Best MP3 Players

iPod touch vs. Zune HD

Experts say there's no contest -- the Apple iPod touch is the best MP3 player available. The new fourth-generation model has debuted to rave reviews, including Editors' Choice awards from CNET, Laptop Magazine and PCMag.com. Experts say the new iPod touch packs more features into a thinner, more stylish design.

The iPod touch comes in three capacities, including 8 GB (*Est. $230 for 8 GB), 32 GB (*Est. $300) and 64 GB (*Est. $400). The design hasn't changed significantly, although the new iPod touch is thinner and sleeker than the model it replaced. The most buzzworthy change is the addition of cameras (both backward- and forward-facing), a feature reviewers have been wishing for since the touch first debuted. Image quality isn't on par with the iPhone 4 -- photos are blurrier and have less clarity -- but reviewers say the cameras are fine for quick snapshots and uploading photos or videos to Facebook or Twitter. The dual cameras and integrated microphone allow users to video chat with FaceTime over a Wi-Fi connection. A new gyro sensor allows for more gaming options, and the iPod touch can download more than 250,000 apps from iTunes.

Overall performance is faster than the previous version, thanks to a new A4 processor. "Performance was silky smooth on the touch -- games didn't lag, and getting around in the OS was as painless as it is on the iPhone 4," Joshua Topolsky writes at Engadget.com. Hugo Jobling at TrustedReviews.com says audio quality has improved over previous models, although all experts recommend upgrading to a better pair of headphones. "There's an added fullness to the bass, and a crispness to the mid-range and high-end as well as a more natural sense of space," he writes. Battery life exceeds the previous generation, lasting nearly 40 hours in iLounge's audio test.

Downsides are few, but experts would like to see integrated GPS to take advantage of location-specific apps and navigation devices. Better-quality headphones would also be nice. A number of reviewers say that the iPod touch is expensive if you just want an MP3 player. Because you get so much more than the ability to play music, most experts say it's worth the price. "These days $229 is nothing to sneeze at, but no other portable media player delivers this much fun in such a strikingly svelte package," Mark Spoonauer writes at Laptop Magazine. Although you may be tempted to go for the cheapest 8 GB model, reviewers recommend choosing the 32 GB iPod touch because it offers significantly more storage space.

The Microsoft Zune HD is often considered a competitor to the Apple iPod touch, and numerous reviewers compared the two MP3 players last year. Back then, the consensus was that the Zune HD could hold its own against the iPod touch. Fast forward one year, and Apple has released an update to the iPod touch that most reviewers say is better than ever. The Zune HD, on the other hand, feels a little outdated by comparison.

Even though it lacks the cameras and video chat features found on the new iPod touch, the Microsoft Zune HD is still the best choice for anyone who doesn't want an iPod. The Zune's brilliant 3.3-inch touch screen, sleek design and HD radio all get high marks from reviewers. The touch screen is stunning, reviews say, and Wired calls it the "best screen that's ever shipped on a portable media player." Other features include an optional music subscription, Zune Pass (*Est. $15 a month), Wi-Fi capability and an HD radio that CNET calls "one of the best radios we've used on a portable media player." The Zune HD comes in three capacities, including 16 GB (*Est. $180 for 16 GB), 32 GB (*Est. $240) and 64 GB (*Est. $340). Keep in mind that the Zune HD is compatible only with computers running Windows operating systems, including XP or later.

In terms of audio quality, reviewers say the Microsoft Zune HD and iPod touch are pretty comparable. There are better-sounding MP3 players out there -- CNET likes the Sony X Series Walkman and Cowon S9 -- but sound quality should please most listeners. Several reviewers say the Zune's on-screen volume adjustment is annoying, and most users prefer the interface on the iPod touch. The iPod touch is also superior for web browsing, because Microsoft's mobile browser loads pages slowly and lacks some functionality. However, experts say the iPod touch really dominates the Zune HD when it comes to apps and games. The Zune HD has some apps available, including Facebook and Twitter, but it can't touch the 250,000 apps available for the iPod. Even so, experts say the Microsoft Zune HD is an excellent alternative for those who don't want an Apple product.

Sony, Creative and Cowon offer alternative touch-screen MP3 players

Cowon's J3 (*Est. $185 for 8 GB), a touch-screen MP3 player with a 3.3-inch AMOLED display, earns a few recommendations. Other features include a microSD card slot, integrated Bluetooth, a voice recorder and an FM radio. The best thing about the Cowon J3, according to reviews, is its excellent sound quality. "As with every other Cowon player we've ever laid ears on, the audio quality out of this one was second to none; if you're a self-proclaimed audiophile, yet can't exactly accommodate your Marantz KI Pearl on the subway, this is about as good as it gets," Darren Murph writes at Engadget.com. PC Pro, which gives the Cowon J3 a Recommended award, agrees. Battery life is excellent, lasting nearly 65 hours in PC Pro's audio test. The touch screen looks great and responds quickly. "The improved capacitive touchscreen and nippier performance will have you skipping from one view to another with iPod-like rapidity," Jonathan Bray writes.

Initial user reviews are mainly positive, and the Cowon J3 enjoys a 4-star rating from about a dozen owners at Amazon.com. Reviewers rave about the display, saying it offers bright colors and crisp images. Sound quality is also top-notch, according to user reviews. Some say the interface isn't very user friendly, and users complain about the lack of Wi-Fi and apps. Because it can't browse the web or play games, reviewers say the Cowon J3 should be less expensive.

