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

Creative Zen X-Fi (16GB)

Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc. Part number: 70PF2391001F1

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Video Compare with most popular

$179.95 - $199.99 at 4 online stores

CNET Editor rating:
3.5 stars Very good
Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 17 reviews

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

Bottom Line:: The Creative Zen X-Fi's plastic design leaves a little to be desired, but that doesn't detract from the fact that the player is an incredible value overall: for an extremely competitive price you get a boatload of features and great sound quality.
Read more

Where to buy

store	customer rating	inventory	tax & shipping	price
	Rate this store See store profile	In stock	Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price	$199.99 Shop now as of 11/22/2008
Your Trusted Source since 1983	Rate this store See store profile	In stock Great Accessory Prices		$179.95 Shop now as of 11/22/2008
TheNerds.net	Rate this store See store profile	In stock		$198.99 Shop now as of 11/22/2008
Costcentral.com	Rate this store See store profile	In stock		$199.83 Shop now as of 11/22/2008

*Total price for the Creative Zen X-Fi (16GB) 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 X-Fi (16GB)

price range: $179.95 - $199.99

Reviewed by: Jasmine France
Reviewed on: 08/08/2008
Updated on:10/14/2008

The good: The Creative Zen X-Fi is an incredible value given its low price and laundry list of features, which include photo, video, Audible, and subscription music support; an FM radio and voice recorder; an SD card expansion slot; WiFi capability; multiple EQ settings; X-Fi sound enhancement technology; and upgraded EP-830 earphones. Sound quality is top-notch, the screen is lovely, and the rated battery life for audio is impressive.

The bad: The Creative Zen X-Fi plastic construction does not feel high-quality, and the SD card content does not get integrated into the general libraries. Videos often need to be transcoded through the included software, and the button pad can be confusing at first. Audio battery life is dismal.

The bottom line: The Creative Zen X-Fi's plastic design leaves a little to be desired, but that doesn't detract from the fact that the player is an incredible value overall: for an extremely competitive price you get a boatload of features and great sound quality.

Read full review

Photo gallery:
Creative Zen X-Fi

Editors' note: Our Creative Zen X-Fi test unit suffered from a cosmetic flaw where the bottom edge face plate warped up and away from the body of the player. This causes some concern for construction and durability, but the issue has not been reported to be present on other units and so will not affect the score of the review at this time. Once we receive a replacement, we will update this review accordingly. The rating for this product has been lowered from 7.7 to 7.5 as a result of its subpar battery life during testing.

Creative's Zen line of MP3 players is possibly one of the most extensive we've seen, especially if we take the company's Asia-specific devices into account. And Creative shows no signs of deviating from its plan to offer feature-packed players at impressively low price points. Evidence of this is apparent in the Zen X-Fi, a compact multimedia machine that's the first portable device to integrate Creative's X-Fi technology. The 16GB and 32GB versions are also the first Zens to pack in Wi-Fi capability, and without skimping on the usual array of features we've come to expect. Add to that top-notch sound quality and ultracompetitive pricing--$149, $199, and $279 for the 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB models, respectively--and you've got one of the best values available on the market today.

Style and design
The Creative Zen X-Fi isn't the coolest-looking player we've seen--if anything, it has pretty standard looks--but the understated black face, chrome-colored accenting, and brushed silver backside is sleek and inoffensive, which should give it mass appeal. More of a problem is the fact that the construction has a slightly cheap, unfinished feel, mostly because of the fact that it is encased entirely in plastic rather than metal. (However, we give a little leeway here, as metal may have caused issues with the wireless.) The four function buttons--back, contextual menu, shortcut, and play/pause--have sharp edges, which help with blind navigation but also lend to the unfinished feel, as does the fact that they are not backlit.

In between the function buttons, Creative has included a nine-digit keypad. At first, the inclusion of so many keys seems a bit confusing, but once you learn to ignore the outer four corners, you have a simple four-way directional pad with a center select button. The extras are an effort to make the Zen X-Fi adaptable to future applications. Sadly, dedicated volume is not part of the setup. The edges of the player feature a speaker on bottom, a standard mini USB port and 3.5mm headphone jack on the right, and a pinhole mic and SD card slot on the top. The power/hold switch is located on the backside of the player; kind of an odd placement, but not a big deal.

