MP3 players - is it enough

[alcina]

I want to get my mom and sis each an MP3 player as a pressie. I am wondering if the 256 or 512 or even 1gb ones hold enough music or if I should just bite the bullet and head to the $300 range? Both use their cd players all the time so I am thinking the MP3 will get a ton of use.

If bigger is the only way to go I was considering a 20GB ipod ($300 ish) but then I found the Archos Gmini 400 20GB ($340 ish). I don't understand why anyone would go the ipod for the difference?? Any thoughts?

BTW - I've had an Archos MP3 player for more than six years and loved it to death (replacing it in this shop, too)...

Anyway, really would like to know if the smaller capacity ones are adequate or just a frustrating waste.

 

[mossym]

you sure you got your prices and capacities right on the ipod and archos there? it makes the ipod look like the better deal!!!

 

[neophytediver]

Get the iPod.

 

[MtnDiver]

I would say it all depends on how computer savvy they are. With the smaller capacity players, they're going to be doing a lot of song loading & unloading. The higher capacity ones will probably hold most if not all of their music collections.

I have to say, I have a 40GB player and have every CD I own stored on it. It is pretty awesome having your entire music collection in the palm of your hand available for your immediate listening pleasure.

 

[baltimoron]

Well, I had an Archos for about the same amount of time and loved it to death. Just two months ago I swtiched two months ago when my parents got me a shiny new U2 Edition 40 gig iPod.

I would say for any good music fan, 20 gigs is sufficient. For a good starter, I would go with an iPod mini with 10 gigs. They are cool, and they are easy, and legal. IPod shuffles are a waist of time.

All that said,

ARCHOS FOREVER!!!!

 

[Kim]

Although of course it can vary a bit according to the length of the song and the sample rate used I always assume around 5 Mb for one song (many are somewhat less, occasionally they will be a bit more). That gives you at least a ballpark figure as to how many songs a player will hold and you can work it out from there. I would therefore expect to get at least 200 songs onto a 1GB drive - although in reality it could probably be as much as 10% more. A 20GB player will therefore hold more than 4000 songs - which sounds a lot to me!

 

[WaterDawg]

256 is enough

 

[alcina]

you sure you got your prices and capacities right on the ipod and archos there? it makes the ipod look like the better deal!!!

Yup, $299.99 for the 20GB ipod; $333 for the Archos Gmini 20GB. Gmini built in CF reader, full colour display, hook to tv and see your photos, transfer music into the unit from any source (that was what pushed me to Archos in the first place - mom doesn't have a computer at home). To me the gmini looks like a monster better deal than the ipod.

Thanks for the input...I think 256 is too small using those calcs you get around 60 songs. Too much fiddlin'

Looks like it's 3 x Gminis then - I'll keep checking for more input, though

 

[teknitroxdiver]

I've got a 3G 15gb iPod, and it's great. It holds all my music with lots of room to spare and is a breeze to use. I wouldn't pay the extra for the photo features, I doubt if it would get much use. I wouldn't bother with the smaller ones in the sub-1gb range, as you can't fit many songs on them, and they would constantly be swapping out songs.

 

[alcina]

BTW - I know Ipods are the "it" item, but in your own words...why do they leave the others for dust? I am just not seeing it - though agree they are tres cute. Just not sure that there aren't others that don't have the fabulous marketing that are actually better value??