4. Conclusion

• YP-Z5Q 2GB MP3 Player...
• • RefurbDepot
  • $49.95

This part of the portable music market is one that is starting to grow quite rapidly as solid-state flash memory gets ever cheaper. The price of the players is low enough to be almost in the impulse purchase market, and while they don't offer the same amount of capacity as hard-drive players, they offer the benefits of having no moving parts, making them ideal for use in the gym.

In this case there isn't an obvious choice, although on a personal note the aesthetics of the Sansa e200 series are more appealing. Both are almost the same size from the front; the e200 series is both heavier and deeper than the Z5, but not to the extent that it makes any difference in terms of portability. Aside from a one-time glitch on the Sansa neither player had any reliability problems, and both have a similar high level of build quality. The metal rear of the Sansa player is particularly reassuring, although the screen is a significant weak point.

The Samsung Z5 series is a clear winner in terms of sound quality and battery life, and the in-ear headphones are infinitely better than the ones supplied by Sandisk. The Sansa e200 series on the other hand is leaps and bounds ahead in terms of features and usability. The final decision as to which is the better player will come down entirely to how each individual wants to use the player.

If one intends to listen to music in while working or relaxing in quiet environments, the Z5 is the better choice thanks to sound quality, and the touchpad isn't too annoying while motionless. For a regular commuter or while on a trip to the gym, the Sansa player becomes much more tempting, where its ease of use and extra features might prove helpful. The e200 series could also be recommended as a first MP3 player thanks to its features and simple use.

While these reviews covered the 2 GB players, both series offer both 4 GB and 6 GB versions as well. Deciding which is the best option is obviously a personal choice, but as both players have to be connected to a USB socket to charge, it is easy enough to copy across music at the same time. Even the 2 GB configurations hold 15-20 albums so running out of music to listen to is unlikely; for this reason, the financial saving in buying the smallest player is probably worthwhile.

Neither player has any major flaws and there really isn't a wrong choice. A final decision will have to be personal so try both - as well as the iPod Nano - before making a decision. For the sake of a final conclusion though, my choice would be the Sansa e200 for being easy to use and for the option of video playback.

Join our discussion on this topic

Speak out in the DenGuru reader survey!