Editors' Top MP3 Players
updated June 5, 2006
updated June 5, 2006
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Today's hot, new players boast sweet streamlined designs, tons of extra features, and price tags to match. Don't despair, all you penny-pinchers out there! There are oodles of deals to be had in all MP3 player categories. From flash players with expansion slots that cost less than $40 to 30GB monsters priced less than most 20GB hard drive players, there are many solid models for the budget-conscious. Even the trendy microdrive category has its lower-priced representatives. -- James Kim, senior editor Editors' Top MP3 players:Budget MP3 players| Flash memory MP3 players | Hard drive MP3 players | Micro hard drive MP3 players | Ultracompact MP3 players | Portable video players (PVP)Shopping by brand? According to CNET editors, here are this category's major players. Apple | Archos | Cowon | Creative | iRiver | Samsung | SanDisk | Sony |
Budget MP3 players
| MP3 Players | Editors' rating | Price | Summary |
Samsung YP-U2 (512 MB, White)
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7.7
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Despite some minor issues, the simple but feature-friendly YP-U2 from Samsung will be a hot seller, thanks to a sweet price and great overall sound quality. It's a good choice for budget-minded users looking for their first MP3 player.
Specs: Digital player / radio , 1 GB, ASF , MP3 , WAV , WMA , Ogg Vorbis , Protected WMA (DRM) , Lithium polymer Rechargeable Player battery
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Cowon iAudio G2 (1GB, dark blue)
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7.3
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The Cowon iAudio G2's terrific audio quality and ease of use overcome its lack of USB 2.0 connectivity.
Specs: Digital player , 1 GB, ASF , MP3 , WAV , WMA , Ogg Vorbis , 1 GB, 1 x AA type Standard battery
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Creative MuVo TX FM (512 MB, blue)
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7.3
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Creative's MuVo TX FM is a great option for people who want a small, lightweight, and gymworthy player with a decent feature set.
Specs: Digital player / radio , 512 MB, MP3 , WMA , ADPCM , Protected WMA (DRM) , 1 x Alkaline AAA type Standard battery
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Creative Zen Nano Plus (1GB, Black)
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7.3
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If you're looking for a feature-packed flash player but you don't want to spend a ton to get one, Creative's Zen Nano Plus is the device for you.
Specs: Flash player , 1 GB, MP3 , WMA , Protected WMA (DRM) , 1 x Alkaline AAA type Player batteryInternal
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iRiver T30 (512MB, silver)
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7.3
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The T30 is a basic player by iRiver standards, but Janus support makes it an attractive flash-based device.
Specs: Digital player , 512 MB, ASF , MP3 , WMA , Ogg Vorbis , AAA type Standard battery
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SanDisk Sansa m250 (2GB)
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7.3
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With its many features as well as its compatibility with audiobooks and subscription-based music, the SanDisk Sansa m200 series is an overall great value.
Specs: Digital player / radio , 2 GB, MP3 , WMA , Audible , Protected WMA (DRM) , 1 x Alkaline AAA type Standard battery
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Apple iPod Shuffle (512MB)
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6.7
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The iPod Shuffle, with its ultralow price, its dead-simple design, and its iTunes integration, is virtually guaranteed to be a hit, especially among those looking for a second iPod.
Specs: Flash player , 512 MB, AAC , MP3 , WAV , Audible , Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
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SanDisk Sansa c150 (2GB)
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6.7
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The SanDisk Sansa c100 series gives you a decent set of features for a decent price, but don't expect great battery life.
Specs: Digital player / radio , 2 GB, MP3 , WMA , Audible , 1 x AAA type Standard batteryInternal
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$31