Creative makes several iPod competitors for Windows users who don't need or want to use iTunes, including the Creative Zen X-Fi 2, which has a 3-inch touch screen. The X-Fi 2 comes in 8 GB (*Est. $90 for 8 GB), 16 GB (*Est. $120), 32 GB (*Est. $170) and 64 GB versions (*Est. $280); it includes an integrated FM radio, built-in speaker, microphone and microSD memory card slot. The Creative Zen X-Fi 2 also boasts file support that is often lacking on comparable MP3 players, including DivX and Xvid.

Reviewers say sound quality is good, and audio is superior to most iPods, especially when using the X-Fi enhancers. The noise-isolating headphones are also better than those that come with the iPod. However, the touch screen is less responsive and not as easy to use. "It wasn't long before we were cursing the lack of a dedicated volume adjuster to avoid the rigmarole of unlocking and trawling through menus," Paul Lester writes at Pocket-lint.com. Users at Amazon.com, where the Creative Zen X-Fi 2 has a 3.5-star rating, also complain about the volume controls, which aren't easy to access. Battery life isn't as long as the Cowon J3, but it lasts about 20 hours when playing MP3s.

Another touch-screen contender is the Sony X Series Walkman (*Est. $280 for 16 GB). The MP3 player, which was released in 2009, hasn't received much attention recently, but reviews from when it debuted were largely positive. Experts say the Sony X Series has excellent sound quality -- it may be as close to audiophile-worthy as an MP3 player can get. Indeed, Jasmine France at CNET says the X Series is a "superb choice for audiophiles who want a luxury device," and Tim Gideon at PCMag.com says the "listening experience, frankly, kicks butt when compared with what you get on the iPod." The MP3 player includes an adjustable five-band equalizer and noise-canceling headphones that reviewers say are far superior to those included with the iPod. Other than sound quality though, the Sony X-Series can't compete with the iPod touch. Hugo Jobling at TrustedReviews.com says the Sony X-Series "offers much better audio fidelity, but it loses out in just about every other respect." 

In addition to 16 GB, the Sony X Series Walkman comes in a 32 GB (*Est. $375) capacity, and it boasts a 3-inch OLED touch screen, built-in Wi-Fi and integrated Slacker radio. Dan Nosowitz at Gizmodo.com says the touch screen is "unbelievably responsive," and CNET says the Sony has the "best touch-screen utilization next to the iPod touch." There are some downsides, though. Although sound quality is stellar, experts say that picky audiophiles will be disappointed that Sony didn't include support for less common file types. Numerous reviewers panned the Walkman's web browser - Nosowitz called it "completely unusable garbage" -- but Sony has released an update to improve the Internet experience. Firmware update version 1.10 (available at eSupport.Sony.com) opens web pages faster, increases scrolling speed and improves page layout, according to Sony. Unfortunately, we haven't seen reviews that test the MP3 player with this latest firmware installed.

The latest iPod nano disappoints

Last year, experts raved about the fifth-generation iPod nano, saying it was the best all-around MP3 player on the market. However, the new sixth-generation iPod nano (*Est. $150 for 8 GB) largely disappoints. The design has shrunk from a 3.6-inch-tall device with a clickwheel to a 1.5-inch square with touch-screen controls. It has an integrated clip, which makes it much more shuffle-like than previous nanos. But the nano still starts at the same price even though it has fewer features -- the camera is gone and the nano can no longer play video clips. "This nano feels like a shuffle with a touch screen, only it's not priced like one; it's at least $50 too expensive for its limited feature set," Tim Gideon writes at PCMag.com, which gives the iPod nano a 2.5-star rating (out of 5). 

To be sure, there are some experts who give it a positive review, but they're in the minority. Those who like the new iPod nano say the touch screen is more innovative than the old clickwheel, and they say the screen is responsive and easy to use. "Eschewing the staid clickwheel for a simple touch screen interface is a big plus in our book, and the high-end feel to the materials and build quality makes this seem right at home next to something like the new iPhone," Joshua Topolsky writes at Engadget.com. Other reviewers, however, say the nano is overpriced and lacks features that made previous generations such a hit. "Take a hard look at the 6th generation iPod nano before you buy it – and consider buying another model," Sam Costello writes at About.com.  

The sixth-generation nano also gets lower user ratings than the previous version. At Amazon, the fifth-generation iPod nano scores a 4.5-star rating from more than 1,000 owners; initial reviews for the sixth-generation nano are lackluster, and it has a 3-star rating. "Nothing about this product is user friendly," one owner writes. Some Amazon reviewers say they love the iPod nano for running or the gym, but others say they could have bought an iPod shuffle and saved a lot of money. "Let's face it," one user writes, "This is an iPod shuffle with a touch screen." And in fact, the shuffle (discussed in the next section) gets better reviews this time around. The iPod nano comes in 8 GB (*Est. $150 for 8 GB) and 16 GB (*Est. $180) capacities.

The iPod classic (*Est. $250 for 160 GB) has largely been pushed to the side by the iPod touch, but it still earns some recommendations here and there. The iPod classic comes only in a 160 GB version, which is enough space to hold 40,000 songs, according to Apple. It comes in black or silver. The iPod classic plays music and video, and it can display photos on its 2.5-inch color LCD display. Although the classic does earn a few recommendations, most experts say the iPod touch is a better choice unless you have a very large music library. Because it has a hard drive (as opposed to flash-based memory), the iPod classic has a larger capacity than any other iPod.

Donald Bell at CNET says the iPod classic is "still one of the best-designed high-capacity MP3 players on the market." The iPod classic also gets very high marks in owner-written reviews. At Amazon.com, nearly 350 users combine to give it a 4.5-star rating. Users say the iPod classic has a long battery life and the clickwheel is intuitive and easy to use. The large capacity is another plus. "I have a huge music library, and it's nice to be able to carry every song that I own on my person at all times," one owner writes. However, a few users have problems getting their iPod classic to sync with iTunes.