Creative Zen

1. CNET

Although this isn't among one of CNET's more detailed reports, Jasmine France does a nice job reporting on highs and lows, and putting the Creative Zen in its correct place in the market. In the end, she says, "We're hard-pressed to find anything not to like about the Creative Zen."

Review: Creative Zen (16 GB), Jasmine France, Updated on April 25, 2008

2. PCMag.comDetails/Subscribe

PCMag.com gives the Creative Zen one of the lower ratings of any reviewer, but still finds enough to like to say that the player is "worth a try" for users looking for an iPod alternative. Large screen size and decent features, performance and expandability are the positives. Poor battery life and erratic start-up times are among the negatives.

Review: Creative Zen, Tim Gideon, Oct. 31, 2007

3. PC WorldDetails/Subscribe

The Creative Zen is complimented in this review for its great feature lineup. Darren Gladstone says it racked up consistently high marks in PC World's audio lab tests. He adds that the Creative Zen is easy to use, but that one-handed operation can be tricky.

Review: Creative Zen Mozaic, Darren Gladstone, March 21, 2008

4. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe

To see ConsumerReports.org' ratings of 35 flash players, which includes a rating for the Creative Zen, you'll need a subscription. ConsumerReports.org does its homework in the laboratory, but comments are brief, and you can find similar assessments elsewhere for free.

Review: iPods and MP3 Players, Editors of Consumer Reports

5. Amazon.com

More than 900 users chime in with opinions about the Creative Zen. The vast majority gives it four or five stars (out of five), but a few opinions from less-than-satisfied owners can be found as well. Unhappy owners often received a player that failed prematurely and found customer service was less than helpful.

Review: Creative Zen 16 GB Portable Media Player, Contributors to Amazon.com