Like the Gigabeat S, the Gigabeat T400 is strictly an MTP device that can only be used with Windows XP or XP Media Center Edition. Without a generic UMS mode, Mac and Linux users are shut out. The good news is that the Gigabeat T's MTP system plays very friendly with Windows Media Player and subscription music services such as Rhapsody and Napster To Go.
Performance
When it comes to audio quality, there's no knocking Toshiba. Just like its Gigabeat U sibling, the Gigabeat T400 delivers striking clarity and depth. While it doesn't offer as many sound enhancement options as a Cowon D2, or the Sony NWZ-S610, its seven EQ presets allow some subtle room for adjusting the sound to your taste. We were a little disappointed that the Gigabeat T400 doesn't offer the same user-definable five-band EQ found on the Gigabeat U, but truth be told, we felt the audio quality was stunning without any EQ whatsoever. Users who enjoy radically sculpting their EQ and boosting bass to skull-shaking levels should look elsewhere.
Surprisingly, one of the hidden gems of the Gigabeat T's audio quality is buried at the bottom of their general settings menu, labeled simply, Harmonics. This Harmonics setting allows users to activate Toshiba's patented H2C sound enhancement feature, which compensates for higher- and lower-range frequencies lost through WMA or MP3 data compression. Again, the effect is subtle, but valuable for those looking to squeeze the best fidelity from their digital audio.
Video quality is above average, but not quite as compelling as the player's high-fidelity audio. Content recorded natively by our Windows Media Center DVR appeared sharp and crisp. We weren't thrilled by the video artifacts introduced when Windows Media Player transcoded our high-res AVI and DivX movies, but that's no fault of Toshiba's. We found the Gigabeat T's glossy plastic screen is no stranger to glare, but users watching videos under daylight conditions shouldn't have a problem when using the Gigabeat's brightest screen setting.
With a battery rated for 16 hours of audio and 5 hours of video, the Gigabeat T's battery life is nothing to write home about. Considering that Flash-based MP3 players like the Sony NWZ-S610, and iPod Nano (third-gen) are reaching around the 30-hour mark for audio playback, the Gigabeat T400 is certainly not setting any high standards. Stay tuned for our official battery results from the CNET labs.
Final thoughts
Ultimately, the Gigabeat T400 is Toshiba's attempt to repackage the excellent Gigabeat S into a smaller, leaner, less expensive device. It's a great idea, but 4GB of internal memory is simply too low for a multimedia player, at least without the opportunity for expansion. Still, we recommend the Gigabeat T400 to Windows Media Center users who want to take a handful of content on the go, or audiophiles looking for a WMA Lossless-compatible player that will take their breath away.
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