- log in
- join CNET
- welcome,
- my profile
- log out

Creative Zen V Plus (2GB, white)

Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc. Part number: 70PF207100H81

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Video Compare with most popular

$249.99 at 2 online stores

CNET Editor rating:
4.0 stars Excellent
Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 11 reviews

Jun 2006

More product information:: Editors' review; User reviews; Specifications; Product series; Manufacturer info

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), look elsewhere.
Read more

Where to buy

store customer rating inventory tax & shipping price

store	customer rating	inventory	tax & shipping	price
	Rate this store See store profile	See Site	Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price	$249.99 Shop now as of 11/22/2008
Amazon.com Marketplace	Rate this store See store profile	See Site	$249.99 Shop now as of 11/21/2008

Rate this store
See store profile

See Site

Enter zip code to get total price:

Price

+Tax

+Shipping

=Total price

$249.99

Shop now

as of 11/22/2008

Amazon.com Marketplace

Rate this store
See store profile

See Site

$249.99

Shop now

as of 11/21/2008

*Total price for the Creative Zen V Plus (2GB, white) are estimated and may vary slightly based on exact tax, shipping, manufacturer rebate or any sale/promotion on the merchant site.

show

CNET editors' review

Creative Zen V Plus (2GB, white)

price range: $249.99

Reviewed by: Jasmine France
Edited by: James Kim
Reviewed on: 06/20/2006
Updated on:08/20/2007

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), look elsewhere.

Read full review

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.

See pricing

show

User reviews

Write Review

Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 11 reviews
My rating: 0 stars

Showing opinion 1 to 10 out of 11

Sort by:
9 stars

Great Little MP3 Player.

by sjohns2 on July 21, 2006

Pros: Small and Lightweight, Great Menu Options, Easy Software

Cons: No removeable battery. Needs to come with case to clip on belt or strap.

Summary: I've had the Zen V 2gb for a few days now and really love the player. It is much smaller than the picture makes you think and very light ...

Read more

Summary: I've had the Zen V 2gb for a few days now and really love the player. It is much smaller than the picture makes you think and very light weight. I would rate this player a 10 if it came with a belt clip or case with an arm strap. Also, I really wish the battery was removeable. Overall, great MP3 player and well worth the money spent for all the options.

Show less

8 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 stars

One feature-packed mp3 player

by bobcat18 on March 9, 2007

Pros: bright, clear and crisp OLED screen, battery life, fm tuner, voice recorder, line in recording, video, mp3, wma playback, superb sound quality, organizer features, scratch resistant, cute design

Cons: joystick is too small and sometimes frustrating to press

Summary: this cute little mp3 player has plenty of features to adore. the line-in recording was clear and crisp. the sound quality is superb though i recommend replacing the earphones that ...

Read more

Summary: this cute little mp3 player has plenty of features to adore. the line-in recording was clear and crisp. the sound quality is superb though i recommend replacing the earphones that came with it cause there's little bass. i like the screen, very clear, very bright but it's hard to see it in direct sunlight. watching video on this was fine but not advisable cause it will give u eye strain if you watched for too long but it is a nice added feature. fm tuner had little static but you can hardly hear it, 32 presets. the battery life was also superb, it lasted about a week before i had to recharge it (moderate use). nice bundled software. i didn't like the joystick though cause it's really small and frustrating to press over and over again but other than that, this a great product, if you want something that's small, feature packed, affordable then this is the right player for you. would recommend going for the 4 or 8 gb.

Show less

4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
5 stars

Amazing, but the screen died within four months

by antsrcute123 on September 18, 2007

Pros: Small, easy to hold, good picture quality, bright screen

Cons: there were no cons until the screen stopped working

Summary: when i got this player it was amazing. i was very excited about recieving it. This was my second zen device and i was happy to get a new one ...

Read more

Summary: when i got this player it was amazing. i was very excited about recieving it. This was my second zen device and i was happy to get a new one after my micro broke after three years. I couldnt have been happier with it but after about four months of owning it, the screen broke.. i;m thinking abotu getting a new nano, ipods seem more reliable

Show less

2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
6 stars

Okay device; has nice sound controls.

by ironray on December 26, 2006

Pros: Equalizer is nice.

Cons: Software can only be used with Windows XP!!!!!!! You can get it to work with W2000 but Creative does not support this.

Summary: My wife bought this for me for Christmas not knowing about the Windows XP limitation. The software from Creative will only work on W XP. If you have any other ...

