The Best of Both Phone, and TabletApple iPod Classic (third generation, 160GB, silver)
Manufacturer: Apple Part number: MC293LL/A
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The iPod Classic refines the formula that put the iPod on the map. Few can match its combination of storage capacity, battery life, and intuitive user interface.
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CNET editors' review
Apple iPod Classic (third generation, 160GB, silver) price range: $228.99 - $249.00
- Reviewed by: Donald Bell
- Reviewed on: 09/10/2009
- Released on: 09/09/2009
The good: The iPod Classic offers a sleek, understated design with an easy-to-use interface and great podcast support; Genius feature creates new playlists for you; video playback is excellent; and rated battery life is great.
The bad: EQ control is limited; some older iPod video accessories may not be compatible; the plastic screen is susceptible to scratching; users are required to use the latest version of iTunes, which may not work on some older computer systems.
The bottom line: The iPod Classic refines the formula that put the iPod on the map. Few can match its combination of storage capacity, battery life, and intuitive user interface.
The iPod Classic is Apple's iconic hard-drive-based MP3 player, with design roots that date back to 2001's original iPod model. If you can resist the fashion appeal and gee-whiz features of Apple's slimmer iPods, such as the iPod Nano and iPod Touch, the 160GB iPod Classic ($249) still delivers the most bang for the buck.
Design
The third-generation iPod Classic is indistinguishable from its predecessor in all external physical characteristics. An anodized-aluminum faceplate covers the front of the Classic in either black or silver, while the back of the iPod is covered in the same scratch-showing, smudge-loving chromed steel found on most iPods.
The third-generation iPod Classic fits a whopping 160GB hard drive into the same enclosure as its 120GB predecessor, a pocket-size 2.4 inches by 4.1 inches by 0.41 inch. The screen is still made from plastic, making it the only remaining iPod that hasn't yet switched to a scratch-resistant glass screen.
The third-generation iPod Classic is also now one of the only iPods to use a split-screen main menu layout, displaying menu items on the left half of the screen and a picture related to the selection on the right. For example, highlighting Music on the main menu causes the right half of the screen to display a drifting close-up of cover artwork from your music library. This split-screen effect is more beautiful than it is distracting, and applies to menu items such as movies, podcasts, and photos, as well. You also have the option to browse your music using the Cover Flow view made popular by the iPhone, however, the novelty of Cover Flow wears thin without a touch-screen display. Users with large music collections to sort through will prefer browsing using the list mode or search function.
Features
Like its predecessor, the third-generation iPod Classic offers the capability to create instant Genius playlists. The Genius feature lets you create an instant 25-song playlist based on the musical characteristics of a single song, offering a new way to group together similar songs in your collection. Genius is easy to use, and the results are fun, provided your music collection holds enough songs to make interesting connections (with 160GB of storage, that shouldn't be hard). You can create and save Genius playlists directly onto your iPod, and with automatic syncing enabled in iTunes you can also transfer them back to your computer. Oddly, the Genius feature won't work if you haven't enabled Genius on your computer's iTunes software. If you find iTunes' Genius feature too demanding on your computer's resources or too invasive of your privacy (the feature reports your listening habits to Apple), then you'll need to live without the feature on your iPod as well.
The third-generation iPod Classic is also capable of recording voice memos, although you'll need to pay a little extra to get the feature working. Many third-party iPhone headsets are compatible with the Classic's voice recording feature and Apple Apple sells its own line of compatible headsets, as well. Without purchasing a compatible headset, however, there is no built-in way to create voice recordings with the iPod Classic right out of the box.
The iPod Classic supports H.264 or MPEG-4 video in MOV, MP4, or M4V file formats, with a maximum resolution of 640x480 at as much as 30 frames per second. You can buy or rent videos through the iTunes online store or import them into iTunes and convert them for playback. (Many third-party software video converters also do a great job converting videos for the iPod.) The Classic supports many of the video features we look for in portable video players. For instance, the Classic can recognize and skip between the DVD-like chapter markers embedded in QuickTime movie files. It also does a dependable job automatically resuming video playback at the point at which you last left off. Closed captioned subtitles can be switched on and off for video files that support them.
