The best MP3 players around

It's not that long ago since the first MP3 player arrived on the market, and today's devices have evolved so much so that they have become fully fledged portable entertainment devices, which not only store and play music, but also HD videos, e-books, and games.

Even if MP3 player sales show some decline due to the constant rise of smartphones, their numbers are still very. And if you ask yourself who needs a dedicated personal media player in 2011, when it becomes harder to find a cell phone that won’t play media than one that will? Well, consider this. Besides being smaller, easier to use and cheaper than a cell phone, a good PMP offers a bigger screen for video, longer battery life, and won’t interrupt your workout with a call from the boss.

The MP3 player market is full of high spec models with stunning designs and great portability and the days where  an iPod seemed like the only choice in MP3 players are long gone. This means it's gotten more difficult to cut through the hype and figure out which device serves your needs the best. That's why we've looked through today's popular MP3 players and compiled a list to help you make a purchase decision.

In an effort to expand their range of portable media players Archos started offering cheaper music oriented devices. One of their newest models, the $39.99 Archos 15, is  one of the cheapest players on the market, but with a lot more to show than the screenless alternatives in the same price range .

When you unbox the Archos 15 what you see are the earbuds, a mini USB cable, video conversion software and various papers. The earbuds are actually quite interesting as they have a small lanyward loop attached to them that can be “unlocked” and removed. That way you can hook the player onto the headphone cord and detach it when needed. The Archos 15 vision is only about 1/4″ thick and weighs less than an ounce so it’s designed to fit in any pocket you have, no matter how small. Equipped with a 1.5″ TFT color screen(128×128), it's easy to see all your music files, view images, and even playback video. What's even cooler is the touch interface which has been perfectly adapted for this tiny device.

The entire front control panel is perfectly flat so you won't get any sand, crumbs, or other debris stuck between buttons, which is one of the biggest gripes with most electronic gadgets these days. The buttons on the player are also somewhat peculiar, in many ways. First off, there’s a 6 way d-pad on the front that has buttons on each of the 4 corners of an outside pad and two buttons in the middle, instead of the more traditional 4+1 with buttons left/right and up/down. The result is that you control the player using the next/prev buttons, which are actually the upper and lower left buttons on the d-pad. Aside from a very small mic hole on the right side of the player, everything else is placed on the bottom. That includes a lanyard loop, 3.5mm headphone port, mini USB connector and – of all things – an on/off switch. A switch, not a button, as it already has an on/off button on the front. 

Archos' player  has also an FM radio tuner so you can listen to music even if you don't have any songs in your library. Battery life is about 10 hours of continuous music playback which is more than you'll ever need, and of course the battery is rechargeable so you won't need to buy extra batteries for it. It comes with 4GB of onboard flash memory which is enough to store between 1,500 and 2,000 songs or thousands of images and text files. The Archos 15 vision connects to your computer via a USB 2.0 High Speed cable and comes with software that makes it extremely easy to manage your music library via a drag-and-drop interface. In conclusion, this device is an awesome value for the money if all you want to do is listen to music as cheap as possible.

 

 A couple of years ago by spending $100 on an MP3 player you’d get little capacity, limited features, and a screen that didn't display photos or video - if you got an LCD at all. Now in 2011 this seems to be changing as Samsung have on their canon of media players the YP-RO  that gives second thoughts to anyone considering purchasing a stripped-down 2GB iPod shuffle ($79).

The RO has an anodized aluminum body with a brushed look. For a portable media player, it does feel light weighing only 2.1 ounces. It’s also very thin and can sit amiably in your palms with the 2.05″ x 3.66″ x .35″ frame. The lightweight design gives RO a simple and yet sleek design. Navigation is made through a button pad easily spotted because it’s framed by a thin chrome strip. It looks like a cross between a square and a circle; much like Zune’s second generation squircle  The bottom panel houses the headphone jack, a mini-USB port for computer syncing, and a microSD slot, which means you can play music or view files stored on external cards. An USB cable is included, as are a pair of earphones, which aren't audiophile-level, but they do stay in place and offer far-better-than-average bass response and are capable of reproducing low frequencies, which is rare for bundled earbuds or earphones.

