Buzz
Specifications
Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi
Output Power: 20W
Features: Google Assistant
Durability: IPX7 (waterproof)
Battery life: 8 hours (USB-C and charging dock)
Dimensions/Weight: 17 x 8.8 (diameter) cm / 735g
If you're in need of a smart and portable speaker, JBL Link Portable could be right up your alley. It sits snugly on a charging pad and can be taken out to the garden if you fancy some relaxing music while reading or solving crossword puzzles. It can also double up as a regular travel speaker with Bluetooth whenever you desire.
The speaker could also be beneficial if you don't want to clutter your house with multiple smart speakers but prefer one that moves with you wherever you go. That way, you won't have to shout across the room. Typical smart speakers lack high mobility because when they're unplugged and moved elsewhere, they require time to reconnect to the network before they can be used again.
JBL LINK PORTABLE GRAY
Gray-colored Portable Link. Image: JBL
FEATURES AND USAGE CAPABILITIES
With the Link Portable, you can control smart devices with your voice, similar to the Google Nest speaker. It can also integrate with them. The size of the Link Portable is very convenient, fits comfortably in hand, and is easy to carry around. The modest battery life is 8 hours and it does not support fast charging. Therefore, it takes three and a half hours to fully charge, quite a while.
There are no specific apps for the Link Portable, but open Google Home on your mobile device and you can adjust the audio settings there if desired. Unlike Google's smart speaker, unfortunately, it cannot connect for stereo sound.
SOUND QUALITY
The sound of the Link Portable is clearer than it is lively. News readers' voices are clear and distinct, and there are no issues understanding what the Google Assistant is saying.
On the music front, the bass recording seems somewhat messy, with very limited dynamics and control here. The lower midrange is also thin, so both vocals and instruments sound quite muffled.
After increasing the volume to only half, the output of the JBL speaker will flatten out. Then, it simply doesn't go any higher, it just sounds flatter. The sound quality sits somewhere between the Google Nest Mini and the larger Nest Audio and cannot be compared to the Sony SRS-XB23 at the same price point as the Link Portable.
JBL LINK PORTABLE BLUE
Portable Link in blue color. Image: JBL
JBL LINK PORTABLE: CONCLUSION
JBL Link Portable serves both as a portable speaker and a smart speaker. It's very user-friendly, and the sound quality is perfectly fine. But you have to pay extra for both functions: It's quite easy to find a fixed smart speaker with better sound at the same price, and there's no issue finding a portable speaker without smart features that also has better sound. In other words, you may not feel the need to have both functions in the same speaker. Another wise approach might be to get a lot more out of buying a different one instead.
