2. K3 - Nice Screen, Shame About The Photos

The "visual EQ" on the menu is an alternative to the screensaver, though you won't see either when the screen times out. Oddly, you can't choose to see album art, even though there's a photo viewer. Samsung has used the extra millimeters for a larger screen than the nano, although it looks larger still because it's portrait rather than landscape - one very welcome feature in the photo viewer is that images automatically rotate so you always see the full image without black bars down the side. Unfortunately, although the screen is bright and basic graphics look good on it, photos are disappointing. Samsung Media Studio automatically reduces the resolution of images you copy across to save space; if you don't use that, photos look pixilated and even if you do the colors are inaccurate.

The headphones supplied are standard in-ear buds with optional foam covers that make them a little more comfortable. The cable has a good length and a slider to keep the separate sides tidy, but the sound quality is only average - like most players, the K3 sounds far better with a good set of headphones. The headphone jack and connector are on the base of the player, which is convenient. Unfortunately, this is the standard Samsung connector rather than standard mini-USB, so you have to pack your cable if you want to charge or sync on the road. Alternately, you can buy a car charger or FM transmitter with that connection, instead of using the same one as other mini USB connected devices. It may be the proprietary connection that makes transferring files fast, though - they move across at nearly twice the speed we experienced with the Creative Zen V.

Battery life for listening to music is spot on the 20 hours that Samsung claims, and listening to music is what you'll want to use the K3 for. It looks good and it sounds good, and while there are few options, that means less time spent setting things up and more time listening.