Apple's audio file format support remains the same. The iPod Classic allows for manually adding and deleting music and video files, but with 160GB of storage, many users will prefer to have their entire media library sync automatically. The Classic can also double as a USB hard drive in a pinch.
Performance
The iPod Classic's sound quality is clean and crisp, but still uninspired when it comes to sound enhancement options. Users do get more than 20 equalization presets to choose among--but half of them are either useless or indistinguishable from one another. Compared with products such as the Creative Zen, the Samsung P3, or the Sony X-Series Walkman, the iPod's sound quality still leaves room for improvement. That said, after listening with our Ultrasone HFI-2200 headphones as well as a set of Shure SE310 earphones, we can say with confidence that the Classic's fidelity will certainly satisfy most users.
Video playback was the most impressive aspect of the iPod Classic. While we were impressed by the crisp resolution of the iPod Nano's smaller 2-inch screen, the 2.5-inch screen found on the iPod Classic is easier on the eyes. Both players share the same 320x240 resolution and are capable of playing files encoded at 640x480. By purchasing an additional component AV cable from Apple, it's possible for users to output resolutions up to 480p (720x480) to a television.
The iPod Classic's enhanced battery life is one of the better reasons to fork over your money to Apple. The 160GB Classic is rated for 36 hours of audio playback and 6 hours for video, and if it's anything like its predecessor, this player will likely beat those times when CNET Labs puts it through drain tests (check back soon for those results).
Is it worth upgrading?
If you're looking for an iPod that can store more than 64GB of music and video, the 160GB iPod Classic is the only option now available to you. Before you leap, however, you should know that the iPod Nano, the iPod Classic, and the iPod Touch, all require iTunes 9 or later in order to be compatible with your computer. We recommend testing the compatibility of the latest version of iTunes with your computer before making the purchase.
The iTunes factor
No iPod review would be complete without mentioning Apple's iTunes music software. For better or worse, the integration between an iPod and Apple's iTunes music software is nearly airtight. If this is going to be your first iPod, it's worthwhile to download iTunes ahead of time to see if it works well on your computer and is intuitive for you to use. You should also be aware that most of the music and movies available for purchase on the iTunes online store will play only in iTunes or on an authorized iPod and cannot be transferred to a non-Apple MP3 player.
Final thoughts
As the availability of high-capacity hard-drive MP3 players seems to be on the decline, we're happy to see that Apple is continuing to develop them. The iPod Classic doesn't deliver the futuristic novelty of the iPod Nano or the iPod Touch, but it is still one of the best-designed high-capacity MP3 players on the market.
User reviews
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Faultless way to listen to music
by sactobob on January 19, 2011
Pros: Been using my 160 GB iPOD for more than two years. Never had a problem
Cons: Takes a couple of seconds to wake when wanting to use track pad.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great Product!!! Recommend!
by pgsurface on December 25, 2010
Pros: Loads music swiftly, for a HDD based player. Decent battery life. A lot of storage. GUI Easy to use. Excellent build quality. Great music selection (iTunes) Great arcade games available. Fast sync time. Fast charge time.
Cons: Back side can be EASILY SCRATCHED!!! Cover flow lags on occasion. Click wheel not the most responsive I have ever used. iTunes is probably the worst program in the history of man (Windows only, runs well on Mac)
Summary: I purchased this product as a gift for myself this Christmas. I have always loved iPods. Apple really shows expertise when designing these things. Besides an easily scratched back side, ...
