing tech shopping content and strategy for the title. He previously also worked across other titles including Esquire UK, Digital Spy, Men’s Health UK and Women’s Health UK.
Simon specialises in testing the latest smart gadgets, home entertainment gear, headphones, speakers, portable chargers, radios, e-book readers and smartphones. He's reviewed top tech products from brands including Google, Apple, Amazon, JBL and Bose.
A magazine journalism graduate from Kingston University in 2014, Simon also worked on the Discovery and Silkroad inflight magazines. He then gained experience writing about entertainment at SFX and Total Film. He also contributed reviews and interviews to TwitchFilm (later ScreenAnarchy), CultBox and Frame Rated.
He joined Good Housekeeping UK as the Editorial Assistant for Special Projects and was part of Good Housekeeping’s Consumer Affairs Team between 2014 and 2019. In this role, he conducted price comparison research, wrote detailed household and money-saving advice guides and edited thousands of in-depth reviews for the Good Housekeeping Institute.
He has focused on technology and gadgets since 2020, where he started by testing out power banks and instant cameras. He writes reviews, roundups, news articles and deals updates, and also covers top tech deals during sales like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When not testing out the latest gizmos, you’ll find Simon either catching up with the newest releases at his local cinema or out shooting with his beloved compact camera.
You can follow Simon on Instagram, on Bluesky, on LinkedIn and on Threads.
