I’ve been using the JBL Endurance Peak 3 for a few years now. While it’s great indoors and in calm conditions, the wind howls through it when I’m cycling, call quality suffers in team meetings, and I’ve had to duck under my hoodie just to stay on a call with Gerald while stargazing.
I knew it was time for an upgrade, so I was happy when JBL finally released a new version.
First thing I noticed: the charging case. Although they’re almost the same length, the Peak 4’s case is wider while the Peak 3’s is taller. Both have their trade-offs – the Peak 4 fits more easily in a pocket, while the Peak 3’s slimmer profile works better in a wallet pocket or mini crossbody bag.
Second thing I noticed: the earphone orientation inside the case. The Peak 4 genuinely bends my mind figuring out which earbud goes where. LOL.
Third thing I noticed: how you connect, disconnect, and power off.
With the Peak 3, I simply unhook it from my ear — the two magnetic ends snap together, music stops, it disconnects from my phone, and the battery is preserved. Simple.
With the Peak 4, I have to bring the charging case with me everywhere. To stop the music and disconnect, I have to put the earbuds back in the case — which then starts charging them.
Now, let’s talk performance.
I’m not an audiophile, so I can’t describe the sound in technical terms — but the Twistlock fit brings the earbuds closer to the ear canal, and I can genuinely feel the bass. It’s a nice improvement.
What I appreciate most is the noise cancellation, and it was confirmed by Gerald and my other colleagues on calls. I took a meeting while standing inside an MRT station and participants said they could only hear my voice. I was also on a call with Gerald while stargazing by a windy riverside, and he said the wind was completely gone — though he did notice my voice sounded slightly metallic when wind hits hard. I think that’s just the noise cancellation doing its thing.
Battery is a bit tricky to evaluate. Since I have to return the earbuds to the case whenever I’m not using them, it’s hard to compare runtime directly against the Peak 3. It definitely extends the life of the earbuds themselves — but it drains the charging case faster in return.
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That’s it for now. Stay tuned for more first impressions of new toys in 2026.
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