Summary: I purchased this product as a gift for myself this Christmas. I have always loved iPods. Apple really shows expertise when designing these things. Besides an easily scratched back side, the iPod is one of the better looking devices out there. I happen to own an iPhone and another iPod classic (80gb) Both of these are great devices and I recommend the to everyone! If you do purchase one, remember to buy a case. This is important as the back of the device is scratched extremely easily. iTunes is a decent program, only if you're running it on a mac. The iPod classic is long lasting and updated frequently, so no need to buy a new one every other month. Lol. iPod for life! God bless!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The simplicity is collaborating nicely with 160 GB HDD
by robin20993 on September 8, 2010
Pros: Great Design, Easy-To-Use,Outstanding Capacity,Fast feedback program and rated Battery Life is excellent
Cons: Hold Switch is a little bit hard to use, Very Easy to live scratch and fingerprint
Summary: I love this Ipod!!! The clickwheel is very responsive for me, it has a very fast feedback. Genius and Genius Mixes make me feel like a dj. SQ and Video ...
Summary: I love this Ipod!!! The clickwheel is very responsive for me, it has a very fast feedback. Genius and Genius Mixes make me feel like a dj. SQ and Video are very good in here. For people want to have a beautiful and big capacity device, this is Best buy!!!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Solid 160GB hdd based MP3 player
by cornkracker on June 30, 2010
Pros: looks great,huge capacity,very good sound quality
Cons: you can scratch it up before even laying your hands on it,the click wheel is confused sometimes
Summary: If you are looking for something to carry your entire music collection on, look no further.Theres nothing too fancy about it,the click wheel makes navigating around your music ...
Summary: If you are looking for something to carry your entire music collection on, look no further.Theres nothing too fancy about it,the click wheel makes navigating around your music collection a joy.160GB means i never have to select or deselect what music i want synced and the ability to watch videos on it is just icing on the cake,although the screen on it wont make you want to.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Best iPod it terms of memory and user interface.
by MrtnGnzlz12 on February 27, 2012
Pros: - Battery Life
- Memory Storage
- User Interface
- Audio Quality
- Compatibility
- Compact SizeCons: - No More Games In The iTunes Library.
Summary: With a Zagg Invisible Shield this iPod becomes more durable and keeps it's luster for years to come. It is my personal favorite tech purchase that i have made ...
Summary: With a Zagg Invisible Shield this iPod becomes more durable and keeps it's luster for years to come. It is my personal favorite tech purchase that i have made in recent years. Has everything in a small compact package without overwhelming with extra features that aren't necessary in a media player. Easy to use, great battery life, and best of all super portable.
Best iPod I have ever purchased.
Updated on Feb 27, 2012 -
Fantastic Product. This iPod does every thing.
by mongogo23 on December 10, 2011
Pros: This iPod is very easy to use and the storage capcity lets you have tons of music, pictures and movies. I can go to work and listen to music for 8 hours and it will run for 3 days on one charge. Just a fantastic product from Apple.
Cons: The price is alittle high. At $245 you have to think about it before you buy it.
Summary: Over all this is a great MP3 player. It has all of the functions that you could want and plenty of storage. The battery life is fantastic. I couldn't ...
Summary: Over all this is a great MP3 player. It has all of the functions that you could want and plenty of storage. The battery life is fantastic. I couldn't ask for more and I am very happy with this unit.
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The Best for Music
by wista5958 on September 29, 2011
Pros: Holds my whole collection @ 15,000+ songs!
Cons: Being bulky is all I can really slam this device for. But hey, with 160GB whose complaining.
Summary: If you love music and like to have access to music anywhere and I mean anywhere (no wireless signal needed), plus love to have access to your whole collection of ...
Summary: If you love music and like to have access to music anywhere and I mean anywhere (no wireless signal needed), plus love to have access to your whole collection of CD's and downloads via a portable device, this iPod is for you! To h*ll with "the cloud"; just another reason to make money off of you.
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I will explain my issues
by narn3049 on August 14, 2011
Pros: I got this device in 2009 as mainly just a video/and music player. Used it tons
Cons: and read the summary for the issues
Summary: Well- always USED IT with care, and kept it nice, I mean as with any iPod it will scratch, so I understand that. I dropped it in a recliner, and ...
