Bluetooth 5.3 vs. Bluetooth 4.0: What’s the Actual Difference?

Key Points

• Bluetooth 5.3 is faster and stronger than Bluetooth 4.0, with a speed of 2Mbps in LE and 50Mbps in EDR mode compared to 1Mbps in LE and 25Mbps in EDR mode.
• Both Bluetooth 5.3 and 4.0 have backward compatibility, allowing you to use older devices with newer phones or tablets.
• Bluetooth 5.3 has major security improvements, including encrypted data transmission, making it more secure than Bluetooth 4.0.
• Bluetooth 5.3 has a longer connection range of up to 800 feet, while Bluetooth 4.0 has a maximum range of around 60 feet.
• Bluetooth 5.3 supports lossless audio codecs, providing better audio quality compared to Bluetooth 4.0.

Bluetooth 5.3 vs. Bluetooth 4.0: What’s changed? When you get into wireless standards, it can be a bit difficult to figure out what exactly has changed between versions. This is made even more complicated with the various releases and changes a standard like Bluetooth will see throughout its lifespan. Bluetooth 5.3 is the latest on the block and brings some interesting changes with it.

Bluetooth 4.0 is still relatively widespread, being one of the major wireless standards around the world. Despite its age, there are still quite a few devices using it as the operating standard. So, what has changed from 4.0 to 5.3? Today’s guide will be taking a closer look at the changes between these two releases, as well as their capabilities.

Bluetooth 5.3 vs. Bluetooth 4.0: Side-by-Side Comparison

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12/01/2023 04:42 pm GMT

Bluetooth 5.3 vs. Bluetooth 4.0: What’s the Difference?

The eleven years between Bluetooth 4.0 and 5.3 make for quite a substantial difference in terms of raw specs. Let’s take a look at the differences in greater detail.

Performance

As a relatively new standard, Bluetooth 5.3 is understandably faster and stronger than 4.0. One of the more noteworthy additions made to the wireless standard came from version 5.0 which doubled the effective speed of the connection in LE and EDR modes. Bluetooth 5.3’s speed is doubled from Bluetooth 4.0, running at 2Mbps in LE and 50Mbps in EDR mode.

This allows for a variety of different devices to take advantage of the extra bandwidth. One of the biggest complaints you can level at older wireless devices is the subpar audio quality. Often, older wireless headsets and speakers would run into the issue of compression and other digital artifacts at higher volumes.

Bluetooth 4.0 is still prone to this. While it has significantly increased bandwidth compared to the likes of Bluetooth 2 and 3, it still doesn’t allow for optimal audio playback. This also can be further seen when using something like AirDrop with your iPhone. If you’re transferring a lot of files on an older iPhone to another Bluetooth device, it will take considerably more time.

Compatibility

Overall compatibility with wireless devices is great on a Bluetooth 5.3 phone, tablet, or laptop. You can utilize any past Bluetooth device, thanks to the universal backward compatibility built into the standard itself. This means you can effectively even use older devices if you so choose.

Bluetooth 4.0 also has the same level of backward compatibility. Version 4.0 was originally introduced back in 2010, so the highest level of functionality isn’t going to be as pronounced. You can use newer devices with a Bluetooth 4.0 phone, for example, but it will only support the highest version’s functionality.

Simply put, Bluetooth is going to work, no matter the device you are using. If you have a 5.3 set of earbuds and a 4.0 phone, it will function as intended. It won’t get the same range or quality of playback as a 5.3 phone, but it will still connect and play. The newer standards will benefit from the additions made to the spec, but you can still continue to use older devices you might have in your home.

Security Improvements

One of the most notable changes to the Bluetooth wireless standard is the introduction of major security overhauls. Security is one of the largest growing concerns with digital devices, and the Bluetooth Organization has followed suit. From version 5.2 on, there has been a growing focus on security.

4.0 is overall a more stable standard than its forebears, but it still transmits data in the clear. As such, it isn’t recommended to use anything truly sensitive on a 4.0 connection. You can still use it for day-to-day stuff like transferring non-vital data or audio streaming.

If you’re looking to keep banking information and the like safe, however, stick with 5.2 or higher. Version 5.3 has even changed the way your data is encrypted. So if you want the best security available today, you need the latest version of the standard.

Broadcast Speed and Connection Range

One of the biggest changes from Bluetooth 4.0 to 5.3 is the substantial increase in speed and connection range. As previously discussed, the effective transfer rate of Bluetooth 5.3 is doubled over 4.0. While 4.0 has a respectable 1Mbps in Low Energy Mode and 25Mbps in EDR, that goes to 2Mbps and 50Mbps respectively for 5.3.

The range of successful connections is also far higher than previous versions. The earliest versions of Bluetooth were fraught with unstable connections once you got past around 30 feet or so. Bluetooth 5.3 allows a user to connect up to 800 feet away, giving fantastic coverage throughout most of a home for example.

Bluetooth 4.0 also saw distance increases for connection range. It isn’t quite as substantial as the gains seen with 5.3, but is still noteworthy. 4.0 has a maximum connection range of around 60 feet, which is more than double the original spec.

Lossless Audio

Another of the massive improvements introduced with 5.0 is the increased bandwidth and lossless audio codecs. This enables Bluetooth to be used for the likes of broadcasting Dolby Atmos audio to a soundbar for example.

If you’re an Apple user with an iPhone 14 or newer, you’ve likely also seen this in action. Lossless audio is available on compatible listening devices like the second-generation AirPod Pros. This isn’t a complete replacement for fully lossless audio on a hi-fi system, but it does make listening to your favorite music at higher volumes much more comfortable.

Audio playback on Bluetooth 4.0 is the same as previous versions. It doesn’t have the bandwidth or support for lossless audio codecs. As such, you’ll run into distortion, clipping, compression, and other digital nasties when listening through earbuds to something like Spotify.

Granted, you’ll have to be using a phone or earbuds from 2010 or so to really have that happen, which is more of a rarity these days.

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12/01/2023 04:51 pm GMT

Bluetooth 5.3 vs. Bluetooth 4.0: 5 Must-Know Facts

• Bluetooth 5.3 has substantially more range than previous versions.
• Bluetooth 5.3 can automatically select the optimal channel for broadcasting.
• Bluetooth 5.3 is an overall more secure protocol than previous versions.
• Bluetooth 4.0 was a substantial leap forward compared to version 2.0 and 3.0.
• Bluetooth 4.0 is backward compatible with any other Bluetooth protocols.

Bluetooth 5.3 vs. Bluetooth 4.0: Which One is Better? Which One Should You Choose?

With wireless standards, the latest is always going to be the best. The same applies to Bluetooth 5.3, which is just that much better than Bluetooth 4.0. You can still continue to use devices on 4.0, and you’ll certainly benefit from the advances in the tech compared to previous versions.

However, at this point, any device that is primarily running a 13-year-old standard is old tech in the first place. More than likely, any modern device you’ll pick up on the market has support for 5.0 at the bare minimum.

Thanks to the goal of full backward compatibility with previous versions, you can even use those older peripherals with a Bluetooth 5.3 phone or tablet.