File support may be another strength as the R0 will play MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV, AAC, and FLAC audio files; WMV, H.264, DivX, XviD, MPEG-4, AVI, MP4, MOV, and ASF video files; and JPG, BMP, PNG, and GIF photo files. The player also stores and displays TXT files, but the screen is tiny (2.6”) so it’s far from ideal for reading or even watching video content, especially that formatted for widescreens. The Samsung R0 also includes an FM radio. You can program up to 30 preset stations using the auto-preset scan mode, and all of your picks appear at the bottom of the screen in an easy to navigate, numbered array. It's the most simple and best-looking part of the user interface.

As a requirement for all portable media players, battery performance is always a top feature to check. And the RO promises to bring more than 30 hours of audio playback and 6 hours of video playback. More than enough compared to other players that need constant charging. Overall, Samsung YP-RO not only just gives you “good” but offers you superior quality earphones bundled out of the box.  If you are thinking of buying an mp3 in the range of $100, then Samsung YP-R0 is the right answer for you.

Music lovers are hard to go wrong with Sony's thinnest-ever Walkman, the NWZ-A845, which is bound to appeal to anybody who wants a high-quality portable music player. Sony's device has 16GB of memory, an S-Master digital amplifier, Digital Noise Cancelling, EX headphones and an impressively bright OLED display.  There's no Wi-Fi. No 3G connectivity, no touch screen, gaming or App Store. This is a music player first and a really good portable video player second.

Measuring a razor-thin 7.2mm in depth, the device has a truly svelte profile and weighing in at just 62g, it offers genuine portability and can easily be stuffed into a pocket. On the side of the player you'll find the well-placed volume up and down buttons, along with a Hold switch to lock the buttons so that your music doesn't skip around while the device is in your bag or pocket. On the bottom of the device, you'll find a socket for hooking it up to your computer's USB port with the supplied cable. One of the only gripes with the player is that you have to charge it through your computer as there is no separate power adaptor.

One of the NWZ-A845's highlights is the large 2.8-inch OLED screen, which boasts a 400 x 240-pixel resolution. All of the on-screen menus appear clear and bright, making navigation a cinch. The icon-based home screen enables you to choose between the main functions including Music, Video and Photos, and  is easy to understand and very intuitive to use. The device supports MP3, secure WMA, AAC, and Linear PCM (Sony's version of WAV) audio as well as JPEG photos but don’t expect to set your own photos as wallpaper. Video playback includes AVC, MPEG-4, and WMV, but you have to go by the player’s requirements of frame rate, size, etc. However, there is support for videos purchased and rented from Amazon Video On Demand.

The S-Series Walkman also comes with an FM tuner which can store up to 30 stations. Play modes include Shuffle and Repeat, while the sound equalizer enables you to choose from various settings including Pop, Jazz and Heavy or you can set your own. You can also switch between a range of pseudo-surround sound modes such as Studio, Live and Arena. The player includes a Karaoke mode that automatically dulls down the volume of the vocals so that you can sing along. You can also use Speed Control to increase or decrease the speed of the playback, sometimes with unintentionally hilarious results. One thing any audiophile will surely notice is that Sony's noise-cancelling in-ear EX headphones that accompany the NWZ-A845 are surprisingly good. Sony informs us that the EX earphones are worth around $85 on their own.

Overall, the NWZ-A845, has an excellent audio playback and a nice screen, it’s easy to use and comes with decent extras without costing much, ($140). It’s easy to recommend this player to people who are looking for a budget introduction to Sony’s Walkman line.

 Set to compete with the iPod touch Microsoft released the Zune HD back in 2009, starting at $220 for the 16GB model. Since then the Redmond-based company has dropped the price tag of the 16GB Zune HD to $169.99 making one of the best choices in the sub $200 price range.

As any touch-screen device, the basic functions of the Zune are controlled by pressing or swiping your finger on the responsive capacitive display. The device has only three buttons - a large power/hold button on the top edge, a slim home button below the screen on the front of player, and a button on the left edge of the device. With all these we can say that it’s a pain to try adjust the volume on the Zune while you have the device in your pocket.

