MP3 Players

Microsoft Zune HD

MSRP $219.99 Released September, 2009

Pros

OLED touchscreen display
HD radio receiver
WiFi connectivity

Cons

sold in the USA only
app store isn't as mature as Apple's
Doesnt have true hd (1080p)

ProSCORE
15 reviews

64

Microsoft Zune 80

MSRP $249.00 Released November, 2007

Pros

Wireless media syncing with your computer
Better media format compatibility
Best integration between service and player outside of the iPods

Cons

STILL the 3-play limit restriction
There's WiFi, but no web browser
No EQ system

ProSCORE
36 reviews

50

Creative Zen

MSRP $199.00 Released September, 2007

Pros

Large and clear screen
Thin and light
Great audio quality

Cons

Plastic screen scratches very easily
Only Plays video encoded at 320x240 resolution.
SD slot doesn't integrate well with player

ProSCORE
24 reviews

67

Apple iPod Nano 4th Gen

MSRP $199.00 Released September, 2008

Pros

Ridiculously thin
Available in 9 different colors
Accelerometer means you can watch videos in either portrait or landscape orientation

Cons

Doesn't charge with older chargers ( you need to buy all new equipment for it)
Rounded screen can lead to glare
Limited codec support - No FLAC or WMA

ProSCORE
14 reviews

68

Cowon S9 Curve

MSRP $200.00 Released December, 2008

Pros

dual core processor
affordable and competitive price
large touchscreen

Cons

no mention of WIFI or internet browser - included on ipod touch
no third party software
software will not be as modular or as well supported as the iPod Touch software

ProSCORE
10 reviews

90

Apple iPod Nano 3rd Gen

MSRP $199.00 Released September, 2007

Pros

Ridiculously thin
Now plays video with a high quality screen
Feels just right in your hand.

Cons

Battery still not user replaceable.
The backside is very easily scratched.
More expensive than competitors with similar features

ProSCORE
43 reviews

62

Apple iPod Shuffle

MSRP $79.00 Released March, 2009

Pros

even smaller than previous generation
double the capacity of the last generation model
very light

Cons

more expensive than last generation
device is now unusable without proprietary headphones with in-line controls
no support for open source codecs such as OGG and FLAC

ProSCORE
10 reviews

52

Creative Zen X-Fi2

MSRP $129.99 Released September, 2009

Pros

quality earbuds included
included software is not required to sync the device
integrated speaker

Cons

wall charger not included, must be purchased separately
unintuitive controls
poor included software

ProSCORE
3 reviews

71

Sony NWZ-E438F

MSRP $140.00 Released August, 2008

Pros

Long battery life
Sound quality
Solid build

Cons

Proprietary sync/charge cable
has to rebuild its library every time you start it
Glossy surface attracts fingerprints

ProSCORE
10 reviews

62

Samsung YP-U3

MSRP $90.00 Released August, 2007

Pros

Integrated USB connector with no losable parts
Clear and readable screen
Slim and light form factor

Cons

Included ear buds are poor
No FM recording
The buttonless touch pad can be tricky to use. Should come with earbuds that have a volume slider.

ProSCORE
8 reviews

71

Apple iPod Classic (2007)

MSRP $349.00 Released September, 2007

Pros

Big capacity upgrade compared to previous models
New UI elements are interesting
Great battery life

Cons

Limited file support - no Ogg Vorbis
Little or no recording capabilities (even compared with other iPods)
160gb version cancelled

ProSCORE
23 reviews

66

Microsoft Zune 30

MSRP $199.99 Released November, 2006

Pros

Large 3" screen; good for video (4:3)
Integrated wireless for sharing songs (with some limitations) and photos
Can be found for $99 if you shop around.

