(Nov 19, 2009)
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 8GB (or about 130 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 32GB Zune HD.
Apple iPod Touch (second generation, 8GB)
The second-generation iPod Touch includes features that are light-years ahead of the competition, its design has improved, and its price has finally come down to earth.
Price: $169.99 - $224.95 (check prices)
Review date: Sep 11, 2008
Outstanding
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Apple iPod Nano (fourth generation, 16GB, silver)
The fourth-generation iPod Nano is easy on the eyes and the wallet, and you can't beat its hardware and user interface design. Just be sure to give iTunes 8 a spin before committing.
Price: $199.99 - $212.43 (check prices)
Review date: Sep 10, 2008
Excellent
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Zune HD (32GB - platinum)
The Zune HD delivers one of the best portable music and video experiences money can buy. At a time when many people have shifted their focus to games and applications, providing a killer media experience may not be enough for potential Zune buyers.
Price: $289.00 - $289.99 (check prices)
Review date: Sep 18, 2009
Excellent
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Sony X-Series Walkman (16GB)
The X-Series is a superb choice for audiophiles who want a luxury device with an excellent touch-screen interface and plenty of other bells and whistles.
Price: $264.59 - $399.95 (check prices)
Review date: Jul 7, 2009
Excellent
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Samsung P3 (16GB, black)
The Samsung P3 is an excellent multimedia device that packs a grand amount of features into an impressively compact package with one of the best screens available. Plus, it sounds superb, making this a top contender for audio enthusiasts.
Price: $199.00 - $199.99 (check prices)
Review date: Apr 7, 2009
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: $299.99 (check prices)
Review date: Sep 14, 2007
Excellent
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Creative Zen Mozaic (8GB, black)
The Creative Zen Mozaic offers great bang for your buck as far as MP3 players go: get super sound quality, a boatload of features, and a cool interface--all wrapped in a funky design at an ultralow price.
Price: Sorry, pricing not available
Review date: Aug 6, 2008
Very good
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