Setup and interface
Getting content onto the Zen X-Fi is a mostly simple task (except when it comes to video). If you're already running Windows Media Player or Rhapsody, you don't even need to install any software to start syncing content to the player--in fact, you can even use drag-and-drop if you prefer. However, the included Creative Centrale software is a worthwhile install if you're going to be putting a lot of video on the player--it can be finicky about format, size, and frame rate. ZenCast--a program that offers a one-stop spot for subscribing to, organizing, and transferring podcasts--is not included on the disc but can be downloaded. It would have been nice if Creative had folded this into Centrale to offer a more seamless experience. We'd also love to have seen Mac support; unfortunately, the X-Fi uses MTP, so you won't be able to sync it with any machines that aren't running Windows XP or Vista.

Once you pack the player with media, you can take advantage of the Zen X-Fi's fantastic onscreen interface. As per usual, Creative includes various themes for interface customization, and you can set any image on the player as wallpaper. All menus are straightforward, and you have the option to customize menu selections to your liking. 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 5x4 thumbnail grid of your pictures. The photo-viewing experience is great: the thumbnails magnify as you scroll through them, and once you select a photo, you are given various options including zoom and rotate. Naturally, you can view photos and slide shows while listening to music. There's even a nifty, semi-split-screen deal on the main menu that cycles through album art, photos, or video image clips, depending on which media type you are browsing.

Feature-packed and fanciful
The Creative Zen X-Fi offers a stunning array of features, especially given the price, so it's easiest to start with what it doesn't offer. There's no line-in recording for audio or video (we especially would like the latter), and you don't get Bluetooth, either. The sampling platter does include support for MP3, AAC, WAV, WMA (including subscription), and Audible audio; AVI, MPEG4, and WMV video (transcoding often required); and JPEG photos. There's also a built-in mic for voice recording and an FM radio with autoscan and 32 preset slots. And Creative includes basic PIM functionality: you can sync contacts, tasks, and calendar info from Outlook to the device. Plus, you get the usual shuffle and repeat playback modes, handy contextual menus, and the ability to search for artists and songs as well as rate songs on the fly and set up to 10 bookmarks. Nine preset EQs, a five-band, user-definable mode, and a bass-boost function ensure that you can adjust sound to your liking. There's even a built-in speaker for music sharing.

In addition, Creative includes an SD card expansion slot for adding more memory, although as with the Zen before it, this feature is crippled somewhat by the fact that content on the SD card is not integrated into your main library. Rather, you access it through a separate menu (no doubt, this will be an issue for some but not for others). Unique to this player is the inclusion of Creative's X-Fi technology, specifically the Crystalizer, which restores sound elements (on the high and low ends) lost during file compression, and Expand, which widens the sound and attempts to bring it out of your head. The 16GB and 32GB models also incorporates 802.11b/g wireless functionality, which lets you stream music from a media server of your choosing from anywhere that you can get on Wi-Fi. This feature also allows users to chat with other users, although we had trouble setting up a profile through the site (you can log on as a guest without doing so). For chatting purposes, the X-Fi includes an app for creating an avatar on the device.

Syncing and sound quality
We put the Zen X-Fi through its performance paces and were not disappointed. The only real glitch was when we tried to drag-and-drop a couple videos that we hadn't transcoded and synced through Centrale. One wouldn't play back on the device. We were able to get onto wireless quickly and easily and access Creative's test media server for on-the-go access to a plethora of content. (We're still working on setting up our own media server--keep an eye out for a separate feature addressing this experience). Chatting works fine, though we can't see using this feature much. X-Fi is really a matter of preference, especially since the Zen sounds excellent on its own. For certain songs, such as the Bangles' "Hazy Shade of Winter," the Crystalizer offered noticeable improvement. Other tracks, such as Akon's "Smack That," sounded way too bright with this feature engaged. We also weren't particular fans of the Expand option, but this is highly subjective.

