Prizefight: iPod Nano vs. Sansa Clip+
The clip-on portable audio player is a tradition that has been with us since the days of the transistor radio and the original Sony Walkman. Today's designs are smaller than ever, and make a perfect choice for those who like to hit the gym or go for a jog.
The two best examples of the modern-day clip-on music player are the sixth-generation Apple iPod Nano and the SanDisk Sansa Clip+. Both products accomplish the same goal of combining a digital audio player and FM radio into a lightweight, clip-on design. In terms of price, though, the Nano and the Clip+ occupy vastly different territory.
To determine which device is the ultimate clip-on workout jukebox, we put the top two clip-on MP3 players through their paces in five rounds of tense deliberation.
Editors' note: The Prizefight scoring system is as follows: Each judge rates on a zero-to-five-point scale. At the end of each round, we will take an average of the three judges' scores. The final score for each music player will be an average of all five rounds.
Round 1: Design
In Round 1, we examine the design and user interface of the MP3 player. Historically, ultracompact MP3 players such as these make big sacrifices when it comes to navigation control. The Nano and the Clip+, however, have both managed to include relatively sophisticated navigation and track identification features, but each takes a very different approach.
| player | Jasmine | Donald | Brian | the winner |
 SanDisk Sansa Clip+ | 4I love having tactile buttons on a device that's meant to be clipped on during a workout; I can control it without craning my neck. And I love the indigo version. My one gripe is I think the screen and fonts could stand to be larger for when you do need to glance at it. | 3The Clip+ isn't particularly pretty, but the tactile controls are a big win for a clip-on gym-oriented product. It also feels just big enough that I wouldn't misplace it quite as easily as I would the Nano. | 3It may not be the most attractive, but its design is now more functional than the Nano's. It's not ugly, but it's not that sleek. The monochrome screen looks pretty bad compared with the Nano's display. | 3.3 |
Round 2: Features
Aside from the fact that both players include a clip, what else can they do? In this round, we look over the specs and capabilities and decide which MP3 player includes the features we really want.
| player | Jasmine | Donald | Brian | the winner |
| SanDisk Sansa Clip+ | 5Subscription music support? Check. FM tuner with presets for the gym TVs? Check. Built-in clip? Check. Memory expansion? Check. An impressive--but not overwhelming--number of features for such a compact device. | 3It's hard to complain, considering the price, but I need to have AAC audio support. Also, as much as I like the tactile controls, I do miss the full-color album art of the Nano. | 5The Clip+ brings a voice recorder, FM tuner, microSD card slot for expansion, and Rhapsody DNA syncing. There's no photo or video support, but these features are practical difference makers. | 4.3 |
Round 3: Compatibility
This is a subjective take on each MP3 player's compatibility with the software and services we like to use. Does the Nano's reliance on Apple's iTunes software make us feel comfortable or constricted? Will the Sansa Clip+ work with the files in our collection?
| player | Jasmine | Donald | Brian | the winner |
| SanDisk Sansa Clip+ | 4Once again, I must tout the subscription music functionality: $10 per month for access to millions of songs? Heck yes. Plus, if you want to shun bloated jukebox software, you can: the Clip+ works with drag-and-drop, on both Windows and Mac. | 3The Clip+ is my top pick for a general-purpose audio player, but I'm bummed that it doesn't work with AAC files. As a podcast addict, I also miss the kind of integrated episode management that you get with an iPod and iTunes. | 4There's audio format support galore for WMA, WAV, MP3, FLAC, OGG, and Audible content, but no AAC for iTunes users. It's also compatible with both PC and Mac. | 3.7 |
Round 4: Sound and science
In the fourth round, we consider sound quality, memory capacity, bonus features, battery life, and any other wonders of science.
| player | Jasmine | Donald | Brian | the winner |
| SanDisk Sansa Clip+ (4GB, red) | 4I get noticeably richer sound from the Clip+, with a nice kick on the low end. The highs could stand to be a bit more shimmery, I suppose. | 3The sound quality has a noticeably different character, which I don't feel is any better or worse than the Nano's. I like the option for a five-band custom EQ. I'm not happy that the battery life is nearly 10 hours less than the Nano. | 4I was able to hear a deeper range of sound for highs and lows with the Clip+. It was subtle but definitely noticeable for me. Rhapsody music subscription fans will love its syncing ability. Sound quality always rules this round for me. | 3.7 |
Round 5: Value
Last, but definitely not least, we consider the price of the MP3 player measured against its features, design, and performance.
| player | Jasmine | Donald | Brian | the winner |
| SanDisk Sansa Clip+ (4GB, red) | 5C'mon, it's SanDisk. It's pretty much guaranteed a perfect score in this category every time. Get 8GB for less than $60, or 4GB for around $40. That's how much an MP3 player geared toward active use should cost. | 5The Clip+ is the best value in portable audio, period. It has its drawbacks, but price isn't one of them. | 5There's no contest when it's $49 for 4GB and $69 for 8GB. Plus, you're packing all of these features into a clip-on player with physical controls. | 5 |
The winner is...
Winner
SanDisk Sansa Clip+ (4 pts)
Runner-Up
We had a feeling the iPod Nano would be taken down a peg or two against this wallet-friendly competitor, but we didn't anticipate a clean sweep. With so many budget MP3 players out there, we have to wonder what Apple was thinking when
it stripped the Nano's features down to the basics.
Also, as fun as touch screens are, it seems there's nothing that can beat good ol' tactile navigation when it comes to a compact clip-on player. Looks like SanDisk finally made its iPod killer. Better late than never.
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SanDisk needs to advertise this little gem they have. It's the best fitness player on the market and with the direction that MP3 Players are headed with the larger ones losing market ground to smartphones.
this one could and should stand out.
The Clip+ is really the best fitness friendly player
The 5th Gen Nano might have stood a chance but now that Apple have gutted the product of its features, you're essentially left with mediocre sound in a pretty case, a fiddly interface and an exorbitant price that is quite embarrassing against the Clip+'s value for money.
Well done Sandisk. Now bring on more colours for the 8 gig version.