JBL is kicking off portable-speaker season with two fresh launches: the beefy JBL Xtreme 5 and the pocket-friendly JBL Go 5, both adding AI smarts, upgraded sound, and a new light show to the brand’s fan-favourite designs.

The Xtreme 5 is very much the “throw it in the boot and power the whole party” kind of speaker. JBL says it delivers 10% deeper bass and louder output than the previous generation, thanks to a new acoustic setup with a subwoofer and dual tweeters, backed by up to 24 hours of playtime (28 hours if you enable Playtime Boost). AI Sound Boost steps in when you crank the volume, cleaning up distortion so the low-end thump doesn’t turn into a muddy mess. There’s also a Smart EQ Mode that quietly switches tuning depending on whether you’re listening to music or a podcast, so vocals stay clear without you diving into an app to tweak settings.

Design-wise, the Xtreme 5 keeps the familiar carry-strap, party-speaker look, but adds new “ambient edge” lighting around the ends that pulses with your music and doubles as a visual status bar for power, pairing, battery and Auracast mode. The updated standing-feet design makes it more stable on the ground, and the IP68 rating means dust, pool splashes, or getting caught in the rain shouldn’t be a problem. There’s USB-C onboard, not just for charging the speaker but also for lossless audio input and power-bank duties, so you can top up your phone while it’s pumping out a playlist. In Europe, it’s set to land in April in Black, Blue and Camo finishes, priced at £329.99 / €349.99, with JBL’s US site listing it at around $399.95.

On the other end of the scale is the JBL Go 5, which sticks to the ultra-compact, palm-sized formula but gets a noticeable spec bump where it matters. JBL says it’s about 10% louder than the Go 4, with deeper bass from the 45mm driver and 4.8W RMS output, all in a blocky little unit that weighs roughly 230g and stays easy to toss into a bag or hang from a strap. Battery life is rated at up to 8 hours on a charge, with another 2 hours available via Playtime Boost if you’re willing to trade a bit of richness for longevity.

The Go 5 also gets in on the lighting action with JBL’s Ambient Edge Light: a subtle light strip that shows whether the speaker is on, paired, running low on battery, or in Auracast mode, and can switch between different light themes to match your mood. The clever new AirTouch feature is very on-brand for 2026: instead of digging through Bluetooth menus, you just tap two Go 5 units together and they automatically create a stereo pair. Like its bigger sibling, it’s IP68 water- and dust-proof, supports Auracast multi-speaker setups, and uses USB-C for both lossless wired audio and charging. JBL plans to sell it in up to 10 colours globally, with priceat around £39.99 / €49.99 and JBL’s US site showing $54.95.

Taken together, Xtreme 5 and Go 5 show where JBL thinks portable speakers are heading this summer: smarter sound that adapts to what you’re listening to, easier multi-speaker pairing, and just enough lighting to feel fun without going full disco ball. For anyone already in the JBL ecosystem—with Auracast-enabled gear or older Xtreme/Go models—these look like straightforward upgrades: Xtreme 5 for people who want to fill a room or a garden, Go 5 for those who just want something that slips into a pocket but still sounds bigger than it looks.