Sandisc MP3 Player

Earlier this summer I decided it was time to move on from the iRiver MP3 Player I have been using for the past 5 years and purchased a Sandisc MP3 Player. Because I wanted something incredibly small and lightweight I considered the iPod Nano and the Sandisk Sansa Clip.

I tried to compare specifications on the iPod Nano vs the Sandisk Sansa Clip but the sad reality is Sandisk doesn’t offer much technical information compared to Apple. For example the iPod Nano covers the entire range of audible frequency response the human ear can detect -20-20,000 Hz. Scandisk doesn’t even mention it.

The iPod Nano MP3 Player comes in 9 different colors the Sandisk Clip MP3 Player comes in Silver, Red, and Black. There is a 16GB version of the iPod Nano whereas the largest clip is 8GB. The Nano includes a small lcd screen the clip does not.

So you might be thinking why in the world did I buy the Sandisk Clip?

Here are the reasons I bought the Sandisc MP3 Player and not the iPod Nano:

• Price – I paid less than $40 for the 2GB Black Model
• Size – I wanted the smallest dimensions
• Ease of use – USB for PC Drag and Drop

I want to listen to music while I run, bike, play outside. I don’t want to worry if I accidentally drop the player. If I break the Scandisk MP3 Player I can buy 2 more for the price of the iPod Nano. 2GB is 30 hours of 4 minute MP3’s on average. I use it for an hour or two at a time. I already have 280 songs uploaded, and I don’t need to put every song I’ve ever owned on the thing while I workout.

The clip is very convenient as it can be attached just about anywhere on any piece of clothing. To be honest I have no idea how good the headphones are because I’ve never used them. I bought a pair of Sony earbuds I like and I’ve use them.

Should I be concerned about sound quality? Yes and no. The Sansa Clip sounds just fine to me. It’s plenty loud and seems well balanced. After all I’m not looking for audiophile quality sound in a portable unit that I’m going to use while working out. The Apple iPod Nano probably sounds a bit better, but is is 3x the money better?

Loading songs onto the Scandisk Clip is simple. You plug it into your USBPort (The device includes a dongle so its very easy) and drag and drop. I didn’t think about Mac Compatibility because I use a PC. If you have a Mac you should probably avoid the Clip because the System Requirements on the Sandisk site mention only Windows machines.

For my money and convenience and my uses the Sansa Clip has been pretty good so far. I’ve only been using it a couple of months. My only concern is the battery is not replaceable so if it wears out prematurely then I’ll have to just toss the clip in the trash. But again, I can buy 2 more for the price of the cheapest iPod Nano.

What do you think? Do you have an Apple iPod Nano MP3 Player or a Sandisk Clip MP3 Player? Why did you buy one over the other?

Note: Sandisk is spelled with a “k” I was surprised at how many people search for it with a “c”… I even found myself wondering until I went to their website to verify it. However there are a ton of people who search for scandisc or scandisk as well. So if you are a marketer reading this review keep in mind sometimes it matters more what your visitors use to find you than the correct spelling. I’ve intentionally misspelled the name throughout this article. Most people won’t pick up on that… until they read this!