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Alternatives to the iPod Nano

Jasmine France Jasmine France, Senior Associate Editor April 6, 2009

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.

More Resources
Editors' top MP3 players,
Editors' top headphones,
MP3 Insider podcast,
4G Apple iPod Nano review
Product name
Price $190.69 $73.99 to $80.99 $188.72 $79.00 to $79.99 $89.99 to $124.95 $179.77 to $199.95
CNET editors' rating
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
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
Software typeCowon jetShell
Cowon jetAudio VX
AudibleManager
Creative Centrale
Drivers & Utilities
Info unavailableDrivers & Utilities
Samsung Music Studio
Drivers & Utilities
Microsoft Windows Media Player 10
Microsoft Windows Media Player 11
Drivers & Utilities
Resolution360 x 240
128 x 160
320 x 240
176 x 220
220 x 176
240 x 320
Mfr estimated battery life52 hour(s)
32 hour(s)
24 hour(s)
25 hour(s)
24 hour(s)
36 hour(s)
PC interface(s) supportedHi-Speed USB
Hi-Speed USB
Wi-Fi
Hi-Speed USB
USB
Hi-Speed USB
Hi-Speed USB
Flash memory form factorIntegrated
Integrated
Integrated
Integrated
Integrated
Integrated
Flash memory installed16 GB
4 GB
8 GB
4 GB
8 GB
8 GB
Weight3.2 oz
1.5 oz
1.7 oz
1.9 oz
2.1 oz
Info unavailable
Full specifications Full specifications Full specifications Full specifications Full specifications Full specifications Full specifications
Buying choices