Cons

Cannot be used as a hard drive
Not backwards compatible with WMA-DRM9 audio
Proprietary USB connector

ProSCORE
12 reviews

54

SanDisk Sansa View

MSRP $149.00 Released October, 2007

Pros

Great GB/$ ratio
MicroSD/SDHC expansion slot
Large screen size without being bulky

Cons

No DivX support
No way to cycle quickly through long song lists.
Unable to create/edit playlists away from PC

ProSCORE
39 reviews

67

Sony Walkman NWZ-W202

MSRP $69.99 Released April, 2009

Pros

affordable price
lightweight and hassle free - perfect for working out
drag-and-drop file management

Cons

if the headphones or MP3 player break the combo is useless
no support for open source file formats (ogg or flac)
No FM tuner

ProSCORE
3 reviews

62

SanDisk Sansa Clip

MSRP $70.00 Released October, 2007

Pros

Very competitive price/storage ratio
Good audio quality
More features than Shuffle and Stone

Cons

1GB only available in black
Can only be recharged using the USB cable.
Power switch can feel flimsy

ProSCORE
27 reviews

86

Cowon iAudio 9

MSRP $169.99 Released November, 2009

Pros

support for open source formats - FLAC and OGG
drag and drop file transfers - no need to install proprietary crapware to access your device
stunning OLED touchscreen display

Cons

no memory card slot for expansion
interface isn't very intuitive
old-school design - looks like a no-name piece of crap

ProSCORE
1 review

75

Apple iPod Video 30GB 5th Gen

MSRP $299.00 Released September, 2005

Pros

Enormous pool of accessories available
Sharp high-resolution screen clear enough to read subtitles
Seamless integration with iTunes

Cons

Body scuffs easily
No custom EQ
Not a lot of space for videos, especially compared to newer 80GB and 120GB models.

ProSCORE
11 reviews

62

iriver E100

MSRP $150.00 Released March, 2008

Pros

eBook reader
Built-in speakers
Great audio support

Cons

Small screen
Screen isn't very good
Sound quality isn't as good as previous versions

ProSCORE
7 reviews

44

SanDisk Sansa Fuze

MSRP $129.99 Released April, 2008

Pros

Built-in micro SD slot for expansion
Excellent sound quality
Nice design

Cons

Video playback is weak
Slow responsiveness when skipping tracks
Required proprietary dock connection

ProSCORE
12 reviews

77

Sony Walkman NWZ-X1060B

MSRP $399 - $399 Released February, 2009

Pros

stunning OLED touchscreen display
active noise canceling
drag-and-drop file management - not locked to a proprietary music program / service

Cons

no open source OGG or FLAC format support
expensive
UI will be less modular than that on the iPod Touch

ProSCORE
3 reviews

56

Apple iPod Nano

MSRP $149.99 Released September, 2009

Pros

now includes FM radio
larger 2.2" display
small and lightweight

Cons

same capacities as previous generation
created to be used as part of a closed system - iTunes, Apple music store and iPod
limited codec support - no FLAC, OGG, WMA, etc... support

ProSCORE
2 reviews

74

Cowon iAudio D2

MSRP $140.00 Released --

Pros

FLAC Support
SD/SDHC support with full integration
Battery Life

Cons

Very sensitive about mp3-tags
Fiddly to operate
No true line out

ProSCORE
8 reviews

79

SanDisk Sansa Connect 4GB

MSRP $249.00 Released April, 2007

Pros

SD slot to expand capacity
Internet radio (no subscription required)
Connects with Flickr

Cons

Doesn't connect to PC wirelessly
Yahoo service has been discontinued
No built-in mic

ProSCORE
10 reviews

59

Apple iPod Shuffle (2007-2008)

MSRP $49.00 Released September, 2006

Pros

Extremely small and lightweight
Integrated clip design
Very simple design

Cons

Expensive compared to products with similar features
No display
Can't be used as a thumb drive

ProSCORE
16 reviews

56

iriver Spinn

MSRP $229.99 Released August, 2008

Pros

good variety of capacities
FM tuner
not an iPod

Cons

slightly slow UI, not very fluid
not widely available
only 262k colours - visible gradients in images