Read more

Summary: My wife bought this for me for Christmas not knowing about the Windows XP limitation. The software from Creative will only work on W XP. If you have any other operating system you can get it to work if you are fairly computer savvy and know who to look for help. Ohterwise leave it alone if you don't W XP SP 2 or better.

It takes three steps to load an album. If Creative made it's software compatible with W2000 it would probably be easier. But, I will never know.

Show less

1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
4 stars

GREAT--UNTIL THE SCREEN DIED

by MOM OF 4 on August 2, 2008

Pros: SMALL, DURABLE, EASY ENOUGH TO USE

Cons: DEAD SCREEN AFTER FIVE MONTHS

Summary: WE PURCHASED THE ZEN V PLUS FOR OUR DAUGHTER AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT. IT WAS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THE OTHER BRANDS AND OFFERED THE SAME FEATURES. AT FIRST IT WAS ...

Read more

Summary: WE PURCHASED THE ZEN V PLUS FOR OUR DAUGHTER AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT. IT WAS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THE OTHER BRANDS AND OFFERED THE SAME FEATURES. AT FIRST IT WAS GREAT. WE LEARNED HOW TO OPERATE IT EASILY AND OUR DAUGHTER LOVED IT. HOWEVER IT DOES ADVERTISE A CAPACITY TO HOLD X-AMOUNT OF SONGS. I DO REALIZE THAT ESTIMATE CAN VARY, BUT IT BARELY HELD HALF OF WHAT WE EXPECTED. BUT HEY, IT STILL WORKED GREAT-- UNTIL THE SCREEN DIED. THE UNIT STILL COMES ON, BUT OUR DAUGHTER CANNOT MAKE ANY CHOICES ABOUT HER PREFERENCES WHEN IT IS ON BECAUSE SHE CANNOT SEE THE SCREEN. SHE SPECIFICALLY WANTED AN MP3 WITH A USER SCREEN. SO MUCH FOR THAT.

Show less
5 stars

small and cute but dies after constant use and adding of songs onto it

by x-magda-x on June 5, 2008

Pros: pretty and small, good audio

Cons: died after constant use

Summary: i bought this mp3 player for my daughter
and she didnt use it for a year
but she started using it lately and two days a go it died
do

...

Read more

Summary: i bought this mp3 player for my daughter
and she didnt use it for a year
but she started using it lately and two days a go it died
do not know the reason so bought her an ipod classic 160gb
waitign for it to arrive

Show less
1 stars

Creative Zen V Plus

by fem65 on March 1, 2008

Pros: Small; carrying pouch

Cons: Freezes 3-4 times per session

Summary: I replaced my Creative Muvo (256MB) because I wanted ability to download and entire book at once.

I just got my Zen V Plus a month ago and have had

...

Read more

Summary: I replaced my Creative Muvo (256MB) because I wanted ability to download and entire book at once.

I just got my Zen V Plus a month ago and have had trouble with it from day one. Freezes constantly and has to be reset.

Tech Support no help. I already performed what they suggested on my own. Updated firmware. None of this helped. Got on Creative forum and tons of people have freezing with all models.

Compared to the little Muvo in two words It Stinks.

Show less
9 stars

a great small mp3 player

by luffy77 on February 9, 2008

Pros: has video, great audio, in line recording,great equalizer,fm radio,and appealing colors

Cons: fragile feeling controls
4 stars

No true playlist support!!! Frustrated and returning.

by eriqc on November 2, 2007

Pros: Good build and audio quality.

Cons: No WMP Playlist support. Can only create playlist from device itself!

Summary: The main reason I purchased the Zen V Plus was to have a simple audio player only when exersising/working out. So it wasn't serious enough for me to ...

Read more

Summary: The main reason I purchased the Zen V Plus was to have a simple audio player only when exersising/working out. So it wasn't serious enough for me to purchase a full blown iPod or Zune.

At first I thought everything about it was great. I copied my playlist from Windows Media Player 11 to the Zen, expecing to be able to listen to the songs in the ORDER I placed them. Unfortunately, this device doesn't support actual Windows Media Playlists, so my songs were completely unorganized once on the device.

This was a deal breaker. For the $150 price I'm better off just paying extra $50 and buying a 20GB Zune with full audio/video and playlist support. I'm returning today!

Show less
6 stars

Help???????

by JaniacBrainiac on October 9, 2007

Pros: Help???????????

Cons: Help??????????????

Summary: Can someone please tell me if you are able to create playlists on this device? Its the one drawback I have in purchasing this device.

Summary: Can someone please tell me if you are able to create playlists on this device? Its the one drawback I have in purchasing this device.