It is fair to say that the Zune caries all the right features in order to provide the best media playback and entertainment as it is powered by the much-lauded Tegra APX 2600, a system-on-a-chip with a focus on HD video and complex graphics performance. The device supports MP3, AAC, WMA, and WMA Lossless formats, as well as audio book files from Audible or OverDrive. The device can also playback WMV, MP4, H.264 and DVR-MS (recorded video from Windows Media Center), which means it will play iPod-formatted clips (though of course not DRMed videos). But what is missing is DivX for SD and MKV for HD. If you've downloaded HD video in MKV l, it is very difficult to convert it to a decent-quality Zune-compatible file.

The Zune HD boasts a 3.3-inch (480x272-pixel resolution) OLED display that offers better color saturation and contrast than LCD screens. In order to take advantage of HD content on your television, you'll need to buy the $90 AV dock which includes a remote control, charging adapter, a HDMI cable, and a composite video cable. It also unlocks the Zune's capability to output high-definition (720p) video.

Like most MP3 players, your music you can be quickly sorted by artist, album, song, genre, and playlist, but the Zune takes it a step further. For example, when you select an artist to play, a list of every album, tabs that offer biographical information, additional photos, and a list of related artists (all of which is pulled offline from the Zune software) will appear against a background photo of the musician or band. If the Zune HD is connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi, album listings will show an artist's entire album catalog and let you preview and download additional songs, or explore the music catalog of similar artists. If you get Microsoft's Zune Pass subscription music plan, you can download unlimited music at just ($14.99). Just like an iPod needs Apple's iTunes music software to load up on music, videos, and podcasts, the Zune HD requires its own softwar.. Microsoft's Zune software client offers many of the same features and capabilities as iTunes, and presents your media collection using an interface that is arguably much prettier to look at.

The Microsoft Zune HD is a beautiful device which deserves praise for taking the Zune's music and video experience beyond the standard set by Apple. Parents should also be aware that the Zune HD offers no built-in safeguards against using the browser to view offensive content, whereas the iPod Touch offers restriction controls that can block the use of the browser, YouTube, and the downloading of inappropriate apps, songs, or videos. If you live outside from the United States the only way to get the Zune is by purchasing it from an online retailer.

 

The first generation Creative Zen Touch  has long been considered as the highest quality in terms of audio playback, and the Creative Zen Touch 2 still upholds this standard. The original ZEN Touch was an iPod Classic-like white block with touch controls and a small monochrome screen, but things have evolved with the Zen Touch 2 which comes with a 3.2in, 480x320-pixel touchscreen, and runs the Android OS. Unfortunately it lacks direct Android Market support and requires you to use its ZiioSpace instead, streamlining down the full range of apps.

The Creative Zen Touch 2 boasts a 2 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, microSD card slot, miniUSB, 3.5 mm headphone jack, FM radio ( if you opt for the 8GB GPS-equipped version) tuner and a run-of-the-mill plastic enclosure. Other specs includes a composite video out, built-in microphone, built-in speaker, an accelerometer and a battery providing up to 25 hours of audio playback or up to 5 hours of video playback. Support for audio files includes MP3, AAC, WMA, FLAC, OGG, ADPCM, MIDI and while that for video covers H.264, WMV, MPEG4, WMV9 and AVI.

In the hand the Zen Touch 2 lacks the premium feel you get from the Apple iPod Touch. Controls consist of three soft buttons beneath the screen offering the usual search, back and menu options, while the home gets a physical button running across the width of the player. This MP4 player has many features that are comparable to those of the iPod Touch, as it gives you complete access to the internet wherever you are, while the ZiioSpace also lets you download apps and games. You can also get your high-resolution photos and videos and upload them to your favorite social media sites. In addition, you could stay in touch with your friends using high-speed Wireless LAN and at the same time listening to your favorite music even on the move.

