MP3 PLAYERS

A FEW YEARS AGO YOU LOOKED POSH IF YOU HAD A 32MB MP3 PLAYER. NOW YOU CAN FIT UP TO 60GB OF MUSIC IN YOUR POCKET. SO GET READY TO RIP YOUR ENTIRE CD COLLECTION AS WE DELVE INTO THE ROCKING WORLD OF HARD DISK MP3 PLAYERS

Creative Jukebox Zen Xtra

Manufacturer:	Price:
Creative Labs	£249.99 inc VAT
Reviewer:	Review Date:
	Dec 2004

	OVERALL RATING

SCORE

2/6

Verdict: Enough space for a complete music collection but it looks dated

When you first pick up the Zen Xtra, there's a strong urge to pull it open and put a cassette tape inside. This feeling soon passes as you realise you are, in fact, in the 21st century and spandex is no longer fashionable attire.

The most notable feature of the Zen Xtra is the huge 60GB capacity, which is enough for a modern desktop PC, never mind an MP3 player. With this much space, you don't have to be picky about what music you take with you, and you'll probably have a little extra space for storing some videos or other important data too.

However, while the Zen Xtra has capacity on its side, the sound quality isn't quite so luxurious. Creative is best known for its top-notch sound cards, but the sound quality produced by the Zen Xtra is below average. EAX support is included if you want music to sound as though it was recorded in a well by a drunken choir, but there's a useful set of equalisers for tailoring the sound to your liking.

At £250 the Zen Xtra is overpriced, especially considering the relatively poor sound quality and bulky, dated design. We also can't help wondering how many people really want to carry 60GB of music around with them.

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