Best mp3 Players

Flash Memory mp3 Players
Flash drive storage players range from 512KB to 8GB and have no moving parts and so are much less likely to break or become damaged. For some Flash drive mp3 players make the best mp3 players because they are much more energy efficient because they have no moving parts.

Hard-Drive mp3 Players
The hard-drive storage players, like the Apple iPod Classic or Microsoft Zune, are sometimes best mp3 players because have much more storage capacity, up to 160GB. These players are normally heavier and damage easier if dropped. Hard-drive-based devices, especially ones that play video, chew through batteries quickly.

Also, the Hard Drive versions can be best mp3 players because they have bigger screens and work better for watching video, the iPod Touch, 640×480 resolution, and Mircosoft Zune, 320 x 240 resolution are best mp3 players for watching video. There are also iRiver and Archos brands that less popular much are also great for movie watching.

Microsoft Zune 120
Retail: $249.99. 4GB - $99.99; 8GB - $139.99; 16GB - $179.99; 80GB - $229.99

Specs:

120GB Hard Disk Drive
Up to 30,000 songs, or 25,000 pictures, or 375 hours of video

Preloaded games

Battery: Music, up to 30 hours (wireless off); video, up to 4 hours

Screen Size: 3.2-inch color display; Resolution: 320 pixels x 240 pixels

Audio Support: Windows Media® Audio Standard[3] (WMA) (.wma): Up to 320 Kbps; constant bit rate (CBR) and variable bit rate (VBR) up to 48 kHz sample rate. WMA Pro 2-channel up to 384 Kbps; CBR and VBR up to 48 kHz. MP3 (.mp3): up to 320 Kbps; CBR and VBR up to 48 kHz.

Picture Support: JPEG (.jpg)

FM Radio

The Microsoft Zune is probably not the best mp3 player considering its high price tag, however its superior audio quality and enhanced features make it a viable competitor for other brands and models.

Cnet Says: "The good: The 120GB Microsoft Zune MP3 player has expanded the usefulness of its Wi-Fi and social music-discovery features, added support for games and audiobooks, and maintained enviable features, such as a 3.2-inch glass LCD, friendly interface, exceptional navigation control, audio- and video-podcast support, superlative FM radio, wireless syncing, good audio quality, and a built-in composite-video output.

The bad: Battery life isn't great; high-quality earbuds are no longer included; the glossy plastic front is more prone to scratches and smudges; and using many of the new features without a Zune Pass music subscription can be disappointing.

The bottom line: The Zune 120, with a unique focus on music discovery, is a fierce competitor to the iPod Classic. The Zune's substantial storage capacity combined with its Zune Pass music subscription makes it an ideal solution for restless music fans with large appetites."

Cheap mp3 Players

Insignia Pilot 8GB - Mp3 & Video with Bluetooth
Retail: $99.99

Specs:
8GB Flash Memory Drive

Built-in Bluetooth wireless compatible with Bluetooth headphones

Supports MP3, WMA, WMA Lossless, WMA DRM, WMA Pro, OGG, WAV, Audible, MPEG4 (30 fps), WMV (30 fps) and JPEG formats

2.4% high-resolution LCD color display with wide viewing angles

Built-in digital FM tuner with 20 presets

Features a Secure Digital card expansion slot for additional memory capacity

Custom EQ with 4 presets

Rechargeable lithium-ion battery with up to 25 hours of playback time

PC and Mac compatible

Insignia models of mp3 players are not as popular as the iPods, but they are sometimes the best mp3 players for those on a budget.

Cnet Review: "The Insignia Pilot is an incredible value for a media player, and it's packed with features: Bluetooth, FM radio, line-in recording, photo and video support, and Rhapsody DNA Integration. It plays back a wide variety of audio formats and is compatible with both Mac and Windows PCs.

The Insignia Pilot's sound quality is only so-so, and it's on the large side for a flash player.

The Insignia Pilot won't please audio purists, but it's a great option for feature hounds who appreciate a good value--and the ability to listen to music sans wires."

Insignia also offers smaller storage capacity mp3 players with a variety of features at a lower price.

SanDisk Sansa Fuse
Retail: From $79.99 - $119.99

Specs:
2GB, 4GB or 8GB Drive

MicroSD/SDHC Expansion Slot

Battery: 24 hours music & 5 hours video

FM tuner/40 presets

Music Subscriptions: Rhapsody To Go, Napster, eMusic

Supports: MP3, OGG, FLAC, WMA, secure WMA, WAV, Audible, MPEG4

Windows XP or Vista, Linux and Mac OS (under MSC mode)

Again, the Sandisk models of mp3 players are priced lower than other competitor brands and are best mp3 players for those who do not want to break the bank for portable music.

