Group Test: MP3 jukeboxes

Overview: Price comparison: Apple iPod 5G Website: www.apple.com/uk Size (WxHxD): 61x104x14mm Weight: 156g (60GB), 136g (30GB) File formats: AAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, Audible, Apple Lossless Battery life: Audio - 20 hours (60GB), 14 hours (30GB), Video - 3.5 hours (60GB), 2 hours (30GB) Storage capacity: 60GB or 30GB Plus points: Extremely versatile, lovely screen, intuitive controls Minus points: Battery life for video is poor, lack of accessories

Apple iPod 5G

First off we have to stress that Apple's latest player is very much an iPod with video capability rather than an 'iPod video', so for this reason we're not going to harp on about this new feature. OK, well maybe just for a bit...

With a choice of 30 or 60GB storage (for the record we tested the 60GB model) the new iPod has a been fitted with a luscious and wonderfully crisp 320x240 pixel, 2.5in screen for those of you who want to buy music videos off iTunes (What, no takers? Don't worry, with a bit of patience and some extra software you're able to convert your own files into MP4 or H.264 and bung them on there too).

You're also able to stream these videos stored on the iPod onto a TV with an appropriate AV cable. However, it's pretty clear that video functionality is very much work in progress. With a battery life of a paltry 3.5 hours and an even more ropey two hours for the 30GB model, the iPod is still at heart a music player, and thankfully this feature is every bit as good as it always was.

But while battery life for video playback is a little suspect, for audio this new model will soldier on for a healthy 20 hours (albeit with a baffingly inferior 14 hours for the 30GB model). Audio quality is as good as ever, especially with a decent pair of headphones (not supplied) and using the memory-hungry Apple Lossless format, although AAC isn't bad either. The useability and speed of iTunes along with the ever-growing library of the iTunes Music Store, continues to make a mockery of pretty much all other file management software on the market. Another bonus is that despite now being able to play audio and video as well as displaying photos, the unit itself actually manages to be slimmer than previous generations and although the screen may be a little on the small side for video playback, it's still the biggest in the group.

While complaints about faulty or short-lived iPods seem to be multiplying as fast as new podcasts, and although with each iPod generation that passes the supplied accessories are falling away faster than Michael Jackson's fan base (come on Apple, throw in that dock like you used to), there's still no doubt that the iPod still offers the best all-round performance for your money.

Overview: Price comparison: Creative Zen Sleek Photo Website: www.creative.com/uk Size (WxHxD): 59x101x17mm Weight: 157g File formats: MP3, WAV, WMA Battery life: 19 hours Storage capacity: 20GB Plus points: Great sounding, lots of features, good screen Minus points: A bit chunky, controls are fiddly

Creative Zen Sleek Photo

Here at AVReview Towers we're in a continual state of shock at the pace with which the gadget world moves. No sooner had Creative's top dog arrived at our door than we learned of an imminent new pup, the video-enabled Zen Vision: M. However, this won't be here till the new year, so for now we'll have to be content with the 20GB Zen Sleek Photo.

Essentially a colour screen version of the Zen Sleek, this aluminium-coated brute has the indestructible solidity of a hi-tec Wayne Rooney. Unfortunately that's not the only similarity with England's boy wonder - even up against the far larger capacity 60GB iPod 5G, the Zen Sleek Photo looks like it's had one pie too many. Nevertheless, in terms of audio performance, the Zen Sleek Photo is fantastic - it's warm, full and will go to ear-bleedingly loud volumes (if you're into aural torture, that is). It's also great that the bundled headphones don't have to be swiftly discarded for being crummy - these ones are by far the best in the group. With the option of MP3, WMA and WAV playback, there's plenty of format choice and usefully it's compatible with a variety of music subscription services such as Napster.

Now, we've never been a huge fan of Creative's touch pads and sure enough the vertical slide bar and button combo is needlessly awkward and takes time to master. However, the photo viewer is certainly a welcome option and if it weren't for Toshiba and Apple, we'd be fairly impressed by its 1.7in BriteVue OLED screen (although it's a mystery why you can't watch your pics and listen to music at the same time). The bundled software is decent though and music transfers are made swift and hassle-free with the ability to drag-and-drop your files.

The on-board FM tuner, voice recorder and meaty 19 hours battery life (that's 5 more than the equivalent iPod) are definite perks, but there are others in the group that just shade it for overall desirability.

Overview: Price comparison: Samsung YH-925 Website: www.samsung.com/uk Size (WxHxD): 62x107x17mm Weight: 150g File formats: WMA, Audible, MP3 Battery life: 10 hours Storage capacity: 20GB Plus points: Player is easy to operate, well built, loads of features Minus points: Horrible software, poor battery life, mediocre sound

Samsung perhaps isn't a name most would closely associate with MP3 players. But y'know, we've always admired this manufacturer's penchant for producing humungous TV screens, and indeed this lavish trend looks to have filtered down to the YH-925 - it packs more features than you could shake a giant's walking stick at.

But whereas huge TVs are unequivocally A GOOD THING, the same can't be said for portable music players. It's not that the YH-925 is hideously large, far from it, but it's a bit of a plain jane with its undesirable chunkiness and generally uninspired design. However, the whole unit feels extremely well put together and we were actually quite relieved to find a control pad that isn't trying desperately to trump the iPod's click-wheel - this one's wonderfully simple and straightforward to operate. Sound quality perhaps could be a little fuller although it will go up to silly volumes if you want it to. The 1.8in display is a good size, but it's let down by a grainy 160x128 resolution that makes photo viewing far less satisfying than on the more vibrant Gigabeat or iPod 5G.

