The Archos 5 is a beautifully designed portable video player with a stunning screen and very good audio and video playback.

A fairly impressive portable media player, the Sony Walkman NWZ-E436F doesn't do anything incredible and it has a few niggling issues but its combination of good quality video playback and intuitive interface make it a viable choice.

If any player could make fashion-conscious iPod users jump ship, it's this one; it may be the one digital music device that has more aesthetic appeal than an iPod.

If you prefer something extremely lightweight that integrates with a lot of third-party speakers and accessories, the fourth-generation 16GB iPod Nanos may be a better choice. All of these devices are available for about the same price as the Zune, so unless you're a big fan of Zune's software and the Zune Marketplace, you can probably find a better value elsewhere.

New features coupled with lower prices increase the second-generation model's appeal, but this version of the Touch doesn't supply enough incentive for existing owners to upgrade.

If you are looking for a new media player, the fourth-generation iPod Nano certainly merits consideration, but if you already own an Nano — especially a third-generation one — you may want to think twice before upgrading.

For the professionals who can afford it, the Epson P-6000 is a good tool for storing photos between shoots. For other users that don't need to quickly switch between cards, however, it's just an unnecessary and expensive toy — especially when the price of laptops is so low.

In some ways it's hard to fault the functionality of the Epson P-7000. It's easy to use, has a relatively responsive interface and plenty of storage. However, it's quite expensive. Before you buy, make sure you're serious about your photography and that the P-7000 will better serve your needs than alternatives, such as a cheap ultraportable laptop.

We love the functionality of this player, but its design isn't particularly good. We much prefer the bigger Zen to the Zen Mozaic.

Another impressive portable media player, the Samsung YP-S3 suffers from a sluggish interface but is otherwise a good unit that offers a bevy of features in a slim package.

The Creative ZEN X-Fi continues the tradition of past ZEN players, offering a compelling alternative to the iPod range. However, Wi-Fi and the X-Fi modes are poorly implemented and don't bring much to the table.

The iRiver Lplayer is an impressive portable media player. It offers a host of features, has a good quality screen and comes at a low price. Just a few niggling interface and control issues detract from what is otherwise a strong iPod nano competitor.