CNET Editor's rating: 8.3 out of 10
Reviewed by
Jasmine France
Review date: 06/20/06
The good: The Creative Zen V Plus offers a cute, pocket-friendly design without sacrificing screen real estate, and the vivid OLED display is viewable from any angle. The player is packed to the gills with features, including an FM radio, voice and line-in recording, photo and video playback, and compatibility with subscription WMA tracks. It's the first flash player to be offered with up to 16GB of memory. Oh, and the sound quality and battery life are great too.
The bad: The Creative Zen V Plus's joystick is really small and has a cheap feel to it, and we wish Creative had included all the buttons found on the Vision:M. The screen is difficult to see in bright sunlight, and there's no UMS support.
The bottom line: 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), check out the iRiver Clix instead.
Creative Labs has a history of turning out
great MP3 players, and the Zen V and the Zen V Plus--available in July and August, respectively--are no exception. These cute and pocketable flash devices are packed with features and offer impressive performance, making them an excellent option for anyone looking for a lower-capacity, solid-state MP3 player. Of course, since the Creative Zen V Plus adds two desirable extras to the package (an FM radio and video playback), yet costs only about $25 more than the Zen V, we think that the Plus is the way to go--more bang for your buck. You can pick up the 2GB for $79.99, the 4GB for $109.99, the 8GB for $169.99, or the 16GB for $249.99. Comparatively, the Zen V lists at $59.99 for the 1GB, $74.99 for the 2GB, and $99.99 for the 4GB (Creative discontinued other capacities for this model). In either case, it's a better deal than the iPod Nano.
The accent colors are functional in that they indicate the capacity of the device, but we also appreciate the added flare.
The curvaceous design of the Creative Zen V Plus echoes that of its larger sibling, the Zen Vision:M, though its small size makes the style a bit more toylike (in a good way), almost reminiscent of a Tamagotchi. Also, The Zen V Plus isn't available in the same color palette as the Vision:M. Instead, you choose from white or black versions, and you get different color accents shown around the joystick, on the volume rocker, and through the seams of the player: orange for 1GB, green for 2GB, and blue for 4GB and 8GB (black only). Creative is also set to release a blood red-accented version of the 8GB, though that model was not yet available at press time. It's a nice look, complemented even further by the vivid 1.5-inch OLED display. Unfortunately, while the screen is viewable from any angle, it's tough to read in bright sunlight.
The Creative Zen V Plus's controls leave just a little to be desired. We like the dedicated volume rocker and the combined power/hold switch, but the joystick is tiny and seems prone to collecting dirt or sand around it. Also, we're not sure why Creative didn't include all the buttons found on the Zen Vision:M, as there's plenty of room to the left of the joystick. Gone are the contextual menu and shortcut buttons; however, you can hold the Back button to get to the contextual menus. That said, the player's compact body (2.6 by 1.5 by 0.5 inches), light weight (1.6 ounces), and smooth, rounded edges make it a pleasure to hold. Also, the Zen V Plus can fit easily into any pocket, and because it's not long and thin like the iPod Nano, it has a much sturdier feel. Also, owners of the V Plus get an extra option for selecting the orientation of their screen; the aspect ratio remains the same, but you can orient the controls as you see fit.
The Zen V Plus's small size and light weight make it perfect for working out. Creative will offer an optional belt-clip case and armband package for $29.99.
There's a lot to like about the Creative Zen V Plus, including its ease of use. If you're already running Windows Media Player (we recommend version 11), you don't even need to install any software to start syncing content to the player. However, the included Creative software is a worthwhile install, as it includes several useful apps, particularly the ToolBox, which can convert and transfer video files to the player, and ZenCast, a program that offers a one-stop spot for subscribing to, organizing, and transferring podcasts. Unfortunately, the device uses MTP, so you won't be able to sync it with any machines that aren't running Windows XP.
