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MP3 PlayersYou are here: Electronics >> MP3 PlayersUpdated April 2008Types of MP3 PlayersIn general, there are two main types of MP3 players. Hard-drive MP3 players, such as the iPod classic and Microsoft Zune, are largest in both capacity and physical dimensions. These players have enough space for entire music collections, not just an hour or two of music. Hard-drive MP3 players, also known as jukeboxes, are generally larger and heavier than flash-memory or micro hard-drive players. Most of these hard-drive MP3 players can also be used to store data (other than music) from your computer. Flash-memory MP3 players are smaller and lighter. Mainstream models today have 1, 2, 4 or 8 GB capacities, and we've even seen flash MP3 players with 16 GB and now even 32 GB of memory. Reviews say flash players are best for jogging, since they have no moving parts and are smaller and lighter than other types of MP3 players. However, most of them can't match hard-drive MP3 players in music and, especially, video capacity. Micro hard-drive MP3 players, which use smaller hard drives that allow for a lighter package than other hard-drive MP3 players, have been supplanted by flash-based players that have the same capacity. Older micro hard-drive players like the Creative Zen MicroPhoto and Cowon iAudio 6 can sometimes still be found on the Internet. Finally, you can find a host of combo units that embed an MP3 player in another device. MP3/CD players were the first of these. Now there are cell phones and satellite radios with MP3 players. Most devices need to be connected to a PC to download music or video, but some bypass the PC completely by using Wi-Fi to connect to dedicated services for their content. Examples include the Slacker Portable Player ( 2 GB *est. $200 , 4 GB *est. $250 , 8 GB *est. $300 ), which combines a traditional MP3 player with Slacker.com's personalized Internet Radio service. The Haier Ibiza Rhapsody ( 4 GB *est. $230 , 8 GB *est. $250, 30 GB *est. $280 ) is a larger MP3 player/PMP (portable media player) that wirelessly connects to the Rhapsody online music service. Reviews say that the appeal of these devices is the convenience of acquiring content rather than their performance or playback quality. The 30 GB Haier Ibiza Rhapsody has a hard drive; the rest of these players use flash memory. These MP3 players aren't the first to connect wirelessly to the Internet to retrieve content. That honor goes to the SanDisk Sansa Connect (4 GB *est. $80) , which uses its Wi-Fi link to directly connect to Yahoo! Music Unlimited to retrieve music ...for now. In February, Yahoo! announced the end of its music subscription service. Traditional users are being migrated to Real Network's Rhapsody, but it appears that the Connect's wireless feature will cease to work when Yahoo! Music Unlimited goes dark in July 2008. As of press time, no alternative for wireless downloading has been announced, and it's possible none will be as the player was developed in conjunction with Yahoo! Other music subscription services can be used by connecting the player to a PC with a cable, but without its wireless capability, the Sansa Connect becomes just another MP3 flash player. Top high-capacity MP3 playersApple has updated its successful and popular iPod and renamed it the iPod classic ( 80 GB (80 GB, *est. $245) , 160 GB *est. $330 ). As before, the classic plays music and video, and it can display photos. The biggest change is an increase in hard-drive size (up from 30 GB in the fifth generation iPod). In addition, according to CNet’s Donald Bell, the iPod classic is "slimmer, tougher, and injected with a more visually rich graphical user interface." While critics weren’t especially wowed by the changes, all agree that if you want a hard-drive based MP3 player (which can store the largest amount of music), the iPod classic is currently the best choice, although those reviews were two months before reviewers had a chance to test the second generation Microsoft Zune (discussed below). The iPod classic works with both Macintosh and Windows computers. The 80 GB version of the iPod MP3 player holds up to 20,000 songs or 100 hours of video, and the 160 GB iPod classic holds 40,000 songs or 200 hours of video. To put the storage capacity of the larger iPod classic in context, 160 GB is as large as or larger than hard drives found in many laptop and even desktop computers. More dramatic still is the growth in capacity. As David Pogue of The New York Times notes, the original 2001 iPod held 1,000 songs. He adds that "at this rate of expansion, the iPod of 2010 will hold all six million songs on the iTunes store." The iPod classic MP3 player comes in black or silver. The classic is slim (about .4-inches thick) and has a large (for an MP3 player) 2.5-inch color LCD display. Reviews say ease of use is the iPod classic's major strength. The iPod models -- including the iPod classic -- are the only MP3 players that interface perfectly with iTunes, Apple's music management software, as well as Apple's iTunes music and video store, which sells tunes in a proprietary AAC format. Unfortunately, the built-in rechargeable battery is still not user replaceable, so when the battery eventually fails, you'll need to send the player back to Apple. Still, the battery is a plus. CNet’s Bell says, "the iPod Classic's enhanced battery life is one of the better reasons to fork over your money." Apple says the 80 GB iPod classic delivers 30 hours of audio and five hours for video, and the 160 GB version can hold 40 hours of audio or seven hours of video. Those estimates might be conservative. For example, CNet's Bell says lab tests on the battery with the 80 GB iPod classic showed 45 hours on audio instead of the promised 30 hours and nearly nine hours on video instead of the advertised five hours "under realistic conditions." The iPod classic MP3 player doesn't include an FM tuner or voice recorder, features that are common on other MP3 players. More importantly, the iPod won't play songs in the WMA format used by online music stores such as Yahoo! Music, Rhapsody and Napster. However, it can play DRM-free (digital rights management) MP3 files. While more sites, such as Wal-Mart, Amazon.com and even iTunes itself, are offering DRM-free MP3 song downloads, selection and availability remains limited for now, which means your song purchases will be limited mainly to Apple's iTunes store. That's because the iPod classic -- and all iPods -- only play copyright-protected content encoded with Apple's proprietary AAC format, and those songs are only available on iTunes. Apple has thus far refused to allow other companies to license their AAC technology and format. All in all, critics say that the iPod classic is an excellent hard-drive MP3 player. However, most also say that if you already have an iPod that you’re perfectly happy with, there are not many reasons to rush right out and upgrade. For example, Macworld Magazine’s Christopher Breen says buy the iPod classic if you want that 160 GB of storage, but, "ultimately it’s no easier to find and play your music on this iPod than it is on a 5G iPod." In addition, he notes that because Apple has chosen to make the latest iPod MP3 players incompatible with some older third-party video accessories, you’ll need to pay $49 for a cable to send video to a larger-screened device. The cost, Breen writes, may be "enough that (consumers) may choose to stick with the iPod they own." There's also another reason to stop and consider before buying the iPod classic. Along with all of the other new iPod MP3 players, the classic requires iTunes 7.4 or later, which is not compatible with some older computers. "We recommend testing the compatibility of the latest version of iTunes with your computer before making the purchase," CNet's Bell writes. Though it was much maligned when first introduced, the second generation Microsoft Zune (80 GB, *est. $250) has received a warmer reception. CNet.com and PC Magazine editors go as far as to rate the new Zune above the iPod classic. Other reviewers don't go quite so far, but still say it's now an even matchup between the Zune and the iPod classic. The new Zune hard-drive MP3 player has 80 GB of memory, along with some great new features. In her review for Laptop magazine, Joanna Stern says the Zune now "pulls up a seat at the cool kids table." Probably the Zune's neatest trick is its Wi-Fi capability to not only wirelessly send songs to nearby Zune users but have them play in sync, and you can connect the Zune with your PC either wirelessly or with a cable. However, unlike the wireless MP3 players profiled earlier, you can't connect directly to the Internet to download content. Some reviewers like the 3.2-inch video-capable screen that's larger than the screen on the iPod, but reviews say that images can be pixilated. Some say that at a half-inch thick (only 0.1 inches thicker than the comparable iPod), the new Zune still may not fit very well in a trouser pocket. Critics say the included earbuds are much better than what you’d get with an iPod or just about anything else. The Zune offers touch-screen navigation that can be turned off if you don’t like it, and you can navigate with clicks instead. The Zune is not compatible with Mac computers, so it's obviously not a good choice for those who have lots of money invested in iTunes content. One negative is that you're limited mainly to buying tunes from the Zune Marketplace music store. With a library of over three million songs, the Zune Marketplace is deep, but there isn't much video content here to rival iTunes and Zune can't download video from other sources, such as Amazon Unbox. Another negative in reviews is that the battery life is not as great as promised -- about 30 hours for audio. Some attribute this to the power-sucking Wi-Fi antenna. Options missing in the Zune include voice, inline and radio recording, and the audio equalizer found in the first generation Zune. Still, sound quality overall is excellent, and the included high-quality earbuds are a bonus. Microsoft also offers flash-based versions of the Zune ( 4 GB *est. $140 , 8 GB *est. $170 ), but reviews are not as