You can  also connect the EN Touch 2 to your TV with video-out feature to enjoy big-screen comfort. The Creative ZEN Touch 2 comes in three versions. The 8GB model costs $179,00, while the 16GB model costs $199,00. Both of these sport a microSD card slot on one edge, which enables you to add up to 32GB more storage.

When it was announced last year, Cowon's X7 touchscreen media player was set to be an Android device, with all the advantages and support associated with Google's mobile operating system. Unfortunately, the promise of Android never materialised, and the X7 has been released with its own user interface, with a few basic widgets that let you take notes, record sound and run Flash games.

The Cowon X7 seems huge next to almost all current portable devices. The 120GB internal hard drive means the device is not slim, measuring at 14.5mm, and the 4.3in screen is large even by today's giant touchscreen standards. On the front you just have the huge display surrounded by a thick border, with the menu button and the loudspeaker below. The menu button is completely flat and thin, but is not very easy to use. On the left, near the bottom you will find the volume control buttons which cannot be accesses single-handedly without inconveniently shifting the player around in the hand.

The Cowon X7 supports MP3, AAC, WMA, OGG, FLAC, APE and WAV. When it comes to audio quality you won't be able to find to a capacious PMP that matches the sound of  from the X7. Cowon's audio fidelity has always been of the highest standard, and nothing changes with the X7, making the device  the best audio experience out of a PMP, bar-none. The included "JetEffect" and BBE equalization patterns are simply world class. It's easy to shift through the  list of options, and you are able to find EQ tweaks that better just about every genre of music.  The only bummer in the X7 is the screen resolution; 480 x 272 may have been superb three years ago, but today, we've simply come to expect higher pixel counts. The image quality still remains good and so are the viewing angles. The formats Cowon's device  supports include Divx 1/2/3, WMV 7/8/9, ASF and Xvid video files, but not H264, which means  no MP4s, no MOVs and definitely no MKVs will play on it.

The built-in features include an FM Tuner and a recorder, a viewer that reads pictures and documents and a flash player. The X7 supports Bluetooth, but not Wi-Fi. A few utilities are also bundled with the device - such as a calculator, a stopwatch, a typist to store memos and a Comix app that zooms and scrolls through your images, theoretically making it a Comic viewer. You’ll spot a “Browser” too, but don’t get your hopes up because it’s just a file browser.

Cowon claims an incredible 103 hours of battery life for audio playback and 10 hours for video. Considering the size of the X7, we are inclined to believe them as we can definitely feel a massive battery lurking underneath. The size of the Cowon X7 will prove too much of a turn-off for some, but its storage, sound quality and all-round versatility more than justify the burden for those with big-enough hands and pockets ($319.99 ).

 At a recent Apple event, Steve Jobs called the iPod touch the company's "most popular iPod," and it's easy to understand why. The iPod Touch has been the world's premium MP3 player for some time now. 

The volume buttons are located on the left edge of the Touch, and are divided into two distinct buttons now instead of the single rocker switch design used on the two previous models. Another difference over the previous generation is the presence of the two cameras. The rear-facing cameracan record H.264 video at 720p and 30 frames per second but the resolution for photography is not as high as the iPhone 4 (for example), just the same 960 x 720 pixels of the video. Capturing video is achieved by pressing the red record button onscreen when in video camera mode, and tapping it again to end recording. The screen acts as your viewfinder and everything moves along in real time without stuttering. Low-light situations will make for some noisy footage, but in well-lit scenarios, the touch's video looks colorful and crisp. Uploading your video to YouTube or sending it as an e-mail attachment, provided you have a Wi-Fi connection, is made easy with a button in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.

The star of the iPod touch show is the 3.5-inch, 960 x 640 pixel resolution display that offers a sharp, vibrant, image reminding us of just how impressive the iPhone 4's screen is. But while this is a Retina display, it's not exactly the same as the iPhone's, in that it doesn't have in-plane switching (IPS). This means the viewing angles aren't as good, and you can see a marked difference between this and the iPhone 4 if you look at the screen from an angle.  Another highlight is the front camera which brings with it Facetime support. Apple has run a major advertising campaign for FaceTime, its video chat service that works over Wi-Fi, that uses the front camera to film your face as you talk to a friend, while at the same time, beaming their face to your device.