Showing opinion 1 to 10 out of 11

See pricing

show

Specifications

Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc.
Part number: 70PF207100H81
Description: A seamless integration of design and functionality. Your music and your life now fit perfectly in the ZEN V Plus. Enjoy a full suite of entertainment in a petite design - loads of music, full color photos, FM radio and view short video clips.

General
Width 1.7 in
Depth 0.6 in
Product type Digital player / radio
Height 2.7 in
PC interface(s) supported Hi-Speed USB
Weight 1.6 oz
Color Green
Digital player signal-to-noise ratio 92 dB
Digital Player total harmonic distortion 0.05 %
Available body colors White, Black
Flash memory installed 2 GB Integrated
Dimensions (W x D x H) 1.7 in x 0.6 in x 2.7 in
Voice recording capable Yes
Included accessories Lanyard
Packaged quantity 1
Software type Creative ZENcast Organizer, Creative Media Explorer, Creative MediaSource
Radio
Tuner type Digital Radio tuner
Station preset qty 32
Tuner bands FM
Digital Player / Recorder
Digital player supported digital audio standards WMA, WAV, ADPCM, Protected WMA (DRM 9), Audible, MP3
Digital player response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
Digital player playback modes Playlist, All tracks repeat, One track repeat, Random play / shuffle, Repeat shuffle
Digital player edit functions Erase
Digital player supported bit rate 320 Kbps
Carrying Case
Case type Pouch
Video Playback Features
Still image format JPEG
Battery
Required Qty 1
Rechargeable Battery Rechargeable
Battery Enclosure Type Integrated
Technology Lithium ion
Battery Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Mfr estimated battery life 15 hour(s)
Battery Life Details Digital playback Lithium ion 15 hour(s)
Audio System
Sound output mode Stereo
Additional features Voice recording, Calendar, Built-in organizer, Microsoft Outlook synchronization, Upgradeable firmware
Cable(s) / Peripheral(s)
Cable(s) included Audio cable -, 1 x External, 1 x USB cable -
System Requirements
Peripheral / Interface devices USB port
Min Operating system Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Microsoft Windows XP SP1 or later
Min hard drive space 170 MB
Min processor type Intel Pentium III, AMD Duron
Min processor speed 1 GHz
Min RAM size 256 MB

Connections
Connector type 1 x Headphones Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, 1 x USB Mini-USB Type B, 1 x Audio line-in Sub-mini phone stereo 2.5 mm
Built-in Display
Audio system built-in display OLED
Diagonal size 1.5 in
Resolution 128 x 128
Backlight display Yes
Features Adjustable contrast
Manufacturer Warranty
Service & Support 1 year warranty
Audio Features
Timer Snooze, Sleep
Built-in clock Alarm, Digital clock, Timer
CD System
Playback modes Program play
Digital audio standards supported WMA, ADPCM, MP3, WMA DRM
Equalizer
Equalizer type Built-in
Equalizer factory preset qty 8
Equalizer factory presets Vocal, Classic, Disco, NewAge, Rock, Jazz, Acoustical, Pop
Microphone
Microphone type Built-in
Microphone operation mode Mono
Headphones
Headphones type Binaural
Sound output mode Stereo
Connectivity technology Wired

See pricing

show

Product series

Creative Zen V Plus (1GB, black)

Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc.

Specs: Digital player / radio, 1 GB, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, Protected WMA (DRM 9), Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Creative Zen V Plus (1GB, white)

Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc.

Specs: 1 x Lithium ion Rechargeable Internal
Creative Zen V Plus (2GB, black)

$66.78 - $73.97

Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc.

Specs: Digital player / radio, 2 GB, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, Protected WMA (DRM 9), Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Creative Zen V Plus (2GB, white)

$249.99

Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc.

Specs: Digital player / radio, 2 GB, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, Protected WMA (DRM 9), Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Creative Zen V Plus (4GB, black)

$299.99

Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc.

Specs: Digital player / radio, 4 GB, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, Protected WMA (DRM 9), Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Creative Zen V Plus (2GB, pink)

Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc.

Specs: Digital player / radio, 2 GB, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, Protected WMA (DRM 9), Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Creative Zen V Plus (8GB, black)

Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc.

Specs: Digital player / radio, 8 GB, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, Protected WMA (DRM 9), 1 x Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Creative Zen V Plus (8GB, black)

Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc.

Specs: Digital player / radio, 8 GB, MP3, PCM, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, Protected WMA (DRM 9), 1 x Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Creative Zen V Plus (16GB, black)

Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc.

Specs: Digital player / radio, 16 GB, MP3, PCM, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, Protected WMA (DRM 9), 1 x Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated