by Wayne Reeves

Created on: November 19, 2008   Last Updated: June 03, 2010

MP3 players are now seen as the must-have item for all music lovers out there; all your favourite music that is small and portable enough to take with you wherever you go. With the rise in popularity in MP3 players - every manufacturer wants a piece of the action - to the stage we're at now with hundreds of players on the market. Where should anyone start looking when faced with an overwhelming choice of players available?

The Sound of Music

Don't be fooled into looking for something on looks alone. The most important aspect of any MP3 player is the sound; it is the reason you buy the player in the first place. There is no point in having a great-looking player that doesn't do your music tracks justice during playback. Some players will have a graphic equaliser or other sound effect programs that alter the sound output - it is recommended that you listen to any player primarily with its "clean" unaltered setting to really assess the player's ability.

Size isn't everything

Many new players are now becoming huge storage devices (at least in MP3 terms) where 16GB devices are beginning to become the norm. Unless you intend to use them with MP4 video then more isn't always better. Some people might be content to have a select amount of tracks on a smaller 2GB player - with an average capacity of around 450 tracks - but players are evolving into mini media-devices so if video is a requirement then 8, 16 and 32GB machines might be more useful in the future.

I have the Power

It's no good having all those music tracks and not having the battery life to go with it. There are players on the market that claim to have in the region of 35 hours of playback time - the reality will probably be less than that - but you need to gauge from as many reviews as you can the average time you can expect from charge-to-charge. Anything from the volume level to screen lighting serve to alter the battery level; the battery power should be a key factor in making any MP3 purchase.

The General Store

Getting the files on to a player - be it music or video files - shouldn't really be much of an issue with any player. A few (like the popular ipod) require their own software to add files while many others are essentially USB storage devices that work in the "drag and drop" style when connected to a PC. Many players will be compatible with Windows Media Player 10 or 11 (which generally comes standard with Windows) enabling all your stored music to be transferred as and when needed.

Beauty is only skin-deep

When you buy any expensive piece of technology you want it to look aesthetically pleasing to the eye - be warned though that looks aren't everything. An MP3 player may have that fashionable look that gets everyone's attention; ultimately it's only the shell that keeps the important parts protected from the elements. A player must be a practical piece of kit first over any thoughts of style.

Just a few pointers in the confusing world of MP3 players - you may eventually be able to make a considered choice once you figure out what are the most important features for you.

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