It offers incredible durability, meaty bass and strong portability.
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.
It also has an IP67 waterproof rating and high-quality build, protecting it against impact and underwater submersion.
It’s looking good so far, right?
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 theres a real emphasis on the up to.
Next, lets talk sound another area where the XG8T cant quite usurp some of thebest waterproof speakersaround.
Bass, thankfully can get pretty deep and hits with impact, especially with Sound Boost on.
Having said that, theres another factor to consider.
Since its 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?
But the power and bass on offer here would certainly be a lot more impressive in this context.
But all in all, this speaker just misses the mark.
But unless youre a massive LG fan specifically, youre likely to be better served elsewhere.
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.
Its also worth noting that this speaker is only available in Black.
And on the topic of EQ adjustment, this app offers a pretty mixed experience.
But I was frustrated at the real lack of presets available here.
Other than that, theres only Standard mode.
Another cornerstone feature is LED light customization.
There are three main categories to switch between Ambient, Nature and Party.
If only EQ tweaks 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.
I still liked it, anyway.
But alas, there are a couple of issues I have with the XG8T, feature-wise.
First of all, it doesnt 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 thats not a deal-breaker, in my view.
The killer issue here is battery life.
Activate Sound Boost and crank up the volume and battery depletes way too quickly.
So, if you want to get the best out of the XG8T, expect sub-par battery life.
Now, out of the box, you may feel low-frequency audio output is a touch underwhelming.
The funky guitar playing throughout the track didnt sound distorted either, even at about 70% volume.
And that certainly improves its credentials as a capable outdoor speaker.
And this was a contributor to some songs occasionally lacking, or underplaying details in tracks.
Ultimately, this speakers 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 ensure you have Sound Boost on to really add some meat in the low-end.
But this is more than a classy-looking speaker, its super practical too.
First of all, one of the speakers main selling points is that it offers military-grade durability.
Another big win in terms of practicality is the inclusion of an adjustable strap.
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.
And that leads onto the only design element that bothered me with the XG8T: charging it up.
And this speaker doesnt do atonto set itself apart at that price point.
Audio, although good, isnt massively detailed or perfectly clear all the time.
But luckily, theres more to the story here.
Even still, it’s not free of competition.
And even at a cut-price, I wouldnt argue it’s best-in-class either.
Should I buy the LG XBoom Go XG8T?
Read our fullJBL Xtreme 4 review.
Read our fullBose SoundLink Max review.
I also conducted a battery test to validate LGs claim about playtime.