ProSCORE
2 reviews

79

Cowon A3

MSRP $399.00 Released December, 2007

Pros

Fantastic screen quality
Can act as a USB host
Video output AND recording

Cons

Expensive ! (80GB version almost twice the price of an 80GB ipod)
Annoying joystick control
Chunky body design

ProSCORE
7 reviews

71

Rockbox

MSRP $0.00 Released October, 2007

Pros

Supports Multiple Codecs
May improve battery life
Supports Recording (certain players) to multiple formats
Custom UI (skinning)

Cons

Does not support DRM crippled music
May shorten battery life (iPod)

ProSCORE
3 reviews

93

Creative Zen Vision:M

MSRP $250.00 Released December, 2005

Pros

Easily plays DiVX formatted files unlike the iPod
Intuitive user interface.
FM Radio, Able to record FM Radio with newer Firmware.

Cons

Playlist building via player needs work.
Requires a Separate Dongle for TV Out/ Charging purpose's.
heavier and larger than the competition

ProSCORE
9 reviews

71

Sony E Series

MSRP $100 - $140 Released August, 2008

Pros

FM radio
40 hours of audio outperforms any current generation MP3 player
Good sound quality

Cons

4 and 8GB capacities are already outdated by Microsoft and Apple standards (who now have 8 and 16GB models of their basic players)
No voice recorder
No memory expansion

ProSCORE
3 reviews

74

Microsoft Zune 120

MSRP $249.99 Released September, 2008

Pros

Big Screen

Cons

Windows Only

ProSCORE
1 review

50

Sony NWZ-A820

MSRP $319.99 Released April, 2008

Pros

Long battery life
Earbuds are excellent quality
Bluetooth connectivity

Cons

No web browser
Small screen
Not a touch screen

ProSCORE
7 reviews

44

Apple iPod Nano 2nd Gen

MSRP $199.00 Released September, 2006

Pros

Sleek design
Very small size
Comes in different colors

Cons

Special software is required to transfer music to iPod
Dead batteries cost too much to replace
To recharge iPod battery you must have a powered USB port

ProSCORE
18 reviews

57

Meizu M6

MSRP $129.00 Released --

Pros

Large 2.4" screen
Supports many audio formats (Ogg Vorbis, mp3, wma, FLAC)
Clean audio output (especially at low volumes)
Good price ($20 cheaper than equiv. Nano)

Cons

Touchpad can be awkward to control
UI can be unintuitive (however, firmware has addressed the worst offenses)

ProSCORE
4 reviews

75

Creative ZEN X-Fi

MSRP $150.00 Released July, 2008

Pros

SDHC memory card support
Wi-Fi connectivity to stream from your media library
Excellent price point

Cons

SD memory is separate from internal memory in the UI which makes for a frustrating experience
Poor battery life when streaming over Wi-Fi; less than 3 hours of audio and only minutes of video
Poorly implement chat and friends implementation

ProSCORE
6 reviews

55

Samsung YP-P2

MSRP $299.00 Released September, 2007

Pros

Large and sharp screen
Slim profile
Good format support
Excellent battery life

Cons

Touch interface isn't as good as Apple's
Hard drive to cost ratio.

ProSCORE
11 reviews

81

Apple iPod Classic

MSRP $249.00 Released September, 2009

Pros

slightly better battery life than the original classic
huge amount of storage - great for massive music collections or lossless lovers
large screen

Cons

No ogg/flac support
Battery still not user-replaceable
not much of an update from the original classic

ProSCORE
4 reviews

50

Sandisk Sansa lil' Monsta c250 2GB

MSRP $79.99 Released January, 2007

Pros

No iTunes required!
Affordable
Colour screen on a small player
FM tuner with recording capability
Voice recorder

Cons

Larger form factor than Shuffle and other tiny players

ProSCORE
3 reviews

91

Slacker Portable Player

MSRP $199.00 Released December, 2007

Pros

4" full screen display featuring album art /reviews, artist photos/bios and visualizations
Support for MP3, WMA and video as well as "saved" radio tracks
Automatically save and refresh personalized stations via Wi-Fi, Satellite or USB
Long battery life
Deep playlists

Cons

Displays ads, unless you pay a monthly fee.

