Verdict
The JBL Endurance Peak 4 is a strong sound upgrade on the Endurance Peak 3 to make them one of the best sports earbuds to buy
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Secure fit now from a slimmer slimmer design
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Plenty of sound modes
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Effective ANC in most scenarios
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Touch controls still aren’t great
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Some ANC struggles in windier conditions
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Charging case a bit on the big side
Key Features
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Review Price:
£89.99
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Connectivity
Bluetooth multi-point and Google Fast Pair
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Battery
12 hours per charge, 36 with the charging case
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JBL Pure Bass
Bigger bass from dynamic driver
Introduction
The Endurance Peak 4 sees JBL update its sports earbuds as it slims down the design while adding in some significant new sound-focused features.
That most notable addition is adaptive noise cancellation, for those that want to workout with minimal distractions. You’re also getting a spatial sound mode and more microphones to make them better suited to handling calls.
It’s providing those extras without inflating the price to still make them cheaper alternatives to earhook workout buds made by the likes of Beats and Shokz.
I was a fan of the Endurance Peak 3 when I tested them back in 2023, so was expecting more of the same from the Endurance Peak 4. Do they still cut it for runs, visits to the gym and everything else in between?
Price
The JBL Endurance Peak 4 was announced in January 2026 and then went on sale later that month. JBL has stuck to the same £89.99 / $99.95 launch price as the Peak 3, which keeps it in that mid-range sports earbuds category.
If you’re looking for alternative sports earbuds with an earhook design, the most high profile options are the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 (£250), Beats Powerbeats Fit (£199) and the Shokz OpenFit Pro (£219). Those all cost considerably more than the Peak 4.
There are cheaper options available. Like the JLab Epic Sport, which offers features like ANC for around the £100 price mark. It does have a habit of cropping up in sales for less than £100 as well.
Design
- Sleeker design than Endurance Peak 3
- Features same water and dustproof rating as Peak 3
- Uses touch controls
JBL has essentially taken the Peak 3’s earhook-centric design and made it smaller on the Peak 4. It still uses JBL’s TwistLock technology to make sure they stay put in and around your ears, no matter how rigorous your workout gets.
The secureness of fit was great before and that hasn’t changed despite that drop in size. I’ve used them for runs, HIIT workouts and a range of gym sessions and they do just stay in place. I’d put them up there with the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 in terms of secureness.
There’s five colour options with each including an enhancer you can position before you slip on your preferred ear-tip size to enhance that fit. I actually didn’t find it necessary to use, but it’s good to know that you can make the already secure fit even more reliable.
You’re getting three sets of ear-tips to improve sound seal and that’s going to be key to getting the most effective ANC performance here. It does pay off to try them all out to find something that works best.
One aspect I’m disappointed by is the decision to stick to touch-based controls. They weren’t fantastic on the Peak 3 and it’s pretty much more of the same with the Peak 4. There is at least a reasonably large textured surface area for the touch controls to live. I just found them a little too unreliable to register taps during more frenetic workouts. I think if you’re using them for stationary workouts they’ll work fine enough. These aren’t fantastic examples of touch controls on a set of sports earbuds.
To make them better suited to exercise they do carry an IP68 waterproof rating to give them strong protection against moisture and dust. That’s one of the strongest IP ratings you’ll find attached to a set of sports earbuds and means you’ve got something well equipped to handle sweat, rain and getting them a little bit mucky if you don’t immediately chuck them back into the case after a gym session.
That case sadly isn’t the most compact, but does at least securely hold the buds in place and carries an IPX2-rated design. That means it can withstand being exposed to dripping water.
Features
- Added adaptive noise cancelling mode
- Six mic array to handle calls
- Up to 12 hours battery with ANC disabled
The big addition is adaptive noise cancellation. That’s an ANC mode that adapts based on the amount of sound in your environment. You can also let external noise back in with the ambient aware mode or switch to TalkThru, so you can have a conversation without needing to take the buds out your ears.
You’re also getting modes that adjust sound settings based on different sports. Stick the outdoor running mode one and it’ll bring the ambient aware mode in play to make sure you’re not entirely shutting your ears off to sounds like traffic.