The Zen X-Fi's screen is lovely. Photos look vibrant and bright, with excellent color saturation and good detail. Videos are similarly impressive--clear and bright with no noticeable pixelation (though we did notice the occasional blurring around some sharp edges)--and the viewing angle from side to side is excellent. Creative includes a set of EP-830 earphones (a $50 value) with the Zen X-Fi, and they are certainly an improvement over standard stock 'buds in both sound and fit. However, they tend to sound muddy when the X-Fi is not engaged--we preferred to use our Shure SE310s. Music sounds rich, clear, detailed, and just thumping enough through these test 'buds. The rated battery life of 36 hours for audio is impressive, and the 5-hour score for video ain't half bad, either; unfortunately, CNET Labs fell way short of the audio rating, squeezing out only 11.11 hours of music--a dismal number indeed. On the plus side, video came in at a reasonable 5.5 hours.

See pricing

show

User reviews

Write Review

Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 17 reviews
My rating: 0 stars

Showing opinion 1 to 10 out of 17

Sort by:
9 stars

Solid audio/video player with minor details to fix

by javoec.tfp on August 29, 2008

Pros: - Ideal screen size and colors
- Speaker
- FM Radio
- Microphone (recorder)
- SD Slot (up to 16 GB SDHC card)
- WiFi for MSN/Yahoo Chat and Media content
- X-Fi: Enhance low quality music
- High quality in-ear earphones
- Great value for the Price!

Cons: - No button backlight
- Fingerprint magnet screen
- Creative Centrale. Not a great software for video (AllToAVI is a good free alternative)
- No wall adapter included
- No pouch (or skin) included
- 2 inches USB cable (useful if you have a laptop)

Summary: I bought the 16GB model from about a month, and this is my experience so far.

Videos: You've to convert them up to 320x240 pixels (MPEG, DivX, XviD or ...

Read more

Summary: I bought the 16GB model from about a month, and this is my experience so far.

Videos: You've to convert them up to 320x240 pixels (MPEG, DivX, XviD or WMV). I use AllToAVI (it's free) to convert the videos (Creative Centrale doesn't work very well).

Music: Low quality music (128 kbps or less) inproves a lot with the X-Fi feature, but higher quality songs sounds kinda strident (so you can turn the X-Fi off if that's the case). The speaker and earphones volume is very good.

Earphones: The in-ear earphones have 3 different sizes, I use the smaller ones. Sound nice and don't cause discomfort like normal earphones.

Photos: Work nicely. It could be improved adding more flexible rotation. You can rate photos.

SD Slot: The SD slot is great (although not integrated to the main libary) and you can transfer your JPG photos from your camera to the player if you have to.

WiFi: Chat for MSN/Yahoo. Writing text is kinda slow but not impossible (it should have a feature to add common phrases in order to save time writing). You can use TVersity to stream video (of any size) from your computer (Google it for more info)

Radio: Works well with strong FM radios and with the earphones (antenna) pluged in. You can set names to radio stations.

Voice Recorder: It works well with interviews for example. If you want to record distant sounds, the ambient sounds can interfere.

Battery Life: With music only, the battery last a lot.. I've not measured the time (X-Fi reduces the duration). I've not tested watching a whole movie, but the WiFi (chating) drains the battery some more than watching videos (I noticed that one time I chatted near one hour with the device).

Is a nice little player in my opinion. Has a lot of features for a great price, music and videos sound and look great. The WiFi could be improved for the chat (a browser could be added but only for WAP in my opinion). The buttons are kinda hard to press but later you can handle it (maybe a problem for thick fingers?). The back of the player is of a kinda weird and slippery plastic.

In other thoughts, I have an older Zen Micro (5GB, B&W Screen).. and I still prefer that touchpad to control the interface. Is great to have the wall adapter of that player that also works with the ZEN X-Fi, and also the pouch. I recommend to buy the silicon case (it should be a included in the original package!) and the screen protector to avoid fingerprints and scratches over the screen and buttons.

Show less

3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 stars

Face plate sticks out; but otherwise awesome

by lavacow on August 12, 2008

Pros: Superb sound quality, great set of features, quality earbuds, attractive design, beautiful screen, lightweight, wi-fi.

Cons: The bottom of the faceplate is warped upward; plastic feels cheap. Creative Centrale is annoying.

