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Reviews: Hard Drive MP3 Players

Apple iPod

Built-in Capacity: 80GB • Screen Size (inches): 2.5 • Voice Recording: No • FM tuner: No • Video Support: Yes • Photo Support: Yes • Price When Reviewed: $249

Last updated
September 12, 2007

Pros

Lots of storage space
Sharp video playback on 2.5-inch LCD

Cons

High price

Pricing:

iRepair Squad	$199.99
michaelrussu	$295.00
Renlyn	$329.99
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Top 10 MP3 Players (Flash-Based)

Top 5 MP3 Players (Hard Drive-Based)

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Test Report

Pricing

User Reviews

Add Your Review

Pricing: Expensive: $249 (9/11/2007)

Performance: Very Good: 88

Features: Good: 79

Design: Very Good: 87

Find out how these four scores, and their relative weights, combine to produce the PC World Rating.

Pricing

Expensive: $249

Performance

Very Good: 88

PC World Tests
Maximum Usable Output Level, Average (dBV)	-2.5
Total Harmonic Distortion and Noise, Average (%)	0.05
Signal-to-Noise Ratio, Average (dB)	76
Crosstalk, Average (dB)	-68
Frequency Response Deviation, Average (dB)	3.3

Features

Good: 79

Capacity
Built-in Capacity	80GB
SD card	No
mini SD	No
micro SD	No
Memory Stick Micro	No
Compact Flash	No
Smart Media	No
xD Picture Card	No
Memory Stick	No

Battery
Replaceable Battery	No
Hours of Play (Per vendor)	20

Screen
Screen Size (inches)	2.5
Screen Resolution	320 by 240
ScreenType	Color

Size
Dimensions (inches)	2.4 by 0.6 by 4.1
Weight (oz.)	5.5

Connections
Line Out	No
Firewire	Yes
Headphone output	Yes
Microphone input	No
USB	Yes
Video Output	No
USB Host Adapter	Yes

Audio Formats
AAC	Yes
AIFF	Yes
Apple Lossless	Yes
ASF	No
Audible	Yes
FLAC	No
MP3	Yes
MPEG4	No
OGG	No
WAV	Yes
WMA	No
WMA Lossless	No
Other	Protected AAC
Equalizer Settings	20
Voice Recording	No

Radio
FM tuner	No
FM Recording	No
Presets	0

Online Music Compatibility
Itunes	Yes
Rhapsody	No
Napster	No
Sony	No
Yahoo	No

Online Subscription Compatibility
Plays For Sure	No

Video Formats
Video Support	Yes
H 264	Yes
MPEG4	Yes
MPEG2	No
MPEG1	No
DivX4	No
DivX5	No
WMV	No
Motion JPEG	No
XviD	No
Other	Mov

Photo Formats
Photo Support	Yes
JPG	Yes
BMP	Yes
PNG	Yes
GIF	Yes
Other	PSD (Mac Only) , TIFF

Hardware List
USB cable	Yes
Firewire cable	No
Dock	No
AC Adapter	No
Case	Yes
Remote Control	No

Other
Included Hardware	Dock adaptor
Included Software	iTunes

Warranty & Support
Labor Warranty (years)	90-day
Parts Warranty (years)	One
Weekday Support (hours)	12
Saturday Support (hours)	12
Sunday Support (hours)	12
Toll-Free Support	Yes

Reliability & Service
Summary of results for all of brand's products in this category	Not surprisingly, iPod users gave Apple high marks for making the product easy to use. The iPod's simple, elegant, and intuitive design may color the overall good feeling users have about the reliability of the devices.

Reliability of brand's products in this category
Reports of product arriving with problems	Average
Reports of products with any significant problems	Average
Reports of problems that render a product unusable	Average
Buyers' rating of product's	Better than Average
Overall satisfaction with reliability of brand's products in category	Better than Average