ProSCORE
11 reviews

67

Microsoft Zune 8

MSRP $199.00 Released November, 2007

Newly introduced with the 2007 lineup of Zunes are the Zune 8 and Zune 4, flash based players that house all the same features as the Zune 80 in a smaller size. The smaller players support all the same media formats, and contain the same WiFi sharing capabilities and syncing. The screen itself has...

ProSCORE
0 reviews

N/A

Coby MP836

MSRP $150.00 Released February, 2009

Pros

includes FM tuner
microSD expansion
3" touchscreen

Cons

not a well known quality brand
fails to play back supported video formats
included video transcoding software is poor and doesn't always produce working videos

ProSCORE
3 reviews

61

Creative Zen V Plus

MSRP $69.99 Released --

Pros

simple to use
ok sound quality
compact

Cons

low res screen

ProSCORE
3 reviews

75

SanDisk Sansa e260 4GB

MSRP $120.00 Released --

Pros

less expensive than the iPod
expandable storage with microSD
Will run Rockbox
Long battery time (20 hours)

Cons

No dedicated volume control
Power switch used as Home key.

ProSCORE
12 reviews

79

SanDisk Sansa e280

MSRP $90.00 Released September, 2004

Pros

jog dial
e280 v2 has great soundquality (similar to Clip & Fuze)
SDHC expansion slot

Cons

light on jogdial too bright
scratches easily
doesn't support folder browsing

ProSCORE
1 review

70

Philips LUXE

MSRP $90.00 Released October, 2008

Pros

small and light
bluetooth 2.1 support - for use as a hands-free headset for compatible cellphones
built in FM radio

Cons

strange flashy design
limited format support (MP3 or WMA only)
not the greatest battery life

ProSCORE
2 reviews

57

Coby MP815

MSRP $110.00 Released February, 2009

Pros

Good sound
FM tuner
OGG support

Cons

Poor quality construction
Doesn't play video files that it is supposed to support
Poorly-written instructions

ProSCORE
2 reviews

24

iriver Lplayer

MSRP $99.00 Released July, 2008

Pros

Small unit, but screen as big as possible
Nice easily navigable interface

ProSCORE
1 review

100

Sony Walkman NWZ-X1050B

MSRP $399 - $399 Released February, 2009

The Sony NWZ-X1050B is an MP3 player released in the UK around February of 2009. A Wi-Fi module with web-browsing and multimedia downloading capabilities, the Sony NWZ-X1050B MP3 player features a 3” OLED touchscreen display with 432x240 resolution, a built-in FM tuner, and 16GB of internal storage. In addition, the NWZ-X1050B MP3 player supports...

ProSCORE
0 reviews

N/A

Sony NWZ-A810

MSRP $199.00 Released September, 2007

Pros

Good quality headphones included with package
High quality audio output
Clear and vibrant screen

Cons

No FM radio support
Limited video format support
No voice recording

ProSCORE
4 reviews

67

Creative ZEN Mozaic

MSRP -- Released July, 2008

Pros

Very good speaker sound

Cons

Does not play Ogg or FLAC files.
Only able to transfer data via MTP (no UMS)
Does not supports MP4 (aka AAC) format

ProSCORE
4 reviews

18

Samsung K5

MSRP $300.00 Released --

Pros

Speaker sounds suprisingly good for background listening
This player has survied been ran over by a lorry (You Tube)!
Really clear OLED screen, with black areas blending in with the whole player
Minimilistic look comes to life when activated

Cons

A bit chunky!
Needs to be taken out of pocket for use

ProSCORE
1 review

71

Samsung YP-Z5A 4 GB

MSRP $263.50 Released --

Pros

Newest firmware shows Samsung listen...gapless playback, OGG support and user customizable EQ
User interface designed by the people behind that of the original Ipod
Slim and light
Easy to add album art: all AlbumArtSmalls show up (the conventional thumbnail name)

