MP3 Player Review

Touch-screen MP3 players are all the rage

In reviews, touch-screen MP3 players are attracting the most buzz, and nearly every major MP3 manufacturer has released a slim MP3 player with a large touch screen. The iPod touch was the first to bring this feature to the table, and experts overwhelmingly recommend the touch as the best touch-screen MP3 player. However, non-Apple fans also have some great choices, including the recently released Microsoft Zune HD and Sony X Series Walkman.

Although touch-screen MP3 players are receiving the most attention, other iPod players are still going strong. In September, Apple brought some new features to the Apple nano line, including a video camera and slightly larger screen. The nano remains the top-rated MP3 player overall, and the latest fifth-generation model earns a number of Editors' Choice awards.

One consideration with all iPod MP3 players is that you are limited to purchasing music from Apple's iTunes music store or from sites that sell music in AAC or MP3 format. You won't be able to play most of the music from popular online stores such as Napster or Rhapsody because iPods are incompatible with the WMA format used by most non-Apple music download services. Reviews do say that Apple's iTunes store is excellent, with a wide selection of music. You can also buy music that's in nonprotected MP3 format from sites like eMusic (and some music from Walmart.com and Amazon.com). A limited number of nonprotected tracks are also available from iTunes itself. For reviews of online music stores, see our companion report on music downloads.

There are many great places to read reviews of MP3 players. CNET ranks highly because the site reviews lots of new players as they come to market and uses a rating system that makes it easy to see at a glance which models are best. PCMag.com reviews have many of the same positives and negatives as CNET, though they cover fewer models.

Which? magazine is a British publication that tests products extensively, like ConsumerReports.org in the United States, and they cover hundreds of MP3 players in their most recent update. However, not all of those players are available in the U.S., and each version of a player is listed separately, even if the only difference is memory capacity. ConsumerReports.org has yet to test the new iPods or Zune HD, but its reviews of older MP3 players are still helpful. If you don't want an iPod, the website AnythingButiPod.com has in-depth reviews. There are no ratings or awards, but strengths and weaknesses are covered and most reviews include a video that lets you watch the reviewer play with the device and you get a feel for what you're getting. If you do want an iPod, Macworld gives detailed reviews that compare each iPod model to previous generations. Although both of these review sites are good, their common weakness is that they don't cover all MP3 players, regardless of manufacturer.

User reviews at sites like Amazon.com are great for learning how well an MP3 player meets expectations after the sale. However, the latest MP3 players have yet to attract as many reviews as older and discontinued models.