You’ll also find modes dedicated to watching videos, a range of EQ presets along with a custom EQ mode and a Person-Fi mode. This lets you conduct a hearing test to create a more personalised listening profile.
It’s not just about music either. There’s six microphones included, up from the four featured on the Peak 3. You can optimize the sound level for calls, adjust the tone of the voice on the other end of the call and do the same for your voice.
The ANC performance has been pretty effective in most scenarios. Is it Sony, Apple or Bose-level ANC? Absolutely not. Can it do a strong job of blocking gym floor chat, traffic or the wind? I found it was more than capable in the gym and for traffic. Less so in blustery conditions.
Slipping on the right-sized ear-tips can certainly help if you’re finding the ANC to not be all that effective. Matching the ANC mode with the new spatial audio one does the trick of elevating sound to better combat the other sound in your environment.
Battery life performance depends on whether you choose to put the ANC into play or not. Turn it on and maximum battery life is 8 hours. Leave it off and that jumps to 12 hours. I found using it for an hour workout typically saw battery drop by just over 10-12% per earbud with the ANC mode. With the ANC not in use, for a similar amount of listening time the battery drop was just less than 10%.
Charging the buds from fully flat takes roughly 2 hours, though the quick charge mode available can give you 4 hours of battery from a 10-minute charge. If you keep the charging case fully topped up, that gives you an additional 36 hours to play with. Factor those two things in and these aren’t buds you’re going to find hit 0% on a regular basis.
Sound Quality
JBL again employs a 10mm dynamic driver to deliver what it refers to as its Pure Bass sound. Unsurprisingly, that equals a bass-first profile. You do have scope to tap into a range of different sound modes in the JBL app to tinker with things.
If you’re not interested in playing around with the many available settings, I’d say the sound is very much in keeping with other sports earbuds and the previous Endurance Peak. It’s bass and power first and everything else second. That’s not to say you can’t enjoy something with a touch more finesse. It just prioritises being mainly bright and bass-heavy out of the box.
If you want a more detailed midrange or sparkly treble, you’ll need to spend more money to get that. What I think the Peak 4 is capable of is going to satisfy most gym goers and outdoor lovers that yearn for audio that’s not extremely unbalanced or a tinny, muffled mess. It’s a similar story for call quality.
Use those additional modes in the JBL app and you can get a more than pleasing experience of using the Endurance Peak 4 for calls on the move. There’s good volume and a more than satisfactory level of call clarity.
Should you buy it?
You want earhook sports earbuds with a secure fit and bright sound
The Endurance Peak 4 stay put, offer big bright sound and offer plenty of sound customisation to make them an all-round sports earbud package.
You want the best controls on a pair of sports earbuds
The touch controls are a particular weak point for the Endurance Peak 4, where there’s clearly the space for a better set of physical ones.
Final Thoughts
JBL has taken what worked well with the Endurance Peak 3 and refined it to make them more comfortable to wear and more versatile in terms of sound performance.
That’s achieved all while sticking to a price that makes them a more affordable alternative to the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 and open-ear, earhook-style options like the Suunto Spark and Shokz OpenFit Pro.
How We Test
We test every pair of headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry-standard tests to compare features properly.
We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
- Tested for 2 weeks
- Tested with real-world use
FAQs
Yes, the JBL Endurance Peak 4 features an adaptive noise cancelling mode, which adjusts the noise cancelling level in real-time based on sound changes in your environment.
Full Specs
| JBL Endurance Peak 4 Review | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | JBL |
| IP rating | IP68 |
| Battery Hours | 36 |
| Fast Charging | Yes |
| Weight | 101.5 G |
| Release Date | 2025 |
| Audio Resolution | SBC, AAC |
| Driver (s) | 10mm dynamic |
| Noise Cancellation? | Yes |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Colours | White, Black, Blue, Purple, Black/Grey |
| Frequency Range | 20 20000 – Hz |
| Headphone Type | On-ear (Open) |
| UK RRP | £89.99 |
| USA RRP | $99.95 |