Summary: The value on this little thing is amazing. I recently purchased a NWZ-A829 16GB Sony Walkman and ended up returning it as soon as I found out the X-Fi was ...

Read more

Summary: The value on this little thing is amazing. I recently purchased a NWZ-A829 16GB Sony Walkman and ended up returning it as soon as I found out the X-Fi was coming out. I can tell you I've got no regrets so far.

I returned a 16GB GOOD player for the money to buy a 32GB SPECTACULAR player with cash to spare. The sound quality is even better than the walkman's, which is really saying something. The screen is larger and has more picture viewing options which is a bonus. The set of features that comes with the X-Fi just completely knocks out the Walkman on this one too.

The X-Fi gives a noticeable boost in quality, and doesn't output a sound as 'processed' as I find in other players. The X-Fi comes with a nice pair of earbuds to boot.

The video playback is fantastic - the downside is getting it on there. It takes hours for a single movie to convert, and then some to actually be transferred onto the player. However, in the end it's worth it.

Adding pictures to the X-Fi is easy and turns out great with many slideshow and viewing options to choose from. One thing I really love is the ability to zoom in for when I'm looking at comics.

The Wi-Fi function is actually what had me sold. While typing in the chat function is really a pain and tedious for me, it's no different than texting on a cellphone. In fact, the onscreen visual makes it a lot easier - but is still slow. All in all, it does what it's supposed to and works well. I'm a person who can put this feature to good use.

The FM radio, microphone, calendar and anything else I missed are just the icing on the cake. I wont use them a whole lot, but it's nice to have them.

A few days ago I did notice that the bottom of the faceplate was being pushed up a little. It's hard to explain and isn't really anything big, but I'm fairly certain it is the same issue the CNET editors had with their X-Fi. It's an imperfection, and does make me wonder about the quality of build, but so far it's caused no problems other than obsessive annoyance. I do miss the cool, solid metal feel of the walkman and the easy file transfer.

But overall, the Zen X-Fi is a great value for what you get. I would highly recommend it if you're looking for a great set of features along with remarkable sound quality. They've really made this one to sell.

Show less

3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 stars

If full CD quality sound is what you are searching for, the Zen X-Fi is your final destination!

by hififan76 on July 23, 2008

Pros: Outstanding sound reproduction, easy access to SD card data, great screen for picture and video viewing, intuitive controls, nice headphones, great battery life, wide file compatibility

Cons: Limited options for protective cover. That's it.

Summary: I have owned two iPods and this is my third Zen. I need to qualify my opinion up front. I am totally about sound quality. The video capabilities are a ...

Read more

Summary: I have owned two iPods and this is my third Zen. I need to qualify my opinion up front. I am totally about sound quality. The video capabilities are a distant second and Creative has always been superior to ANY MP3 player I have sampled.
I had the 16GB Zen and have thoroughly enjoyed for the last 10 months, but when I saw the new Zen would include X-Fi I had to get it. My son has an X-Fi enhancer for his stereo and I was impressed with its performance. The X-Fi processor in a portable device is Nirvana.

This device get the most phenomenol sound at lower levels. I could not believe the diffence. If you are into compatibility with every audio file out there and want tremendous sound reproduction, the Zen X-Fi is for you....I sure know it is for me.

Show less

3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 stars

ipod nano 4th or zen x-fi?

by gycafesor on October 10, 2008

Pros: iPod nano 4th vs Creative Zen X-Fi, which mp3 player better?

Cons: iPod nano 4th vs Creative Zen X-Fi, which mp3 player better?

Summary: Quickly look: iPod nano 4th vs Creative Zen X-Fi

iPod nano 4th

1.Size:90.7 mm x 38.7 mm x 6.2 mm

2.Weight: 1.3 ounces (...

Read more

Summary: Quickly look: iPod nano 4th vs Creative Zen X-Fi

iPod nano 4th

1.Size:90.7 mm x 38.7 mm x 6.2 mm

2.Weight: 1.3 ounces (36.8 grams)

3.Capacities: 8GB - $149 or 16GB - $199 flash drive2

4.Screen: 2? (diagonal), 320x240-pixel

5.Rated Battery Life: 8 hours or 16 hours of video5

6.Transfer Protoco: USB flash drive

7.Video Formats: H.264 video, .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats, MPEG-4 video

8.Audio Formats: MP3,WAV,MP3 VBR,AAC,Audible,AIFF

9.Photo Formats: JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD?Mac only?and PNG

10.Other Features: Genius playlist tool, a tilt sensor, and accessibility features for the visually impaired, cover Flow browsing.

