- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 28 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
4.5 stars
"Face plate sticks out; but otherwise awesome"
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 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.
Where to buy
Creative Zen X-Fi (16GB):
$129.99 - $167.99
| store | price | in stock? | rating |
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$167.99 | Yes |
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Amazon.com Marketplace
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$129.99 | Yes |
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