Ultimately, MP3 players are about the music.
So which one sounds the best?Cnet put them to the test using songs from a variety of genres encoded at 320Kbps VBR MP3, at equal volume levels and with sound-effects settings disabled.
The good: Supercompact and durable design; excellent sound quality; intuitive tactile interface; removable battery; stellar battery life.
The bad: No extra features, such as FM radio or recording; ATRAC3 is the only DRM option; must use SonicStage software for music transfer.
Sony's new HD5 was the cream of the crop in our listening tests.
Not only does the HD5 have a rated battery life of 40 hours, its lithium-ion battery is swappable.
If consumers don't mind shopping for their tunes at Sony's Connect, they'll be extremely happy with the HD5.
It's much smaller than the 20GB iPod.
Because of its top-notch sound, tiny size and amazing battery, this device takes its place alongside other A-list MP3 players.