LG XBoom Go XG8T review: a Bluetooth speaker that offers meaty bass but not-so-meaty battery life

LG XBoom Go XG8T review: two-minute review

The LG XBoom Go XG8T has a pretty tough task – standing out in a field with extremely strong competition from some of the biggest names in audio. That’s right, this large portable speaker finds itself pitted against some tough rivals from the likes of JBL, Bose and Ultimate Ears. So, how does it fare in its battle for supremacy?

Well, firstly, LG has looked to focus on this speaker's design – specifically its phenomenal durability. The LG XBoom Go XG8T is said to have "military grade" protection against the elements, having passed seven different durability tests. It also has an IP67 waterproof rating and high-quality build, protecting it against impact and underwater submersion.

As well as that, this has neat, customizable LED lights, an attractive wraparound speaker grille and conveniently adjustable handle/strap. It's looking good so far, right? Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but outside of its looks and design, the LG XBoom Go XG8T really struggles to outdo some of its similarly-priced competitors that have made our list of the best Bluetooth speakers.

There are some standout reasons for that. First, battery life. This is the XG8T's fatal flaw. LG says you get up to 15 hours of playtime – but there’s a real emphasis on the ‘up to’. If you’re playing at 50% volume without EQ adjustment or LED lights, sure, that might be attainable. But with lighting on and the booming Sound Boost feature activated, you’re going to see that battery percentage fall way faster. 15 hours isn’t particularly impressive anyway, so given depletion happens much faster with core features like Sound Boost is a real shame.

Next, let’s talk sound – another area where the XG8T can’t quite usurp some of the best waterproof speakers around. Bass, thankfully can get pretty deep and hits with impact, especially with Sound Boost on. Generally, elements like vocals and percussive elements in the treble range are clear too, although you may sense a bit of harshness at top volumes. However, this isn’t going to offer a massively detailed listen and there are no fancy audio codecs – think LDAC – to play with, so you end up with solid, yet fairly unremarkable sound in the end.

There are a couple of other smaller issues that arise too: slightly outdated Bluetooth connectivity, lacking EQ presets and a hefty AC adapter stick out. When you combine all of that with a high list price of $379.99 / £400 (about AU$600) it’s hard to justify buying this portable speaker.

Having said that, there’s another factor to consider. Since it’s release, the XG8T has frequently been available on sale, sometimes even for around half price. This, of course, changes the game significantly. Is the battery life still a big issue? Sure. But the power and bass on offer here would certainly be a lot more impressive in this context. So, if you can grab it at a massively cut price, it could possibly be worth considering the XG8T.

But all in all, this speaker just misses the mark. It’s not by any means a bad option, with impressive low-end power, generally clear all-round audio and incredible durability. But unless you’re a massive LG fan specifically, you’re likely to be better served elsewhere. Some of 2024’s big hitters like the Bose SoundLink Flex and JBL Xtreme 4 are regularly on sale for well under the list price of the XG8T and they are some top alternatives – so why not read more about those in the ‘Also Consider’ section below…

LG XBoom Go XG8T review: price and release date

• $379.99 / £400 (about AU$600)
• Launched in March 2024

OK, so if you buy the LG XBoom Go XG8T at its list price, you’ll have to shell out a fair amount of cash. Its usual price is $379.99 / £400 / AU$600, pitting it against competitors like the JBL Xtreme 4 and Ultimate Ears Epicboom.

However, as you may expect for a speaker that launched early in 2024, you can regularly find the XG8T available at a cut-price. In fact, this model can be as low as half price. I've spotted it going for less than $200 / £200 with some online retailers. It’s also worth noting that this speaker is only available in Black.

LG XBoom Go XG8T review: specs

LG XBoom Go XG8T review: features

• LG XBoom app compatibility
• Sub-par battery life
• Outdated Bluetooth version

The LG XBoom Go XG8T has a pretty tidy set of features and it owes this, in part, to the LG XBoom companion app. Using this, you can access some fairly typical options: multi-point connectivity, Party Link for pairing multiple speakers and EQ adjustment, for instance.