Once you get some content on to the Creative Zen V Plus--supported formats comprise MP3, WAV, WMA (including subscription), and Audible audio; AVI video (natively; other formats such as WMV and MPEG-4 can be transcoded with the included software); and JPEG photos--it's a breeze to navigate through the options. All menus are straightforward. Music is sorted by playlist, album, artist, and so on, while photos are conveniently sorted into folders. Open these folders, and you're greeted with an attractive three-by-three thumbnail grid of your pictures.
The Zen V Plus is covered in a scratch-resistant coating, but if you want to dress it up, you can pick up one of six colorful skins for $19.99.
There's a lot to like about the Creative Zen V Plus, but it really shines in the features department. There's photo and video playback; an FM tuner with 32 autoscannable presets; FM, voice, and line-in recording; an alarm clock and calendar; and even PIM functionality, with the ability to sync tasks and contacts from Outlook. Plus, you can set any of your photos as wallpaper and choose from several color themes for the interface. The only things missing are USB host capability and built-in Wi-Fi, but since these extras are more of a luxury, we don't count their absence against the player.
The Creative Zen V Plus is a splendid little performer too. Music played through the included earbuds sounds decent, but if you really want to experience the player's high-quality audio, swap in a pair of premium 'phones, such as the Shure E4c. And we're happy to report that this Zen--unlike previous versions--gets plenty loud. Battery life was also impressive in our CNET Labs' tests, lasting more than 20 hours (and much longer than the rated 15 hours). Transfer times over USB 2.0 were a subpar 1.25MB per second. Photos and videos looked good, though small, on the bright color screen; there was a noticeable screen-door effect, but it wasn't too big a deal, since you likely won't want to stare at such a small display for very long.
Intro:
The Creative Zen V Plus is a 2 GB, flash player.Compared to other flash MP3 players on the market, it is expensive at around $135.
Noteworthy Features:
None noted, given available product data.
Weaker Features:
None noted, given available product data.
Suitability:
Suited for those who want to store a goodly amount of songs.According to the manufacturer this player will last approximately 15 hour(s) between charges; your run-time will vary based on use and power management configuration.Flash players like this are ideal for people who use their players in more active listening environments, where disk-based players have greater chances of skipping.
Value:
Overall, this MP3 player's features are in line with its price.
Suggestions:
If you don't totally love the headphones that came with your MP3 player, you might find aftermarket headphones that better suit your needs.
10 out of 10 - Perfect A Spectacular Buy
I went to the store with high intentions for this product- and I wasn't disappointed. I to CNET's ...
I went to the store with high intentions for this product- and I wasn't disappointed. I to CNET's word for it, and bought it over the iPod. While at Best Buy, they had the ZEN V Plus right next to an iPod Nano. I asked the clerk-" This ZEN is about $100 cheaper than the Nano, outlasts the estimated life of the nano, and has more features. Why do people buy so many iPods when this is around?" The clerk said-" Because it's Apple." I opened the package, and even with the sayings of such a small player, was still shocked at the size- in a good way. The player came with the right accesories, and software- all easy to use. I had seen my friends iTunes program, and said oh great another ton of downloads, and long transfers. When I plugged it into my computer I saw that you can simply drag and drog files from any music player you have including Windows Media PLayer, Quicktime, and Real Player. Naming the songs was a sinch, and the line in recording feature was amazing. I love the Zen's video feature as well. Many have said that you would never watch a video on the OLED screen, but it is definitly a key experiance on the player. With amazing playback quality, unoticable pocket weight, a matchbook size player, and a truckload of accesories from the accesories packet it comes with, this player outstrips the iPod nano by a mile- great for first time MP3 Player buyers.
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by DevilsRed (see profile) -
November 30, 2006
7 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Compact, feature packed, really intuitive player.
I picked up The Zen V plus about 3 weeks ago, and having done my homework before purchasing one, I ...
I picked up The Zen V plus about 3 weeks ago, and having done my homework before purchasing one, I had an idea on what to expect. It's a great iPod Alternative with a really simple menu system, and drag and drop system with their media software. The sound is rich and strong, with out too many hiccups. Videos can be automatically converted in creative media explorer which is really convenient for those who don't have conversion software. Photos as well can be downscaled to fit on the screen, so you can have more space for movies and music. I think that having a seperate volume button is nice, since you don't have to worry too much about hitting the wrong controls. The only gripes I have about this product are that I wish it came with a AC wall charger, that way I don't need to power up my laptop or desktop to charge it. Also, the reflective coating on the screen tends to distort the colors when outdoors or in bright lights. Aside from that, This is a solid player in my opinion.
