8. Archos XS100: Bigger, Then Smaller

Archos seems to make a point of not doing things like everybody else. While other manufacturers were stressing design above all and following Apple's lead in offering Microdrive players, this French manufacturer was offering a 20 GB player for an equivalent size and price. And now, when everybody is joining the race toward higher capacities for their mini-players, Archos has brought one out that has the smallest capacity on the market - only 3 GB! Its official target is yuppies, but its intense colors (Volcanic Black, Funky Pink, Ice Grey, and Techno Blue) should also appeal to teenagers. At least the low price - $170, below the important $200 psychological barrier - should certainly be a factor in persuading their parents to buy them one.

But is the unit a good buy? We can say yes from an aesthetic standpoint, at least. It's not as massive as the other players from Archos, and quite chic with its blue backlighting. As for ergonomics, as is usual with Archos, transferring files from the computer to the player and navigating within the player are sublimely simple. Not only can you simply drag and drop files into the right folder, but the ArcLibrary software classifies them by artist, album, and genre on the fly. On the other hand, the absence of a separate Hold button is truly a bother.

Sound quality hasn't been forgotten either; it's well balanced, and while the Archos may lack the power of the Creative and Apple players, it's still pleasant to listen to. The possibility of customizing the equalizer lets you correct any imperfections, but as is the case with most players, you'd do better to change earphones to get the most out of the sound.

In the final analysis, despite its low capacity of 3 GB, the XS100 has a lot to offer and is a very good quality/price compromise if you have a fairly small music collection.