(Sep 07, 2008)
Donald Bell
Senior Editor
MP3 players have quickly gone from the early-adopter fringes to the mainstream, and the most common ones use flash memory to store music, data, and sometimes photo and video files. While most players offer about 4GB (or about 68 hours) of storage, they have distinct advantages over their hard-drive counterparts: they're smaller and more affordable, and they don't skip a beat. We're beginning to see more flash players hit 16GB and more, the most notable being the 32GB Apple iPod Touch and the 16GB Creative Zen.
Apple iPod Touch (32GB)
The iPod Touch is a beautiful product, inside and out, but prepare yourself for sticker shock.
Price: $447.91 - $499.99 (check prices)
Review date: Sep 17, 2007
Excellent
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Creative Zen (16GB)
We're hard-pressed to find anything not to like about the Creative Zen. It's a great option for anyone looking for a great-sounding, pocketable MP3 player with an excellent, video-capable screen and plenty of extra features.
Price: $159.00 - $319.20 (check prices)
Review date: Sep 14, 2007
Excellent
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iRiver Clix (4GB, second generation)
The iRiver Clix offers the perfect blend of hot design, desirable features, and stellar sound quality. If you're looking for an alternative to the iPod Nano, this device should top the list.
Price: $189.99 - $189.99 (check prices)
Review date: Apr 25, 2007
Excellent
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Sony Walkman NWZ-S718F (8GB, black)
The sum of the NWZ-S710F's audio enhancement and noise-canceling features adds up to one of the most pleasant and private music experiences you can have for less than $200.
Price: $179.99 - $199.95 (check prices)
Review date: Apr 11, 2008
Excellent
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Creative Zen V Plus (4GB, black)
The Creative Zen V Plus is a superb choice for anyone looking for a compact and feature-filled flash MP3 player with great sound quality. If you're looking for a more sophisticated design (or have large thumbs), look elsewhere.
Price: $89.99 - $105.00 (check prices)
Review date: Jun 20, 2006
Excellent
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Cowon iAudio 7 (4GB, silver)
The Cowon iAudio 7 beats the industry heavyweight iPod Nano in price, features, battery life, and sound quality. The user interface could use some refinement, but all-in-all this is a very impressive MP3 player.
Price: $114.95 - $114.95 (check prices)
Review date: Jul 19, 2007
Excellent
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Sony Walkman NWZ-A728 (8GB, black)
The Sony NWZ-A720 is the best-sounding, best-looking Walkman series yet, and the inclusion of premium earphones adds real value.
Price: $129.95 - $189.00 (check prices)
Review date: Apr 7, 2008
Excellent
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