Creative Zen X-Fi

1.Size: 83mm x 55mm x 12.8mm

2.Weight: 68g

3.Capacities: 8GB (no Wi-fi) - $149, 16GB - $199, 32GB - $280

4.Screen: 2.5?, 320x240 pixel, 16.7m colors

5.Rated Battery Life: 36 hours audio, 5 hours video

6.Transfer Protocol: MTP

7.Video Formats: WMV, MPEG4-SP, Divx 4/5, Xvid, and MJPEG

8.Audio Formats: MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, and Audible 2,3,4

9.Photo Formats: JPG (Software will transcode BMP, GIF, PNG, and TIFF)

10.Wireless: IEEE 802.11 b/g with WEP, WPA-PSK, or WPA2-PSK security

11.Other Features: Built-In Speaker, X-Fi Sound Enhancement, FM Radio, Calendar, Contact, Task List

Features comparision of iPod nano 4th vs Creative Zen X-Fi:

iPod nano 4th Key Features

1.New Genius feature
you can create an instant 25-song playlists based around the musical characteristics of a single song. The Genius feature is easy to use, and the results are fun, provided your music collection holds enough songs to make interesting connections.

2.Adds the same tilt-sensor
It allows for some interesting control tricks. Giving the iPod Nano a vigorous shake, for instance, puts the music player into shuffle mode. Causal shaking caused by running or exercising isn't enough to trigger the Nano's shuffle mode, and you can always deactivate the shake-to-shuffle feature under the iPod's setting menu or by engaging the hold switch.

3.Cover Flow music view
iPod's Cover Flow music view when turning the device on its side. We found it a little confusing to use the iPod's scroll wheel controls while holding the player sideways for video playback. You get accustomed to it, but it seems like an inelegant design solution coming from a interface-savvy company like Apple.

4.Easier to make voice recordings
Apple makes it easier to make voice recordings on the fourth-generation iPod Nano by allowing microphone input through its headphone jack. You'll have to shell out for an Apple-approved headset.

5.An unprecedented feature
It is the capability for vision-impaired users to hear menu, selection, and playback information read to them in a synthesized voice.
You can enable this feature through iTunes, which generates the synthesized voice information and transfers it to your iPod Nano. capability for vision-impaired users to hear menu, selection, and playback information read to them in a synthesized voice.

6.Convert DVD to iPod nano 4th
Any way, the ipod nano 4th also can play movie and video. You can put DVD to iPod nano 4th with DVD to iPod Converter - http://www.daniusoft.com/dvd-to-ipod.html#115 , it can be free download. DVD to iPod Converter is software which can exerts itself to convert DVD to iPod video formats MP4 (MPEG-4),M4V, and convert DVD to iPod audio format MP3, AAC, M4A with great quality and super fast speed. I prefering using Daniusoft DVD to iPod Converter, it is professional and easy to use DVD Converter for iPod, for all iPod.

Creative Zen X-Fi Key Features

1.Photo Viewer
Nothing has changed from the previous Zen players on the photo viewing side. You can easily browse photos in folders, lists, and thumbnails. You are also able to create and view slide shows to music.

2.Radio
Radio reception is poor. The autoscan feature is great, but it only picks up three stations where other players will pick up more than eight. A radio station I am only a few miles away from has static at times, which is totally unacceptable.

3.Voice Recording
Voice recording is the same as what is found on the Zen; files are saved as low quality WAV files. To use this as a voice note taker, you can easily map the short cut button to record quickly.

4.Organizer
The organizer feature remains the same as the previous Zen organizers. Using the Creative?s media player you can sync your contacts, calendar, and to-do list with Outlook or Windows Contacts.
5.Wireless Features
This section applies only to 16GB and 32GB Zen X-Fi models.
The Zen X-Fi is Creative's first player ever to have built-in wireless features (802.11b/g with WEP, WPA-PSK, or WPA2-PSK security). The capabilities are rudimentary compared to other wireless-enabled DAPs with web browsers, but it's nice for streaming and downloading content from the Creative media server (Creative MediaBox) or one you have at home.