positive and critics say there are better flash-based MP3 players; see the discussion of flash MP3 players below for some examples. The older 30 GB hard-drive Zune (*est. $200) is also still available. If neither the iPod classic nor Zune MP3 hard-drive players particularly thrill you, and you want the advantages of a large-capacity hard drive, a few products more properly classified as portable media players might be of interest. While these are physically larger and heavier than either of the MP3 music players above, they also have larger screens that can make viewing videos a more pleasant experience. For more information, see the ConsumerSearch report on portable media players . Flash-memory MP3 playersReviewers and owners like flash MP3 players for their diminutive size. Since flash players have no moving parts, they are great for the gym. Smaller flash players hold hundreds of songs rather than thousands; 1 GB will net you about 250 tunes. In comparison, standard capacity for new MP3 players in this category is now in the multi-gigabyte range, 16 GB and now even 32 GB (such as the Apple iPod touch). The iPod nano ( 4 GB *est. $150 , 8 GB (8 GB, *est. $200) ) is the best current flash player, according to reviews. Though not all are crazy about the new shorter and wider shape, most consider it an acceptable tradeoff for the iPod nano's surprisingly robust video capabilities. Under heavy competitive pressure, Apple needed to either upgrade the nano with video or drop the price, reviewers said. "Naysayers didn't know how Apple would pull off a widescreen on their signature tiny and thin device, but they have been silenced," writes Tim Gideon of PC Magazine, which gives the nano an Editor’s Choice award. "Make no mistake: This is the best-designed flash video player on the market in this price range," Gideon concludes. Part of that design is ease of use, and Gideon says that loading the nano MP3 player remains a simple affair -- just sync the player with iTunes or load songs manually. Nice touches include Cover Flow, which is also on the iPod classic, iPod touch and iPhone. This feature lets users select songs by thumbing through an array of album covers. However, reviews say that while the effect is fun, it doesn't always work as well as it does on other iPod devices, and it’s slow. Audio quality for the iPod nano is excellent, but what's surprising is how good the video looks. CNet’s Donald Bell says, "The nano supports video features we seldom find on portable video players twice its size." He adds that the screen is incredibly sharp, thanks to its 320 x 240 pixel resolution and, in a departure from most 2-inch screens, "worthy of video playback." The nano MP3 player is also now compatible with iTunes video games. Selection is limited at present, but three basic titles come packaged with the MP3 player. The 4 GB version of the nano comes only in silver, but the 8 GB nano comes in a rainbow of shades including black, silver, teal, pink, red and lime. There's also a PROJECT: RED version (part of the purchase price is donated to AIDS prevention and treatment efforts). One common complaint is that the nano -- and all new iPod MP3 players -- have been made incompatible with some third-party video accessories that worked with earlier-generation iPod MP3 players. Praise is considerably more muted for the stripped-down iPod shuffle ( 1 GB *est. $50 , 2 GB *est. $70), Apple's other flash-memory player, although reviews predate a February 2008 list-price drop on the 1 GB model (from $70) and the introduction of a 2 GB shuffle. Still, it is missing features like a text-display screen, FM radio and voice recorder found in low-cost competitors such as the Samsung YP-U3 (2 GB, *est. $70) . While being able to view song information on a little LCD screen may not seem like a big deal on paper, not having it means that on-the-go flexibility is lost. It's virtually impossible to find a specific song on the iPod shuffle since you can't visually scroll through a list of music on the player. You can't create playlists on the go, and instead you're limited to assembling and transferring playlists ahead of time on your computer using iTunes software or only listening to songs in shuffle mode. While the iPod nano draws the largest number of positive comments from reviewers, it is facing more and stiffer competition than ever before. The Creative Zen V Plus ( 2 GB *est. $70 , 4 GB (4 GB, *est. $90) ) is noted as a best value in reviews, but if video is your thing, you’ll get a smaller screen (1.5-inch) than you will with the Apple iPod nano’s 2-incher. Sound quality and battery life are great, says CNet.com, and the V Plus MP3 player has some features you won’t find in an iPod, such as FM radio and voice and line-in recording. It uses a small navigation wheel for zipping through tracks, but some reviews say that the wheel may be too small for some users. In addition, there are reviews that say the screen is hard to read in bright sunlight. All of Creative's current MP3 players are compatible with Windows Media Player 11, so they should have no trouble running on Vista. Most