Summary: Well- always USED IT with care, and kept it nice, I mean as with any iPod it will scratch, so I understand that. I dropped it in a recliner, and then yeah you guessed it, the screen had an absolute fail!~~ So I went and had to pay for the next one which I understood as that device I broke myself. In the new one, only the left side of the headphones worked. I used my dad's for a little bit before he started using his tons, and he got his back from me, and then i went and got another one of these iPod Classics. This one had the harddrive go out. I think I will stay with my Nano :)
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STOP!!!!!!
by jabor93 on December 7, 2010
Pros: large ammounts of space, simple interface, all around good media player.
Cons: itunes, easy to scratch, fatal hard disk problems!!!!
Summary: the biggest thing with the classic is it is using a hard disk drive rather then flash memory. the hard disk makes it more susceptible to problems with the memory. ...
Summary: the biggest thing with the classic is it is using a hard disk drive rather then flash memory. the hard disk makes it more susceptible to problems with the memory. after about a year and a half mine stopped working properly. it had been giving me problems after six months. what it did was it stopped syncing. it would say that a file could not be found. that meant the firmware was corrupt. my warranty was still valid and apple still wouldn't do anything about it. i would replace my firmware and it would work for a while, and do the same thing again, until eventually it would no longer allow it to be replaced. what happens when it is corrupt is it crashes iTunes. what you must do is go to format disc to erase the corrupt software. after a while, it wouldn't even let me format it anymore. do yourself a favor, and go with flash memory. id recommend a Zune hd, but an iPod touch, or nano would suffice as well.
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iPod Classic 160GB
by cnet729333android on November 29, 2010
Pros: Holds up to 40,000 songs and up to well over a hundred movies and TV shows. Has a nostalgic feel to it, ideal for people who have many videos and songs in their iTunes library. Battery life is strong.
Cons: Back and screen are easy to scratch up.
Summary: This classic iPod provides you with all you really need.
Summary: This classic iPod provides you with all you really need.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Apple
- Part number: MC293LL/A
- Description: Decisions, decisions. Who needs them? Why should you have to choose what to put on your iPod? With up to 160GB of storage, iPod classic lets you carry everything in your collection - up to 40,000 songs or up to 200 hours of video - everywhere you go. In a completely new, even thinner, all-metal design, this iPod is a modern classic. If a picture says a thousand words, think of what all the album art in your collection might say. With Cover Flow on iPod classic, you can flip through your music to find the album you want to hear. Use the Click Wheel to browse music by album cover, then select an album to flip it over and see the track list. Use the Click Wheel to adjust volume, navigate songs, browse in Cover Flow, or explore the Music menu by playlist, artist, album, song, genre, composer, and more. Want to mix things up? Click Shuffle Songs. iPod classic makes your music look as good as it sounds, thanks to its big, bright, color display. Buy movies from the iTunes Store and you can sync them to your iPod classic to watch anywhere, anytime. The gorgeous 2.5-inch display makes your movies pop. And iPod classic keeps you entertained for up to 7 hours. Long flight or darkened room? Adjust the brightness for even more video playback time. There's always something good on iPod classic. Browse thousands of episodes of your favorite TV shows on the iTunes Store, buy them, then sync them to iPod classic. Watch last night's episodes this morning, or buy a whole TV series and play a pocket-size marathon. The iTunes Store features thousands of free video and audio podcasts, including indie favorites and offerings from such big names as ABC News, Comedy Central, ESPN, PBS, NPR, and many more. Browse and subscribe to podcasts, then sync them to your iPod classic. You can even play video podcasts on TV using an optional Apple component or composite AV cable. The digital shelves of the iTunes Store are stocked with thousands of audiobooks - including exclusives like the entire Harry Potter series - so you can catch up on your reading wherever iPod classic takes you. iPod classic recognizes where you left off and bookmarks your place. You can even adjust the reading speed to suit you. Put hours of fun at your fingertips. iPod classic comes with three games - Vortex, iQuiz, and Klondike - and you can download more from the iTunes Store. All iPod games are designed specifically for the iPod interface. And all of them look great on the 2.5-inch color display. iPod classic holds up to 25,000 photos you can sync from your Mac or PC via iTunes. Use the Click Wheel to scroll through photo thumbnails the same way you scroll through song titles. To see a photo full screen, click the center button. You can even view photo slideshows - complete with music and transitions - on iPod classic or on a TV using an optional Apple component or composite AV cable. Calendars, contacts, and a clock appear in the Extras menu, along with a few more handy items. Take the screen lock, for example. Spin the Click Wheel to choose a four-digit combination and protect your iPod classic from prying eyes. If you forget your combination, just reset when you sync. Or use the built-in stopwatch to log your best times.