Cons

Power-hungry standby mode, which cannot be disabled. Significantly shortens battery life.
Touch pad breaks easily

ProSCORE
2 reviews

75

iriver clix gen 2

MSRP $169.00 Released April, 2007

Pros

FM Radio
Plays video (mpeg4)
Excellent audio support (mp3, WMA, OGG)
Bright, large display (/w custom background, 2.2")

Cons

Difficult to transfer video
No cradle

ProSCORE
4 reviews

80

Coby MP600

MSRP $30.00 Released February, 2009

Pros

great value, fm tuner is awesome, good sound, good video, very pleased.

Cons

if you try and convert an flv file that's too low quality (below 330kbs) , the software freezes.

ProSCORE
1 review

N/A

Samsung YP-R1

MSRP $180.00 Released October, 2009

Pros

FM radio tuner
voice recorder
small and compact - quite pocket friendly
competitive pricing

Cons

Beat DJ is such a silly addition
blingy laggy interface

ProSCORE
1 review

80

Sony NWZ-A720

MSRP $299.00 Released April, 2008

Pros

Includes premium, in-ear earphones
Long battery life
Excellent audio quality
Intuitive on-screen menu

Cons

Limited video format support

ProSCORE
1 review

80

Creative Zen Stone

MSRP $39.99 Released May, 2007

Pros

cheap
long battery life
Good sound quality

Cons

no clip
Gets scratched easily
No memory expansion

ProSCORE
12 reviews

57

SanDisk Sansa Express

MSRP $60.00 Released August, 2007

Pros

direct USB connection
FM radio and FM recording
impressive features for a small player

Cons

bigger than other mini mp3 players (shuffle, zen stone)
earbuds are very poor quality
screen is hard to read outdoors

ProSCORE
8 reviews

66

Slacker G2

MSRP -- Released September, 2008

Pros

exposes you to good music that you've never heard before
can use all of the online functionality for free without a subscription
much sleeker than the original device

Cons

WiFi connection requires the battery be more than 50% charged
syncing Internet radio stations takes a long time, drains battery quickly
only available in the United States

ProSCORE
3 reviews

68

SanDisk slotRadio

MSRP $99.99 Released March, 2009

Pros

miniature size
easy to use and attain music
1,000 song batches will last casual listeners a long time before getting boring

Cons

locked to a proprietary music service
no internal or external storage one can use to load on music they already own
once music gets old user must buy new cards at 39.99 a hit

ProSCORE
4 reviews

38

Archos 405

MSRP $170.00 Released August, 2007

Pros

inexpensive personal video player
SD Flash slot for expanding memory
large, high quality 3.5" screen

Cons

very little built-in memory - 2 GB
mediocre battery life
no built-in speaker

ProSCORE
3 reviews

56

Sony NWZ-E436F

MSRP $100.00 Released August, 2008

Pros

any alternative to the Apple iPod Nano is a good one
cuts out the gimmicky "high end" Sony features for a lower price
FM radio
40 hours of audio outperforms any current generation MP3 player
slightly cheaper than similarly sized models from the big players

Cons

4 and 8GB capacities are already outdated by Microsoft and Apple standards (who now have 8 and 16GB models of their basic players)

ProSCORE
3 reviews

67

Cowon iAudio 7

MSRP $250.00 Released --

Pros

Fantastic audio quality
Very long battery life (60 hours)
Controls are easy after you've learned them

Cons

Controls take time to learn
Thick for a flash based player
Under-powered CPU - doesn't like very high bit-rate files

ProSCORE
3 reviews

73

Epson P-6000

MSRP $599.99 Released August, 2008

Pros

Extremely high quality screen
Much improved software over previous generations
Excellent colour rendition

Cons

Very expensive

ProSCORE
2 reviews

71

Creative Zen Stone Plus

MSRP $60.00 Released November, 2007

Pros

Impressive array of features for a small device
Simple display
Solid build

Cons

Folder browsing is awkward because folders don't maintain hierarchy
Poor battery life
Double the size of the iPod Shuffle