Show less

3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 stars

Great MP3 player, but video need a playlist.

by xsdragon on October 6, 2008

Pros: Great sound quality, good ideal on the wifi chatting & streaming.
Love the quality of the video best on 360x240 30fps and at least 1k videobitrate.

Cons: Videos need to play next video automaticly and have its own playlist for MV watcher/listener.
Key in chatting need to be more like blackberry pearl ((^_^)).
Expand memory need to be integrated.

Summary: Overall the ZEN X-Fi is a great unit for the price. The cheap plastic feeling of the unit isn't so cheap when you really test its funtionality. Only if ...

Read more

Summary: Overall the ZEN X-Fi is a great unit for the price. The cheap plastic feeling of the unit isn't so cheap when you really test its funtionality. Only if the unit is friendlier for MV listener like having a playlist, and if the the 9 buttons key should be more like the phone txt of blackberry pearl.

Show less

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

Perfect, nothing not to like

by idiotGT on September 27, 2008

Pros: The reason I say it's perfect is because it is a compact, sleek design, that is great for listening to music, and yet it still has a crystal clear 2.5" TFT screen. Bundled with some very nice headphones, has great audio and video quality.

Cons: None. Absolutely none.

Summary: This product truly is a 5-star product. There's nothing that it doesn't do very well. Packaged with some nice headphones, an ideal screen for videos, and still a ...

Read more

Summary: This product truly is a 5-star product. There's nothing that it doesn't do very well. Packaged with some nice headphones, an ideal screen for videos, and still a compact design for listening to music. There is always something that you would want to change about a product, yet, the only thing would be an all metal design, but it's not a big deal. You can achieve up to 48GB of storage if you get the 32GB through 16GB SD card (all it supports), on a flash based player. This thing blows the iPod out of the water in every category.
Audio Quality
Video Quality
Software
Looks
Packaged Contents
Features

Show less

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

Excellent SQ with very nice extras

by Metin_KOCA on September 11, 2008

Pros: + Unprocessed sound quality is top notch
+ X-Fi Crystalizer for the low bitrate songs
+ Excellent Screen quality
+ Battery life
+ High quality earphones
+ Nice extras such as the speaker, fm radio, microphone, SD card slot etc.
+ The price

Cons: - No internet browser, and the keypad is not useful
- Creative do not consider a development for the lossless formats [FLAC, APE]
- Still no SD integration

Summary: I bought the 16gb model after my Zen Vision:M and I like the new Zen. It is an excellent sounding player. The main criteria for me is the NonEq ...

Read more

Summary: I bought the 16gb model after my Zen Vision:M and I like the new Zen. It is an excellent sounding player. The main criteria for me is the NonEq sound and it is balanced, clear and powerful enough when its compared with the other best sounding players such as A818 or Trekstor Vibez. Battery life is also very good; that makes the player the best Creative model ever.

Interface is the same with the older models and there is no problem at all.

Build quality is also very good. The player looks really serious and attractive, not like a toy. [it looks like that Creative have considered the reviews about the previous ZEN].

Now, everyone waits for a firmware about the SD card integration. We'll see what Creative do... But, with or without that, Zen X-Fi is the best option for the price; and one of the best option for the quality.

Show less

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

Nothing else packs this many features into an MP3 player

by justgentile on August 19, 2008

Pros: Where to begin...FM player, plays any Windows format music as well as iPod format files; sounds amazing; expandable memory; WiFi capability; video's are very clear; perfect size

Cons: Expandable memory is not integrated

Summary: I do not see what the huge buzz with iPod is. First of all, they do not play FM radio, and second of all you are limited to playing iPod-only ...

Read more

Summary: I do not see what the huge buzz with iPod is. First of all, they do not play FM radio, and second of all you are limited to playing iPod-only format tracks. If you want everything in an MP3 player then look no further. Being able to sync and download songs via WiFi through your system is amazing. This Zen X-Fi has everything you can imagine.

