CNET Editor's rating: 8.3 out of 10
Reviewed by
Jasmine France
Review date: 09/14/07
The good: The Creative Zen sounds fantastic and features a brilliant color screen capable of displaying photos and video. The player offers a smorgasbord of desirable extras such as an SD card expansion slot, an FM radio, a voice recorder, and a user-definable EQ. It has a slim, pocket-friendly design; is very user-friendly; supports subscription music; and sports a reasonable price tag.
The bad: The Creative Zen only comes in black, the control pad feels cheap, and it doesn't come close to matching the max 60GB offered by the player it's replacing.
The bottom line: 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.
Editors' note: The body of this review has been updated to reflect added memory options and significant price drops.
In a move that surprised many a Creative fan, the company has ushered in a flash-based replacement for its Zen Vision:M, a full-size, hard-drive player that offered up to 60GB of space. Though the news was not well-received by some proponents of carting around a large library of tracks, those who give the new player--dubbed simply the Zen--a chance will find that it's a completely worthy follow-up to its chunky predecessor. This new Zen--which comes in 2GB ($79.99), 4GB ($99.99), 8GB ($129.99), 16GB ($199.99), and 32GB ($299.99) versions--may not hold as much media as the 60GB Vision:M, but it offers the same, lovely screen in a much smaller body, and it packs in a couple of new features for good measure. Plus, it's an incredible value for the price.
It's all about sleek understatement
Creative has gained somewhat of a reputation for putting MP3 players in a vast array of colors, so it comes as a bit of a shock (and maybe a letdown, for some) that the Zen will be offered in just one: black. Still, it must be said that black does make an excellent frame for the awesome 2.5-inch TFT screen, which is capable of displaying 16.7 million colors. Also, while the design might not be as innovative as that of the iPod Touch and iRiver Clix--or as cute or as eye-catching as that of previous family members--the Zen has a certain understated elegance with its shiny face and brushed-metal backside. It's like a smaller, sleeker version of the Vision.
Despite its ample screen, the Zen is pleasantly compact. At just 3.3 inches by 2.1 inches by 0.4 inch, it's about 60 percent smaller than the Vision:M and it's definitely pocket-friendly. We're also pleased to note that Creative didn't skimp on the controls and has migrated completely to the user-friendly tactile variety. Main functions are handled by a four-way control square surrounding a center select button. This is flanked on the top by a back/contextual menu rocker and on the bottom by a shortcut and play/pause toggle. Sadly, there's no dedicated volume control, but the right edge of the Zen houses the ever-handy hold/power switch along with a standard mini-USB port and 3.5mm headphone jack. The reset and mic holes can be found on the bottom and top spines, respectively.
Fun features for all
Exploring the top side of the Zen also reveals one of the new extras we alluded to earlier. In another departure from the norm, Creative has built in an SD card expansion slot--a first for its MP3 players. We're happy to report that the slot can take SDHC cards, which currently go up to 16GB in the full-size SD variety. (Of course, at a price that exceeds the 16GB Zen itself, those are a bit cost-prohibitive at the moment.) Considering the move away from more capacious hard drive memory, we definitely think the addition of memory expansion was a wise--and necessary--move.
Another new feature to be found on this Zen is its support of unprotected AAC files, meaning it will play back iTunesPlus tracks, though you can't use iTunes to transfer them. The player can sync via drag-and-drop in Windows Explorer, or you can use a jukebox such as Windows Media Player or Rhapsody. Like its other family members, this Zen also supports MP3, WAV, Audible, and both protected and unprotected WMA tracks. Unfortunately, it also shares Mac incompatibility with the other players in its line. Photos must be in JPEG format, which Windows Media Player can convert to automatically during syncing. On the video side, the Zen plays WMV and Motion JPEG out of the box and MPEG4, DiVX, and XViD with conversion. Creative includes an app--Zen Media Explorer--which can take care of the conversion painlessly and (somewhat) quickly.
In addition to its media capabilities, the Zen includes Creative's usual impressive array of features, though it's worth noting that there is no line-in recording for audio or video (the latter in particular would have been a nice touch). You do get voice recording and an FM radio with autoscan and 32 preset slots. There's also basic PIM functionality: you can sync contacts, tasks, and calendar info from Outlook to the device. Plus, you get the usual shuffle and repeat playback modes, handy contextual menus, and the ability to search for artists and songs as well as rate songs on the fly and set up to 10 bookmarks. Nine preset EQs, a five-band, user-definable mode, and a bass boost function ensure that you can adjust sound to your liking.
But it's the fun visual display option that set the Zen line apart. Album art can be viewed as a thumbnail or in full-screen mode on the playback display, and Creative includes various themes for interface customization. You can also set any image on the player as wallpaper, and the photo-browsing experience is great: there's a 5x4 thumbnail grid and each one magnifies as you scroll over it. Naturally, you can view photos and slide shows while listening to music. There's even a nifty, semi-split-screen deal on the main menu that cycles through album art, photos, or video image clips, depending on which media type you are browsing.
Shining performance
No two ways about it: the Zen's screen is fabulous. Photos look vibrant and bright, with excellent color saturation and good detail. Videos are similarly impressive--clear and bright with no noticeable pixilation (though we did notice the occasional blurring around some sharp edges)--and the viewing angle from side to side is excellent. Even the interface looks stellar, right down to the transparent icons on the main menu. It's a nice screen to look at for sure.
Frankly, we've come to expect stellar audio quality from Creative's MP3 players, and the Zen did not disappoint--once we swapped in the Shure SE530 headphones. (For their part, the included headphones were passable.) Perhaps the best thing is that all genres of music sound equally great. The bass of Zeb's disco house track "Disco Patel" was tight and enveloping without overshadowing the sparkle of the high hat and minute ting of the triangle. In the Bangles' high-end heavy intro to "Hazy Shade of Winter," the detail of each instrument was crystal clear, and the relatively quiet Spanish guitar was not lost among the frantic chorus of the rest of the track. Overall, music was rich, warm, and detailed...and it just made us happy.
The Creative Zen also boasts plenty of volume to drive a full-size set of 'phones--we only had it up to about a third with some noise-isolating buds. The rated battery life of 25 hours for audio and 5 hours for video is solid, and CNET Labs pretty much matched these estimates at 24.7 hours and 5.6 hours, respectively. It may not be the longest-lasting battery on the market, but the Zen certainly offers a good value with its lovely screen, nice sound, and good combination of features
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Love it!!!
I got this baby in December, and I just very impressed with its size and capabilities.Know I see why ...
I got this baby in December, and I just very impressed with its size and capabilities.Know I see why the Zen replaced the Zen M. Its better in every way. Soon next year the big 64GB SSD card may show up in this thing and the we'll really have somthing to talk about.
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by awk91 (see profile) -
February 11, 2008
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
10 out of 10 - Perfect Excellent audio w. the features you need!
OK, call me crazy, but what I was looking for in a MP3 player was quality sound. I first purchased ...
OK, call me crazy, but what I was looking for in a MP3 player was quality sound. I first purchased a pair of Ultimate Ears Super.Fi 5 Pro earphones. Paired up with my Blackberry Curve or an iPod they sounded good, but something was missing--not much depth or richness to the sound. Paired up with the Creative Zen, the sound is fantastic! Acoustic, rock, jazz all sound great, and with the 5-band equalizer you can adjust the sound for shortcomings in recordings or make up for a lesser pair of earphones. Granted the Zen doesn't have the sexiest touchpad or WiFi, but again, it produces quality sound that pleases even a picky audiophile like me--something other MP3 player manufacturers just don't seem to care about. And with an FM tuner, 32 Gb and expandaple memory, the Zen is a great value too!
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by G3-Tunes (see profile) -
March 3, 2008
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Great MP3 player
I was hesitant on getting the Zen cause you hear so much about the 'IPOD' well I like to go ...
I was hesitant on getting the Zen cause you hear so much about the 'IPOD' well I like to go with the underdog so I got the Zen anyway.. Love it!!! Now the wife has the IPOD and its not as good.. She's actually jealous because I use my Zen with Rhapsody and get all my tunes to go into the Zen but she can't do that! Plus I can get stuff from Itunes because of the ACC support so I can go either way. I love the SD support and use it for extra storage of videos etc.. This is just easier to work then the IPOD too -- very functional great sound and picture! I matched it up with the Bose in ears..
9 out of 10 - Spectacular The Best MP3 Player I Have Ever Had!
I love this MP3 player! For Christmas(2007) I got Creative's huge Zen W. I loved that too, but ...
I love this MP3 player! For Christmas(2007) I got Creative's huge Zen W. I loved that too, but it was SO hard fit in a pocket. So I returned that one and got this one. It is small, so it is very easy to fit in any pocket. It is pretty much perfect for the girls that have to wear nice work pants that have tiny back pockets. The music quality is the best I have heard in a long time. I had the Ipod and it wasn't even this good (and that one got returned too). The ease of use factor makes the Zen the best. It comes with several different ways to put your music on it, but I still prefer the old fashioned grab the music folder and drag to device folder method. Picture quality is amazing, but I admit the direct sunlight is its downfall. That's the only time I have trouble seeing the screen. The buttons are easy to use too. I use my Zen all the time with a carry around speaker that plugs in, and when I am driving it is easy enough that I can press the buttons without looking and generally do what I want on it. Also, it is perfectly loud when using a plug in speaker. All in all, this MP3 player is a great rival to the Ipod in my opinion.
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by X5927alpha (see profile) -
April 27, 2008
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Good value, great functionality.
One of the best mp3 players on the market. If you buy the 4/8/16 or 32 GB unit, ...
One of the best mp3 players on the market. If you buy the 4/8/16 or 32 GB unit, enclose it in a small plastic case before strapping it to your arm. Think moisture did it in after only two uses, otherwise a fine product.
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by pr68 (see profile) -
March 31, 2008
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular This think rocks!
this thing would be perfect except for the controls make a bit nervous that they would break after like a ...
this thing would be perfect except for the controls make a bit nervous that they would break after like a year. Creative ususally makes quality players so lets hope that is not the case. Finally it annoys me the backlight does not turn off when you are not using the controls. This of course zaps the battery unless you lock the player. I would contend this is what ended up breaking my on/off switch for my zen vision m. Otherwise this thing is amazing. I abosolutely love it.
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by lavern (see profile) -
May 23, 2008
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Good choice.
I needed a replacement for my Zen V 30GB unit since the screen died (unsure if it was damaged by ...
I needed a replacement for my Zen V 30GB unit since the screen died (unsure if it was damaged by me) on it. I researched quite a bit since I wanted to make sure I got my money's worth. I am glad I decided to purchase this unit since it fits what I want exactly from a MP3 player. Holds tons of music! Video is not as important to me, but its nice to have pictures on it.
NapsterToGo is the primary reason I purchased a PlayForSure unit. I was impressed with Zune but didn't like the music service choices.
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by dougrilee (see profile) -
May 21, 2008
9 out of 10 - Spectacular first dap...spent 3 weeks scouring message boards and reviews before choosing....I'M HAPPY!!!
i am happy with my purchase. i'm a music fiend. i really investigated before i bought this. it had ...
i am happy with my purchase. i'm a music fiend. i really investigated before i bought this. it had to have an eq. old radio programs and early jazz recordings sometimes need a little tweeking to make them a bit more listenable. still wish i had more memory. 32GB flash memory is nothing to cough at, though. takes all of 1.5 secs. to que up 3500 random songs.
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by darbyy (see profile) -
April 25, 2008
Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc. Specs: Digital player / radio, 16 GB, AAC, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, 1 x Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc. Specs: Digital player / radio, 8 GB, AAC, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, 1 x Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc. Specs: Digital player / radio, 4 GB, AAC, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, 1 x Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc. Specs: Digital player / radio, 2 GB, AAC, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, 1 x Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc. Specs: Digital player / radio, 32 GB, AAC, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, 1 x Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
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