And on the topic of EQ adjustment, this app offers a pretty mixed experience. One key positive is that there’s a fully customizable, six-band equalizer available through the app, so you get a decent amount of control over the sound you get here. But I was frustrated at the real lack of presets available here. You can use Sound Boost, which provides a boost to volume and low-end power, but this counts as a preset in itself. Other than that, there’s only Standard mode. I would’ve liked to have seen some gene-specific presets, for instance, to make it easy to get your preferred sound from the offset.

Another cornerstone feature is LED light customization. There are three main categories to switch between – Ambient, Nature and Party. Within these are three preset choices, such as ‘Passion of youth’, ‘Cheerful celebration’ and ‘Gorgeous night view’ in the Party category. However, you can also save a custom pick within each of the three groups – making for a user experience that’s not only highly customizable, but highly convenient. If only EQ settings were this fully-fledged!

One more nice touch here is Healing Therapy. This provides access to a set list of calming sounds, all of which have to be downloaded separately. A few examples include ‘A Still Summer Night with Insect Sounds’ or ‘The Sleepy Sounds of the Deep Sea’, which I really enjoyed listening to. You can also set a sleep timer with Healing Therapy, just in case you find that you’ve nodded off. I think it’s fair to say that this feature is a bit of a gimmick, but gimmicks can still be fun. I still liked it, anyway.

But alas, there are a couple of issues I have with the XG8T, feature-wise. First of all, it doesn’t have the most up-to-date Bluetooth version. This speaker harnesses Bluetooth 5.1, even though a handful of speakers are already using version 5.4 now. But that’s not a deal-breaker, in my view.

The killer issue here is battery life. LG says you get up to 15 hours, that is if you keep volume at 50% or lower and have EQ and lights off. Activate Sound Boost and crank up the volume and battery depletes way too quickly. I’d lost 20% in about an hour with an average of about 50-60% volume, intermittent Sound Boost use and LED lights turned on – that’s pretty poor for a modern Bluetooth speaker of this size. So, if you want to get the best out of the XG8T, expect sub-par battery life. In fact, it may not even last an entire event without dying unless you’re conservative with volume and lighting.

• Features score: 3/5

LG XBoom Go XG8T review: sound quality

• Impactful bass
• Mighty volume levels
• No ‘hi-res’ codecs for more detailed listening

In the audio department, the LG XBoom Go XG8T puts in a pretty solid performance, with the main attraction being… you guessed it, bass. Now, out of the box, you may feel low-frequency audio output is a touch underwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, it’s by no means pathetic, but it could definitely do with a leg up. And that’s where Sound Boost mode comes in, an essential option for bass-heavy bangers or if you want to flood large or outdoor spaces with your favorite tunes.

When listening to Voyager by Daft Punk, I was impressed by the pumping deep bass on offer, which produced a ground-shaking, head-bopping performance ideal for a party setting. The funky guitar playing throughout the track didn’t sound distorted either, even at about 70% volume. Getting higher than this was quite the task though – not because it sounds terrible, but because this thing can get very loud, thanks to its 60W woofer. And that certainly improves its credentials as a capable outdoor speaker.

One complaint I had when listening to Voyager and a host of other tracks, such as Moloko’s I Want You, was that higher-pitched percussive elements didn’t have perfect clarity and sharpness. This was emphasised more at top volumes, where this could get a bit grating – something that wouldn’t typically bother me too much, but for the price you're paying here this level of critique is valid.

Another slightly disappointing aspect of this speaker is its lack of support for more ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth codecs, such as LDAC. And this was a contributor to some songs occasionally lacking, or underplaying details in tracks. For instance, when I listened to Didn’t Cha Know by Erykah Badu, smaller percussive and string elements were kept under wraps, making for a slightly constricted listen.

Sure, vocals sounded decently balanced and overall audio was clean, but in all honesty that’s to be expected at this price-point. If you want a more detailed, nuanced listen for the money, this speaker is not your best option. You can pair it with another Go XG8T speaker (in dual mode, or multiple speakers in multi mode) via LG's Wireless Party Link, however, if you’d at least like access to even bigger sound.

Ultimately, this speaker’s success hinges much more on its talents in the bass and loudness departments. This is designed more for outdoor or party use and it works very nicely for that. Just make sure you have Sound Boost on to really add some meat in the low-end. You get great volume levels too and although things can get a little edgy at the top of the speaker’s range, it will still be capable of filling a larger room or cutting through pesky background noise in an outdoor setting.

• Sound quality score: 3.5/5

LG XBoom Go XG8T review: design

• Military-grade durability
• Decent looks with classy LED lights
• Adjustable strap can work as handle

The LG XBoom Go XG8T has a pretty standard look about it – which is by no means a bad thing. It’s a large, black Bluetooth speaker with passive radiators on each side, lined by LED lights and a wraparound speaker grille. I found this to be an attractive looking speaker, with its build quality perhaps being indicative of a higher price point.

But this is more than a classy-looking speaker, it’s super practical too. First of all, one of the speaker’s main selling points is that it offers military-grade durability. LG says that the XG8T has passed seven tests against: dust, high temperatures, rain, salt fog, shock, vibration and water immersion. On top of that, it’s IP67 certified, so it can even survive being submerged under a meter of water for up to thirty minutes.

Another big win in terms of practicality is the inclusion of an adjustable strap. The attached strap is more of a handle at first, which is ideal for carrying this fairly hefty speaker over short distances. But let’s say you’re going for a beach trip and have to carry the XG8T over a bit more ground. Fear not! You can extend the attached strap to a considerable length, in order to sling it around your shoulder.

This speaker also has some useful button controls just below the handle. These are all well-sized and serve their purpose well. You have the obvious inclusions, play/pause, volume controls and power on/off. But there’s also a Bluetooth button to swiftly connect devices and a Sound Boost option to crank up volume and boost the low-end. On top of that, there’s a tab on the reverse side of the speaker to access the USB-A port or the charging slot.

And that leads onto the only design element that bothered me with the XG8T: charging it up. The included AC adapter gives off the vibe of an oversized laptop charger from about 15 years back – not a good look. This really juxtaposes the high practicality of every other aforementioned element – and as much as it’s no deal breaker, I would’ve preferred slightly more lightweight charging equipment for the XG8T.

• Design score: 4/5

LG XBoom Go XG8T review: value

• List price is high
• But it's often available at a reduced price
• Outdone by too many competitors

If we are judging the LG XBoom Go XG8T’s value on list price alone, things aren’t looking too good. You’d need fairly deep pockets to pick up this speaker without a discount – for reference its official price is $379.99 / £400 (about AU$600). And this speaker doesn’t do a ton to set itself apart at that price point.

Audio, although good, isn’t massively detailed or perfectly clear all the time. Combine that with a disappointing battery life and unimpressive EQ presets and its clear: this speaker isn’t worth its list price, especially when you consider the incredible quality of competitors in this price range, like the JBL Xtreme 4 or Bose SoundLink Max (more on those in ‘Also Consider’).

But luckily, there’s more to the story here. Since its release this speaker has been heavily discounted on a number of occasions – even for as little as half price in the UK and US. Even still, it's not free of competition. There are speakers like the Tribit Stormbox Blast, for instance that offer booming, talented audio for under $200 / £200.

Even if the XG8T is a solid speaker in its own right, it's hard to justify its list price. And even at a cut-price, I wouldn’t argue it's best-in-class either.

• Value score: 2.5/5

Should I buy the LG XBoom Go XG8T?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

LG XBoom Go XG8T review: also consider

LG XBoom Go XG8T review: how I tested

• Tested for one week
• Mainly used at our music testing space at Future Labs
• Predominantly tested using Tidal on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE

I dedicated hours when listening to the LG XBoom Go XG8T and tried it out in a range of spaces. However, I did predominantly use it in our music testing room at Future Labs to assess audio quality in a quiet, controlled environment. I also conducted a battery test to validate LG’s claim about playtime.

When I listened to music, I mainly harnessed the power of Tidal via the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, from which I streamed tracks within our expertly curated TechRadar reference playlist. But that's not all – I also tapped into tunes from my personal music library as well as podcast episodes. Finally, I used the similarly-sized JBL Xtreme 4 as a point of comparison across areas like sound quality, features and battery life.

• First reviewed: January 2025
• Read more about how we test