10 Best MP3 and Portable Media Players

This eclectic mix of PMPs will do everything from surf the Web to charge themselves with rip cords.

Full disclosure: Any roundup of MP3 or portable media players that claims to be a definitive “best of” collection isn’t a roundup you should be reading. The truth is that there’s simply far too much product variety in this category for any one critic – or legion of critics – to authoritatively rate them all, especially given the subjective way in which different features connect with different types of user. So instead, we offer the following – a showcase of ten key players that, by virtue of simplicity, sophistication, innovation or cost, clearly warrant any audio or video enthusiast’s attention. Some selections are tried and true and available now, while others offer so much promise that we felt you needed to know about them in advance. And yes, amongst all the perfection, you will find one or two contenders that we just felt were kind of cool, if only for their unique but potentially appealing design. In alphabetical order then, let us proceed…

Cowon D2
Cowon

Cowon America introduced the D2 a year and a half ago. So why do we include it here? Two words: Customer satisfaction. Sure, the landscape is dotted with newer products, but the tried and true D2 is just as loved now as when it was released. Crammed with high-end features such as a touch-sensitive 2.5-inch QVGA LCD screen, an integrated SD card slot, an internal mic for voice recording, a USB 2.0 connection, and an FM tuner (and FM recording capabilities), the D2 is nevertheless an extremely compact unit that goes super easy on the batteries. But most importantly, customers and critics alike continuously praise it for its exceptional sound, EQ, and video playback quality. In addition, the D2 receives frequent firmware upgrades and currently benefits from aggressive pricing.

Read our review of the Cowon D2.

iPod touch (2nd generation)
Apple

Definitely pricey, yet sporting many of the features you’d find in a cutting-edge personal PC, the second generation of Apple’s iPod touch seemingly does it all. Whether you’re into watching movies or videos, reading email, browsing the Internet, playing games, checking out podcasts, grabbing new media clips from iTunes, or just (gasp!) listening to music, this is the tool for you. It looks great too, with a shiny, lightly curved, stainless steel back and a slimline design that’s the envy of Twiggy. The built-in speaker is far from an audiophile’s delight, but it’s just fine for the many gamers this machine will attract. And while you will need to subscribe to utilize some of its features, available in 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB sizes, the second gen iPod touch, may, in many ways, point to the future of high-end portable media devices.

Read our review of the iPod touch (2nd generation).

P3
Samsung

Sporting a sleek, die-cast metal case and a vibrant 3-inch, 16:9 touch-screen, the soon to be released Samsung P3 portable multimedia player looks seriously sophisticated. It feels cool too, given that every time you move your fingers across that gorgeous display, the unit responds with one of several unique “haptic” physical sensations. Available in 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB models, the P3 also offers a personal voice recorder, an FM radio tuner, and enough Bluetooth support that you can answer calls directly through the player and wirelessly stream your audio to Bluetooth-enabled speakers. Let’s not forget Samsung’s DNSe 3.0 sound enhancement technology either, which purportedly gives users a more accurate representation of the “tone and feel originally intended by the audio producer.”

SM010A
Saty Develop Co.

According to its website, Hong Kong-based Saty Develop Co. is an “energetic and innovative enterprise integrating with developing, designing, manufacturing & exporting the created electronics products.” While Saty clearly needs a corporate translator, it doesn’t need lessons in product versatility. The company’s SM010A 7-in-1 Multi-Function MP4 Charger may look like it was designed twenty years ago, yet it authoritatively answers the question, “How much stuff can you pack into a portable media player?” How about a radio, a flashlight, a bug and pest repellant (it plays a high-frequency tone), a mobile phone charger, and, last but not least, a breathalyzer as well. Plus, if your batteries die, you can pull repeatedly on a string to power it up manually. So it won’t slice and dice your veggies – sue them.