Show less

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

Amazing sound quality

by bengewarmer on August 15, 2008

Pros: Fantastic sound quality, great battery life, well built

Cons: wifi aspect needs to be worked on

Summary: I got this player about a week ago and I am extremely impressed. I've been through sony, apple, sandisk, microsoft, and other players to find that creative has had ...

Read more

Summary: I got this player about a week ago and I am extremely impressed. I've been through sony, apple, sandisk, microsoft, and other players to find that creative has had the best sound quality yet. Also the included headphones are really good which help a bit. I also have a pair of Bose in-ear phones but these come through much louder and clearer. Too bad I've already spent the hundred bucks on them. The battery life for the x-fi is really long and the buttons and user interface become simple after a few minutes. The few things I wasn't really impressed with was the built-in speaker (not loud at all, but hey if other people want to listen they can get their own mp3's) and the wi-fi. Using the chat is almost painful though I assume at some point in the near future, Creative will realize this and implement more of T-9 status text input or something of the like, as well as make AIM an option. If I have a wi-fi enabled device I expect to take full advantage of it, though I doubt we'll see a browser in the near future if at all. I paid $185 and for a player like this, that's not bad at all, considering I was looking at the touch and it was a hundred dollars more for half the space and this has almost all the same features only without the touch aspect obviously. All in all, a fantastic player with superior sound quality with an amazing price.

Show less

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

xfi is completely useless un most songs

by raimond03 on November 12, 2008

Pros: radio sound quality, radio reception, radio sintonizing speed,
builtin speaker

Cons: the worse sound you could expect from this kind of reader (150 EU is an awful lot to me), terrible interface (sw) and very, very unconfortable keys

Summary: don't buy it unless you need the worse sound you could expect from this kind of reader (150 EU is an awful lot to me), terrible interface (sw) and ...

Read more

Summary: don't buy it unless you need the worse sound you could expect from this kind of reader (150 EU is an awful lot to me), terrible interface (sw) and very, very unconfortable keys.
the music you store is assembled by means of the id3 tags (album artist track no ...) if you have untagged music you'll never be able to hear anything.

Show less

1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

Showing opinion 1 to 10 out of 17

See pricing

show

Specifications

Manufacturer: Creative Labs Inc.
Part number: 70PF2391001F1
Description: Experience your MP3 music as the artist originally intended with Creative ZEN X-Fi - the first MP3 player to restore the quality of compressed music with award-winning X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity Audio technology. Indulge in rich audio where you can hear your music in crystal clear clarity. Take in guitar strumming, crisp cymbal clashes and deep pounding bass as detail lost during file compression are now beautifully restored. The built-in X-Fi technology intelligently moves a conventional left/right earphone stereo source away from your ears, virtually expanding it for an audio experience with a breathtakingly realistic depth of field. You'll feel as if you were listening to your music from a pair of high end speakers.

General
Width 3.3 in
Depth 0.5 in
Product type Portable network audio player / radio
Height 2.2 in
PC interface(s) supported Hi-Speed USB, Wi-Fi
Weight 2.4 oz
Flash memory installed 16 GB Integrated
Digital storage None
Dimensions (W x D x H) 3.3 in x 0.5 in x 2.2 in
Voice recording capable Yes
Included accessories Earphones, USB 2.0 cable
Packaged quantity 1
Software type Drivers & Utilities, Creative Centrale
Digital storage media type None
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, Audible, MP3, AAC
Video Playback Features
Video playback support XviD, Motion JPEG, MPEG-4, WMV, DivX
Still image format BMP, JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF
Battery
Required Qty 1
Rechargeable Battery Rechargeable
Battery Enclosure Type Integrated
Included Qty 1
Technology Lithium ion
Battery 1 x Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Battery Life Details Video playback with built-in speakers Lithium ion 4 hour(s), Video playback Lithium ion 5 hour(s), Digital playback with built-in speakers Lithium ion 13 hour(s), FM radio Lithium ion 20 hour(s), Digital playback Lithium ion 36 hour(s)

Creative Zen X-Fi (16GB)

Where to buy

CNET editors' review

User reviews

Submit your review

Specifications

General

Radio

Digital Player / Recorder

Video Playback Features

Battery