ProSCORE
5 reviews

44

Sony Walkman NWZ-X1000 Series

MSRP $399.00 Released May, 2009

Pros

active noise canceling
stunning OLED touchscreen display
attractive and slim form factor - more pocket-able than the iPod Touch

Cons

no open source OGG or FLAC format support
late to market - years or months behind directly competing products
expensive

ProSCORE
2 reviews

69

Sony NWZ-S738F

MSRP $180.00 Released August, 2008

Pros

40 hours of audio on a single charge is superior to any other player
added noise canceling feature helps with open style headphones
good alternative to an iPod or Zune

Cons

limited audio formats
noise canceling circuit distorts music and doesn't work as well as closed or isolating headphones
added features of the S series are not worth the premium

ProSCORE
2 reviews

60

Samsung K3

MSRP $90.00 Released April, 2007

Pros

FM tuner
Great sound quality
Nice, sleek design

Cons

No video playback
Not compatible with Macs
Buttons a little underresponsive

ProSCORE
4 reviews

56

Creative Labs Zen Micro 6 GB

MSRP $185.00 Released --

Pros

Very easy to navigate the menus and select songs and playlists.

ProSCORE
1 review

100

iriver e50

MSRP -- Released January, 2009

Pros

stunning brushed aluminum enclosure
small size and very discrete
affordable pricing
FLAC and OGG support
unbelievable battery life

Cons

capacities only up to 8GB - behind Microsoft and Apple which both carry 16GB models

ProSCORE
1 review

83

Eco Media Player

MSRP $310.00 Released August, 2007

Pros

Environmentally friendly self recharging device
Can output power to charge other devices
Line in audio recording
Expandable capacity with full sized CD memory cards up to 2GB

Cons

Small internal capacity

ProSCORE
2 reviews

86

Philips GoGear Opus

MSRP -- Released April, 2009

The Philips GoGear Opus is a portable MP3 player designed to offer significantly boosted audio quality through enhanced dynamics, bass, tremble, and stereo imaging. Released in Europe during April of 2009, the Philips GoGear Opus MP3 player is an upgrade from the Philips GoGear Ariaz in that it is available in 8GB, 16GB, and...

ProSCORE
0 reviews

N/A

Mvix MV-2500U

MSRP $149.00 Released April, 2008

Pros

Portable HD video playback
Supports up to 250 GB hard drive
Many video formats supported
Component and S/PDIF outputs
Includes remote

Cons

Hard drive sold separately

ProSCORE
1 review

83

Sony NWZ-B135F

MSRP $60.00 Released August, 2008

Pros

FM radio
voice recorder
small and compact size

Cons

poor battery life
poor quality - sound, interface, battery etc
fast forward / rewind is too slow

ProSCORE
3 reviews

62

Ramos T10

MSRP $117.00 Released March, 2009

Pros

Supports a wide variety of audio and video formats
TV output
Very affordable price

Cons

Cheap construction
Screen is not bright enough to see it easily in the daylight
No touchscreen

ProSCORE
1 review

67

Sony NWZ-S610

MSRP $210.00 Released August, 2007

Pros

Clear and vibrant screen
Wide audio format support
Well priced
Good battery life

Cons

Limited photo support
Limited video support

ProSCORE
1 review

67

Creative Zen Nano Plus

MSRP $70.00 Released June, 2006

Pros

Lots of color options
FM, line-in, and voice (mic) recording

Cons

No playlist support
Small LCD screen

ProSCORE
1 review

50

iRiver P35

MSRP -- Released June, 2009

Pros

FM radio
WiFi enabled (select models)
4.3" touchscreen display

Cons

larger screen with lower resolution - image is less sharp/detailed
multiple variations of the device available (basic, WiFi, DMB), confuses the consumer
limited battery life (16h audio, 8h video, 6h tv)

ProSCORE
1 review

79