Siblings in Edifier's MR series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Edifier MR4.5 digs deeper - 50Hz against 60Hz. |
| Built-in power | A | Edifier MR4.5 has the bigger amplifier (80W vs 42W RMS). |
| Connections | A | Edifier MR4.5 adds Bluetooth. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | B | Edifier MR4 is cheaper - $170 against $250, about 32% less. |
A Edifier MR4.5 B Edifier MR4
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Edifier MR4.5 measures better, Edifier MR4 costs about about 47% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Edifier MR4 much easier to justify. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $80 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.