File support remains similar to past models. For audio, supported codecs include AAC (protected and unprotected), HE-AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible, Apple Lossless, AIFF and WAV. Still no FLAC, which is a bummer for audiophiles. In terms of video the player can handle H.264 up to 720p30, MPEG-4 up to 640 by 480 at 30fps, and motion JPEG. Also, if you use the Dock Connector to VGA Adapter (not included), you can play 1024 by 768 H.264 files. JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD (Mac only) and PNG photo files are also supported.  The iPod touch integrates Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, though 802.11n only operates on the 2.4GHz band. Nike+ iPod support is included for those who want to use the touch to help keep in shape. Gaming on the iPod Touch is better than ever, thanks to the improved display, additional three-axis gyro sensor, and a performance boost from the A4 processor.

If you're looking to download new music or videos, there's a direct link to the iTunes storefront on the home screen of the iPod Touch, offering everything from albums and podcasts, to TV shows and movie rentals. As far as music and video services beyond iTunes are concerned, the iPod Touch is much more flexible than iPods in the past. Any unprotected MP3, AAC, Apple Lossless, AIFF, or WAV audio file can be transferred to the Touch without hassle, and DRM-protected Audible audiobook files will work, as well.

Apple rates the battery life for the iPod touch at an impressive 40 hours for audio and seven hours for video. If you're already carrying around an iPhone 4 , maybe the iPod Touch won't make sense, but for the buyers out there who have yet to make the jump , this device's appeal is hard to deny. Overall, the fourth generation of Apple's iPod Touch seems to in a level of its own, seeking for rivals beyond the portable media player battleground. Priced at $229 (8GB), $299 (32GB), and $399 (64GB)

 

As with many other electronic appliances, MP3 players have been getting smaller, more powerful and more feature rich recently. The more money you spend the better it gets but that doesn't mean you must spend a small fortune. Take for example the $39.99 Archos 15,  a 4GB  with a color LCD screen and a 21-hour battery life that gives you an awesome value for the money if all you want to do is listen to music. If your budget is limited to $100 and you want more than a Shuffle can offer, the Samsung YP-R0 is currently your strongest options, especially If audio is your main focus, as it comes with earphones that needn't be replaced in order to enjoy strong low-end response and crisp high. 

If you are looking for an mp3 player and your budget can't top $200, the options available can satisfy even the most demanding. The NWZ-A845 from Sony is bound to appeal to anybody who wants a high-quality portable music player, has an excellent audio playback and a nice screen, it’s easy to use and comes with decent extras without costing much, ($140). Another solid choice can be Creative Zen Touch 2, a player that builds on the company's tradition in offering mp3 players with top audio quality, and brings a microSD card slot which enables you to add up to 32GB more storage. In our opinion however the best choice in this category the king is Microsoft's Zune HD, which its recent price-drop makes it more attractive than ever. Microsoft's device delivers one of the best portable music and video experiences money can buy.

If you really want to spend a small fortune in order to get the best out of your MP3 player, then you should really have a look at the current flagship models from Cowon, and Apple, the X7 and the legendary iPod Touch. Cowon's device might not impress with its screen capabilities, but it will appeal to the audiophile who wants to have the best audio experience. But you don’t get WiFi, a web browser, or support for apps of any kind. If you're looking for that, there's a Zune HD or iPod touch waiting with your name on it. But if you're looking for something that's simply the best at being simple, the X7 is tough to beat. The iPod touch has a simply brilliant display, the speed of its processor is amazing, video quality is very much enjoyable and the rear camera is excellent for taking quick fun shots. If  there was a  word to describe this iPod, it would be fun!

In conclusion, what we see now is that with the smartphone on the rise consumers seem to love the idea to have all their gadgets into one, from their music players to their satnav systems. However,  the industry experts are saying that dedicated MP3 players, along with all the accessories that go with them, won’t become extinct any time soon. Well, we couldn't agree more, and can't wait for the first entry model to boast a HD display!