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Reviews

Creative ZEN

Built-in Capacity: 32GB • Screen Size (inches): 2.5 • Voice Recording: Yes • FM tuner: Yes • Video Support: Yes • Photo Support: Yes • Price When Reviewed: $300
Creative ZEN (Front)
Creative ZEN (Front)
82.6 Very Good
Last updated
March 07, 2008
Test Center Reviewed by
Darren Gladstone
Pros
  • Feature-heavy
  • SD card slot for instant memory upgrades
Cons
  • One-handed operation a little tricky
  • Skimps on bundled accessories
  • Pricing:Very Expensive: $300 (3/7/2008)
  • Performance:Very Good: 85
  • Features:Good: 78
  • Design:Superior: 90
Find out how these four scores, and their relative weights, combine to produce the PC World Rating.

Pricing Very Expensive: $300

Very Expensive: $300

Performance Very Good: 85

Very Good: 85
PC World Tests
Maximum Usable Output Level, Average (dBV) -5.3 
Total Harmonic Distortion and Noise, Average (%) 0.01 
Signal-to-Noise Ratio, Average (dB) 77 
Crosstalk, Average (dB) -59 
Frequency Response Deviation, Average (dB) 4 

Features Good: 78

Good: 78
Capacity
Built-in Capacity 32GB 
SD card Yes 
mini SD Yes 
micro SD Yes 
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) 30 
Screen
Screen Size (inches) 2.5 
Screen Resolution 320 by 240 
ScreenType Color 
Size
Dimensions (inches) 3.26 by 2.16 by 0.44 
Weight (oz.) 2.1 
Connections
Line Out No 
Firewire No 
Headphone output Yes 
Microphone input No 
USB Yes 
Video Output No 
USB Host Adapter No 
Playback
Signal to Noise Ratio (dB) 95 
Audio Formats
AAC Yes 
AIFF No 
Apple Lossless No 
ASF No 
Audible Yes 
FLAC No 
MP3 Yes 
MPEG4 Yes 
OGG No 
WAV Yes 
WMA Yes 
WMA Lossless No 
Equalizer Settings 8 
Voice Recording Yes 
Radio
FM tuner Yes 
FM Recording No 
Presets 32 
Online Music Compatibility
Itunes Yes 
Rhapsody Yes 
Napster Yes 
Sony No 
Yahoo Yes 
Other Amazon or Walmart 
Online Subscription Compatibility
Plays For Sure Yes 
Video Formats
Video Support Yes 
H 264 No 
MPEG4 Yes 
MPEG2 No 
MPEG1 No 
DivX4 Yes 
DivX5 Yes 
WMV Yes 
Motion JPEG Yes 
XviD Yes 
Photo Formats
Photo Support Yes 
JPG Yes 
BMP No 
PNG No 
GIF No 
Hardware List
USB cable Yes 
Firewire cable No 
Dock No 
AC Adapter No 
Case No 
Remote Control No 
Other Hardware Earphones 
Other
Included Software ZEN Media Explorer 
Warranty & Support
Labor Warranty (years) 90-day 
Parts Warranty (years) One 
Weekday Support (hours) 9 
Saturday Support (hours) 0 
Sunday Support (hours) 0 
Other Service Free e-mail support for the duration of the warranty 
Toll-Free Support No 
Reliability & Service
Summary of results for all of brand's products in this category A veteran of the MP3 wars, Creative received average grades everywhere except on ease of use, where readers rated it below average. Note, though, that seven other MP3 vendors also received subpar scores on ease of use. 
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 Worse than Average 
Overall satisfaction with reliability of brand's products in category Average 

Design Superior: 90

Superior: 90
About the Test Center

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