Sansa Clip
SanDisk

With all the recent advancements in portable media player technology, sometimes you just have to sit back and ask yourself if you really need costly perks such as Wi-Fi, touch-screens, laptop-like storage capacities, movie and video support, and the like. What if you just want a simple, inexpensive music player that runs a long time between charges, doesn’t take up a lot of room, and delivers quality sound? Then you just might want Sandisk’s Sansa Clip. The Clip is ridiculously small (you can fit a bunch of them in one hand), offers crazy battery life, and sounds better than a player this size has any right to do. It also gives you FM radio, a bright, power-saving OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display, and now, the option of an 8GB model. For all the reasons outlined above, and for its highly aggressive pricing, respected anti-iPod website anythingbutipod.com ranked the Clip as the top MP3 player of 2008.

Check out our video on the Sansa Clip.

Sansa Clip

Sansa slotRadio
SanDisk

Imagine, if you will, a portable music player that doesn’t incorporate back, play, or pause buttons. Seem a little odd? Yet that’s precisely what SanDisk’s new Sansa slotRadio offers. Or more appropriately, doesn’t offer. Designed primarily for people who aren’t fastidious about their music and don’t want to mess with a bunch of controls, the slotRadio is a minimalist device that’s built to do one thing – sequentially play the 1000 tunes packed on one of the company’s $40 “music cards.” You’ll get one such card when you buy the player, and you’ll simply buy more cards when you want more music. Sandisk says each card features handcrafted playlists and handpicked artists, and adds that although you can’t sort or search or back up, you can skip songs you don’t enjoy. We’re sure grannies and technophobes (the obvious target audience) appreciate the gesture.

Check out our first look on the Sansa slotRadio.

Sansa slotRadio

Walkman NWZ-X1000
Sony

‘Round about 1980, Sony introduced the Walkman to a public that believed a boombox perched firmly on their respective shoulders was the only ticket to portable music nirvana. Thirty years later, Sony keeps the Walkman fires burning with the latest in its long lineage, the Walkman NWZ-X1000. Available this summer in 16GB and 32GB flavors, the Wi-Fi-equipped NWZ-X1000 is perhaps most notable for its OLED touch-screen. Why is that remarkable? First, going hands-on is the way of the future. Second, OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) displays draw less juice and deliver a superior, brighter image than traditional LCDs. As a bonus, the unit features headphone-independent noise-canceling for pristine listening. Early indications are that it sounds as marvelous as it looks – which is quite something given Sony’s reputation with audio.

Walkman NWZ-X1000

Walkman NWZ-W202
Sony

Seemingly ideal for gym fanatics, runners, and anyone else weary of that seemingly omnipresent player-to-headphone cable, Sony’s Walkman NWZ-W202, available early this summer, does away entirely with the two-part concept. Essentially a wraparound headset with a built-in player, the NWZ-W202 keeps everything compact and above the shoulders, yet manages to stuff 2GB of internal storage (enough for hundreds of songs) in there somewhere. Sony further claims the unit will play 90 minutes of music with just a three-minute charge, up to twelve hours on a full charge, and will search and browse your entire library audibly with the proprietary ZAPPIN music preview function.

Wallet MP3
Walletex

Slim is in. You know it, we know it, and our abandoned rice cake diets know it too. And that’s precisely why Israel-based Walletex’s Wallet MP3 music player might just succeed. It’s small. Really small. As in the same size as a credit card. Though the device has slipped under most folks’ radar (as it should, given its size) and has no graphic display or advanced amenities, the Wallet MP3 is available in capacities up to and including 8GB – a quite amazing feat, actually. Check the manufacturer’s website (www.walletex.com) for more information on availability and pricing, and to find out how you can customize units with your own graphics.

Wallet MP3

Zune 120
Microsoft

What with too-high prices a couple years back and recent rumors that Microsoft job cuts might affect its future, the Zune brand has had somewhat of a checkered past. But products in this line have also been continually regarded as some of the most capable digital media players on the market. And so it is now. The most recent model, the Zune 120, isn’t really much different from its immediate predecessor, the Zune 80, with the obvious exception of 40 extra GB of holding space. It’s a storage monster to be sure, yet it’s the same size and weight and it sports the same 3.2-inch display. Furthermore, the Zune touchpad is as nice as ever – though maybe not quite as nice as a touch-screen – and the unit’s 802.11b/g Wi-Fi capabilities really do increase its desirability.