reviews of the Creative Zen V Plus were written before the latest Apple offerings debuted. Still, PC World’s Eric Dahl says the Zen V Plus is "a more than worthy competitor to Apple's pricier iPod nano." Britain’s IT Reviews’ report likes the way the Zen V Plus allows you to change options on the main screen, so the ones you use most are displayed: "This is an excellent addition that works really well and adds even more bonus points to what was already a very usable device." Earlier Sony MP3 players have received little critical acclaim, partially due to compatibility problems with the AAC and protected WMA files used by most music download stores. Fortunately, those issues, the result of the Sony's now-defunct SoundStage music management software, are a thing of the past, and reports say that the company's NWZ-A810 series players, including the 2 GB Sony NWZ-A815 (*est. $105) , 4 GB Sony NWZ-A816 (*est. $135) and 8 GB Sony NWZ-A818 (*est. $200) are slick and versatile. CNet.com gives all three MP3 players in the series the site's Editor's Choice award, with Jasmine France writing that they are both easy to use and pleasant to look at. Performance and battery life are also highlights. Great sound quality is enhanced by headphones that reviews say are far better than those that come with other MP3 players. On the other hand, there’s no radio, no voice recorder and no Mac compatibility. User reviews have been generally very positive. The second generation iRiver Clix (4 GB *est. $165 , 8 GB (8 GB, *est. $230) ) scores well with experts, ranking fifth on CNet.com’s list of "Best 5 MP3 Players." The big advantage that the Clix enjoys over other MP3 players is its "D-Click" interface, reports say, which lets users navigate the MP3 player's menus by pressing on the sides of the screen itself. It also has an alarm clock and calendar, text viewer, voice recorder, FM tuner with lots of presets and more. The only significant items that seem to be missing are wireless connectivity and line-in recording. Everyone loves the design. One negative is that iRiver MP3 players can be tough to find. However, most can be ordered either through Amazon.com or direct from the manufacturer. SanDisk's Sansa e200 series of flash-based MP3 players have also earned some positive recognition, though most reviews predate the latest iPod-family refresh. There are four models in the series, based on storage capacity: the Sansa e250 (2 GB, *est. $75) , the Sansa e260 (4 GB, *est. $105) , the Sansa e270 (6 GB, *est. $125) and the Sansa e280 (8 GB, *est. $130) . Storage capacities for all of the Sansa MP3 players are expandable, thanks to a built-in microSD card slot. The exterior is identical for each, with a 1.8-inch color screen, backlit controls, video clip playback, FM tuner (and recording), voice recording, a user-replaceable battery and support for protected music files and subscription music services. User reviews at Amazon.com are both plentiful and largely complimentary for the SanDisk MP3 players. Those looking for an inexpensive but functional MP3 player might find the 2 GB Samsung YP-U3 (2 GB, *est. $70) MP3 player of interest. Although it’s more expensive than some budget MP3 players, PC Magazine's Tim Gideon says the Samsung MP3 player is a better value because of its interface and overall physical design. GoodGearGuide.com’s Andrew Kliem adds the YP-U3 "combines everything you could want from such a device, including brilliant sound quality, a great design, convenient transfer and loads of extra features. Those after a music player will be hard pressed to find a better device for their money." One disappointment is the lack of FM recording (if you would use that feature), but the Samsung YP-U3 MP3 player has a few other goodies. An FM radio is present, as is the ability to make voice recordings. A pop-out design protects the built-in USB connector. The Samsung player is available in a variety of colors, including blue, pink, green, white and black. The Cowon iAudio 7 ( 4 GB *est. $110 , 8 GB *est. $145 , 16 GB *est. $200 ) MP3 player gets an Editors' Choice award from CNet.com, with reviewer Donald Bell saying it beats the Apple iPod nano "in price, features, battery life, and sound quality." But PC Magazine's Tim Gideon says that while the iAudio 7 looks promising at first, poor graphics and a user interface he describes as "annoying" ruin the show. Likewise, Grahm Skee at AnythingButiPod.com admires the sound quality. However, "if you are looking for a player for real world use," Skee adds, "with a balance of usability and sound quality, there are better choices." Even CNet’s Bell admits that there is a "learning curve" with the user interface, and user reviews at the site, while limited, are mixed on the 4 GB iAudio 7 MP3 player, though models with more memory fare a bit better. MP3 combo playersThe mechanics of flash-based MP3 players are so small that they can easily be embedded in almost any other portable device, whether it makes marketing sense to do so or not. Some MP3 companions that make sense are CD players and radios (many MP3 players have had FM radio