Archos 405

Most reviews base their love for the Archos 405 portable media player on its value, even as they say the 405's 3.5-inch screen resolution isn't as good as that on competing players, including the best-in-class iPod Touch (*Est. $300 for 16 GB).The Archos 405 doesn't have Wi-Fi, so it can't access the Internet. However, the Archos 405 does have excellent music and video playback, according to critics. Even though the 2 GB internal memory is tiny, you can easily expand memory with inexpensive SD memory cards. Accordingly, reviewers say the Archos 405 is the best choice for those who just want solid video playback and can deal with the smallish screen and memory capacity.

As with most Archos products, there are a slew of features that require the user to buy an accessory or plug-in to enable, including video and audio recording and support for some of the less popular audio and video formats. CNET, the best source for portable media player reviews, places the 405 fifth on its list of portable video players behind a bunch of competing players, all of which are significantly more expensive and include more on-board storage. On a similar such chart, Britain's TechRadar.co.uk ranks the 405 seventh. ConsumerReports.org rates the Archos 405, but there are no individual reviews beyond the basic comparison chart, and you need a subscription to view it.