MP3 Audio Player Review

The Good

Decent battery life; good size storage space; large screens for easy viewing; reasonable price point for both models

The Bad

Nano lacks FM tuner and wireless synching; Zune adds pre-loaded content and is not compatible with MAC

The Bottom Line

Choosing between the iPod Nano and the Zune is more going to be a matter of feature preference. If you must have an FM tuner, then the Zune is going to win. Otherwise, things look better for the iPod Nano MP3 audio player.

Review

If you’re going to be purchasing an MP3 audio player, two of the top choices you might want to consider are the Apple iPod Nano or a Microsoft Zune. Both of these players come from major players in the industry but which MP3 audio player is better?

The Nano MP3 audio player comes in either an 8 GB or a 16 GB model. Either model is going to come with a 2-inch LCD screen that includes a backlight so you can navigate your library or play games even when the room is dark. On a full charge, you’re going to be able to play music for about 24 hours without having to recharge the built-in batteries.

The Zune MP3 audio player comes in a number of different sizes, including sizes as small as a 4 GB model and as larger as 120 GB. The screen is smaller at 1.8 inches. The battery life is about the same as for the Nano.

One difference between the two models is that the Zune allows for wireless syncing with your computer. That means you could be in another part of your home or possibly even outdoors and you could update your song library. Another extra feature is the FM tuner which is not available on the Nano.

On the other hand, the Nano does come in more color options than does the Zune. The Zune is only available in black while the Nano comes in eight colors. The color options have been a hit with most consumers who love the idea of having a unique looking MP3 audio player.

The difference in price between the two choices is insignificant most of the time. You may save a few dollars by choosing one over the other but that’s about it. However, there is a difference in size. Although the weight of both MP3 audio player models is comparable, the Zune is slightly larger despite having a smaller screen. However, both models are fairly small and easy to carry around.

By choosing either of these MP3 audio player models, you’ll be getting a flash based memory system for the storage of your files. This is a good choice because Flash is sturdier than traditional hard drives. One of the common complaints about the Zune is the pre-loaded content which includes not just games (these are also pre-loaded on the Nano) but also music and videos. Also, only the iPod MP3 audio player models will work on both PC and MAC computers.

Check out my other guide on flash mp3 players and car cd player