Oh, and did we mention battery life? It's a measly ten hours, which really doesn't cut it in this day and age. However, if you thought that was bad, things get much more pear-shaped with the software, which is, frankly, shocking. The interface is horribly lumpen and the design looks like it's come from that distant age when Commodore was king. We particularly disliked having to use one set of software for uploading photos and another for music.

But hey, it's not all doom and gloom. If you want a jack-of-all-trades player then you've come to the right place. Other than the photo viewer, there's a pretty good FM tuner, a voice recorder with an easy to operate one touch record function and a line-in for direct MP3 recording (at a maximum 160kbps). It even has the ability to act as a USB hub for taking pictures directly from a compatible digital camera, which is a great little feature.

We could recommend the YH-925 on the basis that it's well made, functional and has some really useful extras. However, dodgy software we can just about live with, but poor battery life and unspectacular sound quality mean that you should probably look elsewhere.

Overview: Price comparsion: Sony NW-A3000 Website: www.sony.co.uk Size (WxHxD): 65x104x21mm Weight: 182g File formats: ATRAC, MP3 Battery life: 35 hours Storage capacity: 20GB Plus points: Interesting design, sounds good, great battery life Minus points: Software still not right, no colour screen

Sony's new Walkman has attracted more publicity than a Jordan photo shoot, and indeed we were perspiring like overexcited teenagers in anticipation of this latest 'iPod killer'. So can the 20GB A3000 be the one to finally live up to this somewhat cursed tag?

One of the biggest selling points of the A3000 is its 'organic' OLED screen, which basically means that the screen is meant to be seamless, invisible and downright beautiful - just like on Sony's recent flash player range. However, we were a tad underwhelmed - the slightly blurred green and black visuals unfortunately rekindled memories of nineties Nokia mobile phones and the screen is not nearly as 'invisible' as we were led to believe. However, the unit itself is extremely chic (and available in a couple of colours - sick purple is best avoided though), curvaceous and easy to hold in the hand. And although showing up more thumb prints than a forensic crime scene, it's refreshing to see a design that isn't merely mimicking the iconic look of the iPod.

More importantly, the sound quality is as full and crisp as you'd expect from a Sony product. The company has clearly worked on the functionality of the device, with a variety of shuffle and search functions being welcome additions. With a mamomoth 35 hours of playback time, battery life is another strong point. There's a slight problem with loading times when searching through songs, but overall the player is a big improvement on what's come before.

But for those following Sony's fortunes in the increasingly aggressive MP3 player wars, it's no secret that the software department is where Sony has been found totally outflanked. In response, out has gone the much-maligned SonicStage and in its place is CONNECT Player. Truth is though, it's not a big step forward - operation is still too clunky and so slow you'll have grown stubble by the time file transfers are completed (you too gadget girls, we're really not talking high speed here). Although some iTunes-esque innovations have been implemented (for example star-ratings), Sony still needs to get the software right if it's to be serious about tackling the iPod.

Overview: Price comparison: Toshiba Gigabeat Website: www.toshiba.co.uk Size (WxHxD): 63x106x16 mm (20GB) Weight: 160g File formats: WMA, WAV, MPEG 1 Audio, MP3 Battery life: 16 hours Storage capacity: 10GB, 20GB, 40GB or 60GB Plus points: Well designed, great screen, good value Minus points: Not the best for sound, control system takes some getting used to

We've no idea what a 'gigabeat' is. Maybe in the technological family tree it's a gigabyte's much cooler, more musical half-brother. Whatever, broody old Toshiba has spawned four of them - the 10GB, 20GB, 40GB and 60GB models. And as middle siblings almost always get ignored (yup, it still hurts after all these years mum) we've plucked out the 20GB F20 for review.

Out of the box, things begin impressively with the F20 boasting the sort of smooth, coiffeured appearance that even scalpel-shaved pop maestro Craig David would struggle to match. Nestling in this aluminium sheen is a cross slider control bar (or the 'Plus Cross' to give it its official title) that by and large makes controlling the device reasonably easy, even if it's a little unresponsive. It's looking increasingly unlikely the ergonomic iPod click-wheel will ever be beaten, but Toshiba's control bar is one of more innovative alternatives we've used.

The screen is also rather neat - although at 2.25 inches it's a whole 0.25in smaller than the 5G iPod, the 240x320 pixel QVGA resolution still makes those photo slide shows look great. For music playback the Gigabeat perhaps doesn't quite have the audio muscle of the others here, with the lack of bass and overall volume a niggling worry even after faffing about with the EQ settings. Nevetheless, you do get some crazy little animations on the screen while the music pumps out, which amused our tiny minds no end (no, we don't get out much).

There's plenty elsewhere to recommend too. The 16 hours of battery life is par for the course and the supplied 'gigabeat room' software (these iffy names are really piling up now) is quick to install and easy to get to grips with, even if its grey slab of an interface won't be taking home any style awards. Also, it's the only player in the group to supply a docking cradle as standard, and not only that, on the front of it is a nifty button allowing you to burn your CDs straight to the player itself. You can pick up the F20 for around a meagre £150 at the moment, which incidentally is the same price as a Butlins family break in Bognor. We know which one we'd rather go for this Christmas.