Jasmine France,
Senior Associate Editor
September 17, 2008
No doubt about it: the Apple iPod Nano is an excellent MP3 player. It's ultraslim, generally easy to use, and has a high-quality feel and appealing extras, such as a tilt sensor and a smart-playlist feature called Genius. However, like all MP3 players, it's not perfect. Sound quality isn't great, there's still no user-definable EQ, and adding voice recording and an FM tuner requires that you drop more of your hard-earned cash. Luckily, if you're not convinced you want to hop on the Nano bandwagon, there's a handful of worthy alternatives, and most of those listed below beat out the Nano in audio fidelity. Of course, the important thing is selecting the best MP3 player for your needs. If the Nano doesn't suit them, then one of these players should certainly do the trick.
To compare the selections more thoroughly to the iPod Nano, head over to the Crave blog for more details on each player.
| Product name | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $172.99 to $177.95 | $65.99 to $92.99 | $124.99 to $179.00 | $64.97 to $99.99 | $89.99 to $130.28 | $149.95 to $199.95 |
| CNET editors' rating |
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| Average user rating | ||||||
| Review date | February 27, 2007 | August 06, 2008 | November 12, 2007 | September 12, 2008 | March 12, 2008 | April 11, 2008 |
| The Bottom Line | If you can get on board with the Cowon D2's PDA-like touch screen interface, the reward is great-sounding audio, a smorgasbord of features, and a fantastic battery life. | 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. | The 4GB and 8GB capacity Zunes (Zune 4 and Zune 8) offer a bite-size version of their full-size, 80GB sibling. While the full-size Zune is a better value, the solid-state flash memory used in the 4GB and 8GB versions make them better suited for physically active (or clumsy) users. | The Samsung S3 Slim MP3 player is a solid option for budget-minded users with an eye for design and an ear for audio. | The SanDisk Sansa Fuze is a great value--a slim design, simple interface, plentiful features, memory expansion capability, and solid sound quality all come with an easy-to-swallow price tag. | 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. |
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| Features | ||||||
| Battery technology |
Lithium polymer |
Lithium ion |
Lithium ion |
Lithium polymer |
Info unavailable | Info unavailable |
| Digital player (recorder) |
WMA FLAC WAV Ogg Vorbis MPEG 1 Audio MPEG 2.5 Audio MPEG 2 Audio MP3 |
WMA WAV ADPCM Audible MP3 |
WMA MP3 AAC |
WMA MP3 |
WMA FLAC WAV Ogg Vorbis MP3 Audible |
WMA Protected WMA (DRM) PCM MP3 AAC |
| Software type |
Cowon jetAudio VX Cowon jetShell |
Drivers & Utilities Creative Centrale AudibleManager |
Info unavailable |
Drivers & Utilities Samsung Music Studio |
Microsoft Windows Media Player 10 Drivers & Utilities Microsoft Windows Media Player 11 |
Drivers & Utilities |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) |
3.1 in x 0.7 in x 2.2 in |
1.6 in x 0.5 in x 3.1 in |
1.6 in x 3.6 in x 0.4 in |
1.7 in x 0.4 in x 3.7 in |
1.9 in x 0.3 in x 3.1 in |
Info unavailable |
| Color |
Black |
Black |
Green |
Green |
Silver |
Black |
| PC interface(s) supported |
Hi-Speed USB |
Hi-Speed USB |
Hi-Speed USB Wi-Fi |
USB |
Hi-Speed USB |
Hi-Speed USB |
| Mfr estimated battery life |
52 hour(s) |
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