Hard Disc Players
Home Up Flash Memory Players Hard Disc Players

 

From 4 GB to 60 GB

The Dell Digital Jukebox MP3 Player has a 20 GB hard disc.  Dell states it can store over 9000 songs, which should be enough for just about anyone!  It can also play WMA files and can double as a data storage unit; downloading files from your PC or laptop is easy. This player includes earphones, Music Match Jukebox version 9 Software for music library management and a 1-Year Advanced Exchange Service.  List price is $249.00.

 The Creative Zen Micro comes in the storage capacities; 4 GB ($179.99), 5 GB ($199.99) and 6 GB ($229.99). It has a very intuitive keypad and large LCD.  It can store songs at 64 kbps, but the preferred mode is at 128 kbps which is typical of MP3. The 4 GB player can still store 1000 songs at 128 kbps.  This player has received the CNET award. Battery life is 12 hours before it needs a recharge. It is available in a rainbow of colors--ten to be exact--a real selling point. 
The iRiver H10 is one of the best-looking MP3 players on the market. It has a storage capacity of 6 GB with a list price of $279.00. It features a full color LCD and an FM tuner and FM recorder so you can record right off the air. The rechargeable battery is good for up to 12 hours of play, but it also comes with an AC adapter. It comes complete with earphones, installation CD, carrying case, USB 2.0 interface cable and AC adapter.  It is available in four colors: Trance Red (shown), Remix Blue, Lounge Gray and Triple Platinum. 

It is now out of production, but is still available new through various online and retail outlets.

 The Creative Jukebox Zen Xtra has one of the largest capacity hard drives available for an MP3 player at 60 GB! That also makes it one of the most expensive players on the market at $299.00. However, it has the looks to match its price as well with a sleek brushed aluminum housing and handsome electric blue LCD. You can download files using the 2.0 USB connection and the cable is included.  The rechargeable Lithium Ion battery is good for 14 hours of play, but the Zen Xtra comes with a universal AC power adapter when you are not on the go.  It comes with the software CD to download to your laptop or PC and a travel pouch to protect its good looks.
The Apple iPOD ™ has become an icon of the MP3 audio culture. It features minimalist industrial design which is a hallmark of all the company's offerings.  It is available with either 20 GB ($299.00) or 60 GB ($399.00).  It has a 65, 536 color, 220 x 176 pixel LCD.  Its software is compatible with both PCs and MACs. Music formats include MP3, AAC and Apple Lossless. It doesn't store just music files, but thousands of photo files as well and all downloaded through the fast 2.0 USB cable supplied.  Of course, this player is a natural for use with Apple's iTunes.  The Rio Carbon features 6GB of hard disc capacity and comes with a list price of $229.99. Its Lithium Ion battery can run for nearly 20 before needing a recharge. Files are downloaded via its supplied 2.0 USB cable. It comes with earbuds, carrying case, software CD featuring Microsoft PlayForSure. Its freeform design fits easily in the hand. Rio was a pioneer in the field of MP3 players and was among the first manufacturers to bring an MP3 player to the market.  The company also offers a 5GB player for $199.00.
The Sony Network Walkman™ NW-HD3 MP3 player comes with a 20GB hard disc and features a battery life of 30 hours before needing a recharge. It playes Sony's ATRAC3plus proprietary music file compression software but also plays MP3 files. As with many other manufacturers, you can downloads music files from Sony's own website and there are over 500,000 individual tracks available.  Price is right around $299.00. Samsung's 20GB MP3 player with a list price around $250.00 has the amusing model name Yepp', but its official model number is YH-925. It features a full color LCD (Samsung is know for its digital displays). Battery life is a mere 10 hours before it must be recharged; no doubt Samsung is working to extend that.  Samsung states: "Supporting MP3, and Windows Media Audio (WMA) as well as the Secure and Janus DRM variations of the latter format, the YH-925 is compatible with all major formats. In addition, the device also supports the JPEG format for viewing photos stored on its internal drive."
.