Creative ZEN 16 GB - Expert Reviews

Award: Recommended!

Review summary: Can the new flash-based Zen give the iPod nano a run for its money?

Verdict: Creative has come up trumps with its new, flash-based, mini media player. Pitched as a direct competitor to the iPod nano it beats it on most fronts with the one exception being that its physical controls aren't quite as nice to use. It comes in a greater

Review summary: Creative's Zen 4GB is the sort of commendable digital audio player that would make serious waves in an iPod-free world.

Verdict: A decent showing from Creative, but the Creative Zen 4GB suffers from comparison with Apple's ultra-desirable iPod nano. Video playback and the SD Card slot are plus points, however.

Review summary: Creative's back with a serious-looking mini media player. How's it going to fare against Apple's ubiquitous iPod Nano?

Pros: Great screen. Excellent build. Storage capacity. Audio quality

Cons: Bulkier and less sexy than rivals. Shoddy headphones

Pros: Compact design; comes in 16GB capacity; large, sharp screen; lots of extra features, including SD-card slot; stellar audio, video quality; excellent battery life

Cons: Replaces a higher-capacity Creative player; no line-in or FM recording

Verdict: It's not the most eye-catching player out there, but the Creative Zen still has lots going for it: a beautiful screen, excellent sound quality, and good battery life.

Review summary: The Creative Zen is a lightweight, glossy multimedia player with an attractive finish. It has loads of playback options, and you can expand capacity with SD or SDHC cards. Your music will be in good hands, too, as the Zen produces clean and powerful sound

Pros: Sound quality; design; price; good range of extra features; great screen; good capacity options; SD expansion

Cons: Slightly sluggish menus; only available in black; no hard disk option; SD card contents not included in player's main menu

Verdict: The Creative Zen looks great, sounds great and produces great video. It's a full-featured player with plenty of options for customisation. Although the SD card slot is a huge bonus, its contents are not included in the player's main menu, limiting its use