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by asianrage (see profile) -
October 7, 2006
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Great mp3 player for beginners and experts alike.
I purchased mine from best buy for $127.99 but with tax was $140, still a good deal. This is ...
I purchased mine from best buy for $127.99 but with tax was $140, still a good deal. This is my first mp3 player so I have nothing to compare it except a worthless mp3 player I returned to walmart after getting it for christmas; I couldnt get any songs on it. Anyways this little thing is great i was amazed at how small it is and how awesome the screen looks. The sound quality is great too and 2gb is perfect for me, I have about 150 songs on it and an episode of The Office and still have 700mb left. Provided ear phones are ok I only tried them once but I just prefer my lil philips extreme bass ear buds. I highly recommend this player. Review:nice battery life(about 15 hours w/ music),Awesome screen and vid playing ability,good sound quality,cool joystick, and stylish looking.
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by Iggy_2k7 (see profile) -
January 4, 2007
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
10 out of 10 - Perfect If your looking for a great MP3 player, this is it!
A great little and convenient player that packs a big bang for such a small price. This is a diamond ...
A great little and convenient player that packs a big bang for such a small price. This is a diamond in the rough as far as mp3 players go. There are none better with all that this one does. I paid $99.99 2GB through Buy.com when checking out with google. they are sold at other retailers for around $130.00. Buy this player and enjoy!
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by Chaz2121 (see profile) -
December 22, 2006
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular The Ipod Killer!
This is an amazing mp3 player, I'm stunned by the top notch quality in this device, feels much more ...
This is an amazing mp3 player, I'm stunned by the top notch quality in this device, feels much more sturdy than the nano and has a bigger screen! Also has video playback, unlike the i pod nano. Also I got a great deal on the Mp3 player, 129$ for the 2Gb Zen V, Black and green! Much Cheaper than the comparable Nano for 179$. The device also has many features the ipod lacks, like a available fm tuner and video playback. Honestly I think the ipod better start catching up or it will soon get lost in the dust. YAY CREATIVE! ...although i still admire the nano, just not the price..
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by javensbukan (see profile) -
February 8, 2007
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
7 out of 10 - Very good Great player marred by bad design decision
I'm not sure what to say about this one. First the good: it has all of what I was ...
I'm not sure what to say about this one. First the good: it has all of what I was looking for: small size, attractive and simple interface, FM radio, good sound. The sound, in fact, is great. Clear and good bass with good headphones.
The size is perfect. I had a Creative Zen Nano for a couple of years and was very happy with it. It was even smaller, had a replaceable battery, supported the dead-simple UMS interface for transferring music, but the interface was hard to use because of the one line screen. This one is full color and has a simple menu system you navigate with the little joystick and a couple of buttons.
The Zen V Plus is small in an age where the top players are getting irritatingly bigger to accommodate video. This player will do videos, but it's not big enough to do them very well. That is fine by me -- I wanted a music player, not a video player.
I mainly use it for audiobooks. Native Audible support is excellent, with a graphical display of bookmarks and even a picture of the book cover.
The FM radio is adequate. I haven't tested voice recording yet.
Which brings me to the biggest problem with this player. The designers made two terrible decisions: first, instead of using UMS to connect, they went with Microsoft's MTP. Second, the player won't charge unless it recognizes what it's connected to.
Issue #1 means that you need certain software to transfer music, like Windows Media Player 10+ or Creative Mediasource. I hate this.
Issue #2 means you can't charge your device unless you plug it into a PC that meets Issue #1. This means you can't use just any PC to charge your device, and you can't use standard USB wall chargers either -- you need to buy one from Creative. (Hmm.)
