The Sony S-Series Walkman is very inexpensive and easy to use ; it offers support for multiple audio codecs as well as subscription music and Amazon video ; photos and videos look great on the big, bright screen ; audio quality is superb and the rated ...

The Sony S-Series Walkman no longer offers noise cancellation or upgraded headphones ; there's no podcast support, SenseMe Channels, or on-the-go playlists ; getting video onto the device can be a hassle

The Sony S-Series Walkman is a solid entry-level MP3 player thanks to its ultra-affordable price tag, user-friendly design, excellent performance, and fair smattering of features--but those who are looking to upgrade from the previous generation will ...

The SanDisk Sansa Clip+ is very inexpensive ; it has a solid, pocket-friendly design with dedicated volume controls and a built-in belt-clip ; it's easy to use ; and it offers a plethora of handy features, including a MicroSD card slot, Rhapsody DNA, ...

The SanDisk Sansa Clip+ could stand to have better battery life and support for AAC ; the monochrome display is small and may be hard for some to read

The SanDisk Sansa Clip+ is an excellent successor to the line, offering a fitness-friendly design with a built-in belt-clip, a simple interface, solid sound quality, and plenty of handy features--all for an ultralow price. It's an unbeatable value.

Wi-Fi radio with an alarm clock design ; Slacker streaming ; graphical weather updates ; USB port for playing MP3, WMA, and Real Audio files ; AM/FM tuner ; can record Internet radio and AM/FM content to internal memory ; relatively inexpensive

Annoying hiss audible when music isn't playing ; connectivity seems less reliable than other radios ; no dual-alarm functionality ; has a cheap look and feel

The Acoustic Research ARIR200 offers lots of unique features with an alarm clock-friendly design, but it has a few quirks and shortcomings that keep us from wholeheartedly recommending it.

The Philips GoGear Vibe MP3 player offers music, video, photo, radio and voice recording features, and great battery life for about $50

The design is uninspired and the navigation controls are an insult to common sense

The Philips GoGear Vibe isn't the best budget MP3 player we've seen, but its enviable color screen, photo viewer, and video playback make it one of the most well-rounded in the $50 category.

The Haier America Trainer is ultracompact and light and includes a built-in clip. The player features an FM tuner as well as several handy fitness-friendly extras such as a heart rate monitor, a pedometer, and a stop watch. It comes with useful ...

The Trainer doesn't support playlists and the pedometer is not always accurate. The fitness software is Windows only

The Haier America Trainer is a suitable option for fitness fanatics who want to kill multiple birds with one stone, as it's an MP3 player, a pedometer, a heart rate monitor, and has fitness-tracking software in one handy package.

The Sony X-Series Walkman is a solid device with a sleek, utilitarian design and a unique, engaging interface ; it's compatible with both Mac and Windows and supports podcasts from iTunes and videos from Amazon Unbox ; it offers a plethora of features ...

The X-Series is expensive, and it's a fingerprint magnet. The included app does not transcode much video adequately

The X-Series is a superb choice for audiophiles who want a luxury device with an excellent touch-screen interface and plenty of other bells and whistles.

The Sony X-Series Walkman is a solid device with a sleek, utilitarian design and a unique, engaging interface ; it's compatible with both Mac and Windows and supports podcasts from iTunes and videos from Amazon Unbox ; it offers a plethora of features ...

The X-Series is expensive, and it's a fingerprint magnet. The included app does not transcode much video adequately

The X-Series is a superb choice for audiophiles who want a luxury device with an excellent touch-screen interface and plenty of other bells and whistles.

The EzCube FM transmitter provides a clear and strong signal in a supercompact package that's compatible with any MP3 player

The EzCube FM transmitter has no mounting option, making for a messy setup. It doesn't charge the device connected to it

The Eznex ENA7000 EzCube FM transmitter is a great performer in a teeny, tiny package, and is a good choice if you don't mind the messy setup.

The Samsung U5 is an inexpensive MP3 player with plenty of file format support, an above-average voice recorder, FM radio, an integrated USB stick, and a useful fitness program

The U5 holds only 2GB of music, the screen is miniscule, and there's no support for AAC or Audible files

If you're looking for a small, practical MP3 player to throw in your gym bag, the Samsung U5 is a great option that won't break the bank.

The Samsung Q2 is incredibly inexpensive and offers solid sound quality, a nice screen, and a decent array of features, such as an FM tuner, voice recording, and games

The Samsung Q2 has a cheap, plastic design that's generic looking. There's no dedicated volume, and the touch-pad interface is not ideal for all users

The Samsung Q2 offers excellent bang for your buck thanks to its rock-bottom pricing, plentiful features, lovely screen, and solid sound quality.