Both the CMF Speaker S and JBL Go 5 are brilliant pint-sized Bluetooth speakers that will make welcome, and affordable, Christmas presents – but how do you choose between the two?

As we’ve reviewed both the CMF Speaker S and the JBL Go 5, we’ve drawn on our experiences with the two to help you decide which speaker is worth spending on. 

Not sold on either? Visit our round-up of the best Bluetooth speakers instead.

Price and Availability

Nothing’s CMF Speaker S has an RRP of £49, and comes in a choice of four colours: white, orange, dark grey and turquoise. 

The JBL Go 5 is slightly more affordable, with an RRP of £39.99. It also comes in a choice of different colours and finishes, including red, pink, white, purple and black, plus a camo design that’s coined “Squad”. 

• CMF Speaker S has a fun milk carton design and customisable elements
• JBL Go 5 looks more like a traditional speaker
• Both have an IP68 rating

Sometimes when we compare two products, their designs are so similar that there’s not much to write about here. With the CMF Speaker S and the JBL Go 5, it’s a very different story. 

While the JBL Go 5 looks like a traditional portable speaker with a soft fabric grille and chunky chassis, the CMF Speaker S is shaped like a milk carton. Along its top edge you’ll find a hole to attach a carabiner, while underneath sits a command knob that allows you to control the speaker, whether that’s pressing to pause or play, or simply using the dial to adjust the volume. 

The command knob can also be customised, with Nothing encouraging users to play around with their 3D printers and design additional covers too.

In a market where tech all looks pretty similar and, frankly, almost boring, the Speaker S is a breath of fresh air. Sure, it might not be to everyone’s taste, but if you like a quirky accessory then it’ll be up your alley. 

Despite its eccentric shape, at just 334g and measuring a compact 130.5 x 85 x 44mm, the Speaker S doesn’t take up much space nor will it weigh you down either. 

Unsurprisingly, the JBL Go 5 is a much lighter 230g and measures in at 101 x 77.4 x 43mm. Though it looks more like a familiar portable speaker, the JBL Go 5 does introduce some new design elements, including edge lighting. Essentially, its thin LED strip doubles as both a status indicator and can pulsate through a handful of preset themes.

Otherwise, both speakers are fitted with an IP68 rating which means they can withstand an accidental dunk in the bath or pool.

Deciding between a winner here is difficult. Though we love the CMF Speaker S’ quirky design, and appreciate how it manages to stand out from the crowd without being too heavy or bulky, we understand many might prefer a more classic speaker. Even so, as the market is pretty saturated with similar-looking devices, we’ll still give the win to the CMF Speaker S.

• Both have Auracast for easy pairing with other speakers
• Nothing X app is packed with plenty of features
• JBL Go 5 features AirTouch to pair two units automatically
• Both support wired lossless audio

Both the CMF Speaker S and JBL Go 5 have Auracast technology built in, which means they can both automatically pair to other Auracast-compatible speakers for a wider soundstage. However, at the time of reviewing at least, multi-brand pairing wasn’t available for either speaker. 

We found pairing two Speaker S units was easy, and doing so enabled much louder volume too. You can also easily pair a Speaker S with your phone, thanks to NFC Fast Pair that lets you tap your device against the speaker. In addition, pairing two speakers enables Stereo Mode via the Nothing X app which gives you dedicated left and right channels too.

Speaking of Nothing X, the app allows you to tweak other settings including the equaliser, plus turn on toggles for Ultra Bass, Night Mode and Low Lag Mode too.

In comparison, though the JBL Portable companion app isn’t the deepest nor most feature-rich, it’s refreshingly simple and includes the basics. For example, you can set the light themes, get a custom 7-band EQ and access the Party Together speaker grid too.

Otherwise, the headline feature of the Go 5 is AirTouch, as it enables you to hold two units together to automatically pair them. 

Finally, both the CMF Speaker S and JBL Go 5 both support Bluetooth 6.0 for connectivity and wired lossless audio too – the latter being an especially rare feature for speakers at this price point.

• CMF Speaker S offers a better low-end than the Go 5
• Both punch above their weight
• Pairing either two Speaker S units or two Go 5 units results in more powerful sound

With speakers at this price point, it’s not fair to expect incredibly powerful sound. Having said that, both the Speaker S and the Go 5 punch well above their weight – and we were left impressed with both.

The Speaker S is packed with a 45mm full-range driver with a 10W output, and has a 70Hz – 20kHz frequency response which together results in balanced and clear audio. With Ultra Bass mode enabled, the Speaker S sees a noticeable boost in low-end too.

Push the speaker up past 80% and though audio does tighten, the Speaker S manages to hold its own. That’s a similar situation with the Go 5, and is where adding a second unit is helpful. In fact, pairing either two Speaker S units or two Go 5s goes a long way in enhancing audio.

Although the Speaker S has a slightly better low-end than the Go 5, overall we found JBL’s affordable speaker deliver a warm sound, with vocals and acoustic guitars handled “convincingly” too.

• CMF Speaker S offers up to 18 hours of playback compared to Go 5’s up to 10
• JBL Go 5 doesn’t have any fast-charge claims, and takes three hours to see 100%
• A 10-minute charge of the CMF Speaker S results in an hour’s playback

We concluded that the battery life on the CMF Speaker S is excellent, with Nothing claiming the speaker can offer up to 18 hours of playback with Ultra Bass on and volume at 50%. During our time with the speaker, we found Nothing’s claims to be accurate.

We also found that it takes around two and a half hours to get the Speaker S up to 100% battery, though a quick 10 minute charge results in an hour of playback. 

JBL’s claims are slightly more conservative than Nothing’s, with up to 10 hours when Playtime Boost is enabled or up to eight hours with lighting off. If you want to make the most of the LED strip, then expect to shave an hour or so off. We also found that a full charge takes around three hours, and JBL doesn’t have any fast-charge claim either.

Both the CMF Speaker S and JBL Go 5 are surprisingly great-sounding and feature-packed devices, especially when you consider their affordable price tags. As it boasts a unique design, offers longer battery and has an edge in its bass performance compared to the JBL Go 5, the CMF Speaker S will suit most people that are seeking an affordable portable speaker.

That’s not to say the JBL Go 5 isn’t brilliant, especially as it still sounds great, offers a decent battery and includes the clever AirTouch feature for easy pairing. 

We’d also recommend opting for two units of either the Speaker S and Go 5, as doing so significantly improves the audio quality and makes the set-up an affordable way to be house party-ready.