I couldn't get the damned thing to charge on my laptop nor my USB wall charger. It flickered to life and died. This is really aggravating (and misleading). I tried another PC and it charged. Ok, I thought, something wrong with the other PC. The next night, I left it on my USB wall charger and it actually started playing then went flat overnight. What the heck? Driver issue? I check Creative's site which insists over and over you don't need special drivers. None are, in fact, available.
I was about to take it back when I found a post from a helpful chap named Doug who explained what was going on (the above 2 issues). I found I had WMP 10 on the other PC but only WMP 9 on the laptop.
Doug also posted a partial workaround. It means sacrificing 128MB of storage to create a small UMS device. You can google for it with "creative zen v plus charging problem".
I get maybe 10 hours of battery, no video, and it takes several hours to charge over USB even once you fix the issues above. Apparently it charges faster on Creative's wall charger (again, hmm). The front bezel scratches easily, need to keep it protected.
I have read about people having lockup problems that take a reset or worse to fix, but I haven't encountered any so far after 2 weeks. I am using the latest firmware. Lots of people are having charging problems (see above).
1 out of 10 - Abysmal Do not buy for audiobooks
Unbelievable that cnet would have recommended this unit for audiobooks. I don't listen to music on the unit so ...
Unbelievable that cnet would have recommended this unit for audiobooks. I don't listen to music on the unit so I don't know how it functions for that medium. However, based upon my experience with this unit and a Zen Stone Plus, I would suggest that you do not waste your money.
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by tlhughes2 (see profile) -
December 8, 2007
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Creative Hits another Homerun!
This little device ia great for me. I am a Regional Service Manager for an Audio/Video company so I ...
This little device ia great for me. I am a Regional Service Manager for an Audio/Video company so I am on the road alot. It also lets' me show my clients that we can take our video and put it on a Personal Video Device.
This is my 3rd Creative MP3 player. That does not mean they all keep breaking due to design or manufacturing. I bought this to replace my 40Gb Zen Touch which was a hand-me-down (To replace an Ipod which I hated due to Itunes) from a friend. After numerous construction site mishaps the Zen touch finally lost the survival battle. I also own a Zen Micro 4Gb which I love but am sharing with my wife at the moment (She let's me use it).
The following are my observations after a week with this little guy:
1 - Smart fill feature on the software (It radomly picks songs from your computers mp3 library and imports to the device). Love it - This way I can surprise myself when I listen to it lol.
2 - The Fm radio works great.
3 - Video playback looks good.
4 - Sound as always for Creative, better (& Louder this time) than any other I have listened to.
5 - You can delete tracks on the fly.
6 - You can look at your pics while listening to the music (and set one as your wall paper).
Final verdict - Better sound & software than Ipod Nano. Plays videos & stores pics of my family! Great product would recommend to anyone looking for a flash mp3 player that Rocks!
Tip - Purchase the Speck Tough cover, includes a screen protector and give a more rugged feel to it.
8 out of 10 - Excellent Very cute, compact player! More Features than the ipod Nano
Definitely more features than it's competitor the ipod nano... if your a windoes media player fan (like me) it'...
Definitely more features than it's competitor the ipod nano... if your a windoes media player fan (like me) it's a great buy!
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by Krissa3 (see profile) -
October 10, 2006
8 out of 10 - Excellent this is a very good product, although.....
this is a very good product although you can watch videos and every thing mine froze while i was turning ...
this is a very good product although you can watch videos and every thing mine froze while i was turning it off and the mp3 is still on now. i have no idea how to shut it off even if you plug it into the computer it says the player is not conneted. so when you are turning it off don't leave it for its self to turn off after you held the button it'll freeze like mine!!
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by azn_blue828 (see profile) -
February 10, 2007
Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc. Specs: Digital player / radio, 1 GB, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, Protected WMA (DRM 9), Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc. Specs: Digital player / radio, 2 GB, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, Protected WMA (DRM 9), Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc. Specs: Digital player / radio, 2 GB, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, Protected WMA (DRM 9), Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc. Specs: Digital player / radio, 4 GB, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, Protected WMA (DRM 9), Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
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