CNET Says: "The SanDisk Sansa Fuze is supercheap and nicely compact; it comes in a variety of colors and has an expansion slot that accepts microSDHC cards. The player offers a variety of desirable features such as an FM tuner, Rhapsody DNA integration, photo and video support, and a voice recorder. Plus, the battery life for both music and video is very good."

PCAdvisor Says: "The SanDisk Sansa Fuze is a worthy competitor to the Nano, and an even better choice if you're looking for a player with expandable memory, an FM tuner and a lower price tag."

Buy Cheap Sansa mp3 Players

Creative Zen Mozaic 8 GB
Retail: $99. 2GB ($59), 4GB ($79), and 16GB ($149)

Specs:

2GB / 4GB / 8GB / 16GB Flash Memory Drive
Storage Capacity:
2GB (500 songs)
4GB (1,000 songs)
8GB (2,000 songs)
16GB (4,000 songs)

Battery Life: 32 hours continuous audio playback/5 hours video playback

Supports: MP3, WMA, WAV (IMA-ADPCM), Audible 4

Photo Formats Supports: JPEG (BMP/ GIF / PNG / TIFF)

FM Radio: 32 preset stations

EQ Settings: 8 presets and 5 band custom EQ

LCD: 1.8" TFT Color Display, 128 x 160 pixels

Microsoft Vista and XP

Another great budget model with lots of features and versatility for a great low price certainly puts this player on the best mp3 players list!

Cnet Says: "The Good: The Creative Zen Mozaic offers a unique design, great sound quality, and a sweet, customizable interface. It's packed with features such as an FM radio, a voice recorder, a built-in speaker, and photo and video support. The player is also a good value, and video battery life is exceptional.

The Bad: The Zen Mozaic lacks dedicated volume controls and it only works with Windows XP and Vista. Videos must be transcoded with the included software.

The Bottom Line: 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."

Laptop Mag Says: "The pocket-friendly Creative Zen Mozaic player is not the most attractive or intuitive player, but it is affordable, and the integrated speaker is a fun way to share music. It's worth consideration by younger listeners or Windows users looking for a value-price iPod alternative."

Shop Cheap Zen mp3 Players

Apple iPod Touch 8GB
Retail: Starts at $229

Specs:

Storage: 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB Flash Drive
Holds up to 1,750, 3,500, or 7,000 songs in 128-Kbps AAC format
Holds up to 10,000, 20,000, or 25,000 iPod-viewable photos
Holds up to 10 hours, 20 hours, or 40 hours of video

Audio formats supported: AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV

Display: 3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display; 480 x 320-pixel resolution

Battery: Built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery
Playback time:
Music playback time: Up to 36 hours when fully charged
Video playback time: Up to 6 hours when fully charged

iTunes Subscription

Apple, the leading name in portable music and mp3 players would certainly qualify as a best mp3 player, feature packed and an industry leader. If the iPod Touch is too costly, iPod also has the Nano, Shuffle and Classic models that are cheaper and still great!

Cnet Says: "The good: The second-generation Apple iPod Touch has it all: music, videos, photos, podcasts, e-mail, Web browsing, Internet radio, games, Nike+, Wi-Fi music downloads, and an App Store for adding thousands of custom features.

The bad: The second-generation iPod Touch may be overwhelming to users looking for a simple music player; audio quality is average; and iTunes software is required.

The bottom line: The second-generation iPod Touch includes features that are light-years ahead of the competition, its design has improved, and its price has finally come down to earth."

Complete iPod Models Guide at: iPod Models Guide and Shop Cheap iPods

Top 3 important features to look for when choosing the best mp3 player:

1. Size and weight: Size does matter when it comes to best mp3 players. Think about how you will use your mp3 player, will you jog with it, carry it around during errands? mp3 players are getting smaller and smaller and while these maybe functional for some, others will prefer a bigger unit with a larger screen for watching video.

2. Storage capacity (at 128 kbps): The determination of what is a best mp3 player often centers around storage capacity. CD-quality MP3 music occupies about 1MB of storage space per minute, so storage capacity determines the maximum number of songs you can upload from your PC. A good alternative is an mp3 player that will let you put songs on removable storage cards, which can hold additional gigabytes of music.

In short, the best mp3 player is often one with the largest-capacity device you can afford. Whether you buy a flash- or hard drive-based MP3 player, make sure to choose a model with the largest storage capacity possible. Even if you don't think you'll need it now, you will probably be happy to have it later.

3. Battery life: Again, something to consider is how you will use the mp3 player. If you are using it constantly will little opportunity for recharge a best mp3 player will be one that has a long lasting battery. Also, if you are going to be watching lots of video, the battery life is even more important because video eats up battery juice.

In conclusion, the best mp3 player is one that will fit the most needs for the best price. Do not get caught up in brand names and fancy models. You can get the best mp3 player for you, that may not have a lot of bells and whistles, but that will have a nice low price and all the features you need to enjoy a portable music experience.