tuners built in for a long time). A bunch of cell phones and PDAs also play MP3s. There are also pens that incorporate MP3 players. One problem with incorporating an MP3 player with another portable electronics device is battery drain. For example, reviews often note that standby time drops dramatically when tunes are played back on MP3-player-equipped cell phones. Portable CD/MP3 players have no onboard memory and can play only what's stored on the CDs. In addition to prerecorded CDs, these models play MP3 files that are burned onto CD-R and CD-RW discs. If you have a large collection of CDs and you have no interest in converting them to MP3 files on your computer, a CD/MP3 player is an option. Be aware that most standard, portable CD players will also play MP3 files burned on CD-R and even CD-RW discs, though they may not be advertised as such. However, these players will probably not be able to read and display the ID3 tags -- this is the part of the MP3 file that gives you the track and title info. The size of these models is limited by the dimensions of a CD, so they aren't getting smaller or lighter. Since most regular CD players these days can read MP3 files burned onto CDs, MP3/CD players don't offer much of an edge. Cell phones with MP3 players, referred to as music phones, are available from Apple, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, LG and others. The added electronics add almost nothing to the size and weight of the phones, but as outlined above, battery life can plummet with any extended use. Still, some market researchers predict that music phones will jump from about 27 percent to nearly 70 percent of global phone sales by 2010. That jump in market share has been fueled by the iPhone (*est. $400); Apple projects to sell ten million units by the end of 2008. The iPhone is covered in our report on smartphones . Important Features: MP3 playersExperts agree that you can evaluate the current crop of MP3 players by the following criteria:
Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
* Also see our Comparison Chart.
Among flash-based MP3 players, the latest version of the Apple iPod nano is clearly the choice among reviewers. That said, a few other MP3 players are compelling alternatives, especially for users who don't want to be tied to Apple's iTunes store. Those include the iRiver Clix, Creative Zen V Plus and Sony NWZ-A810 series. Among hard-drive MP3 players, which store the most songs, the Apple iPod classic and Microsoft Zune rule the roost. Though less expensive budget players are available, critics love the Samsung YP-U3's design and say that it's extremely easy to use.
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This report focuses on audio playback, though many of these MP3 players can also play videos. If you are primarily interested in video playback, see our report on portable media players . These, such as the iPod touch, have larger screens that make for a more comfortable video experience, although not all of them are appreciably larger than an iPod classic overall. They also play music. Because of their larger screens, they are not as comfortable to carry around as an MP3 player. Some smartphones also play MP3 music. These, such as the iPhone, are covered in our report on smartphones . "How Do MP3 Players Work? Explained in Plain English" offers a very brief lesson on the entire history of recorded music, right up to today's MP3 players. In "Digital Music: A Primer," tech guru Walt Mossberg and Katherine Boehret offer a Digital Music Primer, explaining in Q&A format the difference between an iPod and everything else. They also cover the music services available for legal MP3 downloading and how to get the most from your player, whatever it is. When it comes to mobile technology, one of the big issues is battery life. Electronics run on power, and mobile power is batteries. MP3 player manufacturers offer estimated battery life numbers for their products, but do those figures reflect real-world use? "The Truth about Your Battery Life" by the editors at CNet.com gives you the lowdown on what to expect from your MP3 player's battery. In "Expert View: A Flash Player FAQ," PC Magazine's audio expert Mike Kobrin writes a short FAQ on Flash MP3 Players. Those who would like to see the iPod touch dissected like a frog won’t want to miss this: You can find detailed specs at the manufacturers' websites: Advertisement
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© 2008 ConsumerSearch, Inc. A service from 
, a part of The New York Times Company. All Rights Reserved.
ConsumerSearch and ConsumerSearch.com are registered trademarks of ConsumerSearch, Inc. Other trademarks or service marks on this site are the property of their respective owners. ConsumerSearch is not sponsored by any source reviewed, and we accept no consideration or payment for including, excluding, or ranking any reviews, products or services in our reports.
* Pricing information is approximate as of the time this report was written and is based on observed market selling prices and/or list prices. Actual selling prices may differ.