General
- Product type Digital player
- PC interface(s) supported Hi-Speed USB
- Digital storage Built-in 160 GB Hard disk drive
- Weight 4.9 oz
- Dimensions (W x D x H) 2.4 in x 0.4 in x 4.1 in
- Body material Aluminum
- Color Silver
- Included accessories Docking station adapter
- iPod Generation 6G
Digital Player / Recorder
- Supported digital audio standards Apple Lossless ,
WAV ,
HE-AAC ,
MP3 ,
AIFF ,
Audible ,
AAC - Playback modes Random play / shuffle,
All tracks repeat,
One track repeat,
Playlist - Response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
- Supported bit rate 8 - 320
- ID3 tags support Yes
- External hard drive function Yes
- Additional features MPEG-4 playback,
Variable bit-rate compatible,
JPEG photo playback Built-in Display
- Audio system built-in display LCD
- Diagonal size 2.5 in
- Resolution 320 x 240
- Backlight display Yes
- Display menu language Danish,
Korean,
Greek,
Chinese (traditional),
Chinese (simplified),
Turkish,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
Finnish,
Polish,
Portuguese,
Norwegian,
Italian,
French,
Dutch,
Spanish,
Russian,
English,
German,
Japanese - Features LED backlight
Audio Features
- Sound output mode Stereo
- Timer Stopwatch,
Wake,
Sleep - Built-in clock Alarm,
Stopwatch,
Digital clock - Additional features Photo wallet,
Hold button,
Genius technology,
Volume limiter ,
Phone book,
Battery level indication,
Calendar,
Upgradeable firmware,
Built-in games ,
Cover Flow,
Slide switch control,
Date display,
USB 2.0 compatibility,
Notes Equalizer
- Equalizer type Digital graphic
Remote Control
- Remote control None
Headphones
- Headphones type Binaural Ear-bud
- Sound output mode [Sep 14, 2011 from CDS: Audio Output] Stereo
- Response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
- Impedance 32 Ohm
- Connectivity technology Wired
Connectivity
- Cable(s) included USB cable - External
- Connector type 1 x Docking station,
1 x Headphones Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm Battery / Power
- Battery Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
- Mfr estimated battery life 36 hour(s)
- Recharge time 4 hour(s)
- Power device type None
System Requirements
- Peripheral / Interface devices [Jul 2, 2008 from CDS: System Requirements] USB port (compatible with 2.0 specification)
- Operating system Microsoft Windows 7,
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3,
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP3,
Microsoft Windows Vista,
Apple MacOS X 10.4.11 or later
Product series
-
Apple iPod Classic (third generation, 160GB, silver)
Manufacturer: Apple
Specs: 160 GB,
Apple Lossless,
WAV,
HE-AAC,
MP3,
AIFF,
Audible,
AAC,
2.5 in,
Player battery - Rechargeable - Lithium ion,
36 hour(s),
Digital player -
Apple iPod Classic (third generation, 160GB, black)
Manufacturer: Apple
Specs: 160 GB,
Apple Lossless,
WAV,
MP3,
AIFF,
Audible,
AAC,
2.5 in,
Player battery - Rechargeable - Lithium ion,
36 hour(s),
Digital player
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Apple products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Apple
- Address:
One Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014 - Phone: 1-408-996-1010
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