The Sandisk Sansa Fuze is another solid entry into the flash-based media player market. It has a nice array of features and delivers excellent audio, although the lack of gapless playback was annoying at times.

Another solid MP3 dock from Altec Lansing, the T612 produces extremely energetic audio and works in conjunction with the iPhone. However, users should note that iPhone connectivity could use some work.

While it does the job just fine, iRiver's flash based portable media player the E100 does have a few niggling issues that set it back a notch from some of the competition.

Despite our qualms regarding its internal menus, the Sansa View is a well-rounded portable player with an attractive design, good colour quality, and clear sound.

The iRiver Clix 2nd Generation is a lightweight, easy-to-use flash-based player, with a nice display and fairly good sound.

Is the wireless worth it? At $150 for a 4GB player, the Sansa Connect isn't cheap. But with a MicroSD slot included for expansion, and the ability to pull down songs from any location that has an open access point, the device's lack of storage isn't a big deal. As the first truly useful wireless MP3 player, the Connect is sure to become a popular gadget.

The SanDisk Sansa e280 does many things well and, despite some gripes, we were impressed. But if the SanDisk Sansa e280 is to compete with iPod nano it needs a few design tweaks.

For videos, music, photos and more, you can't beat the Zen. It's one of the most versatile players on the market, it's well built and it'll give you many hours of enjoyment.

A strong competitor to Apple's iPod nano, the Samsung T10 combines a touch style interface with a great screen and a robust array of features.

All in all, the 80GB Zune is a decent choice as an 80GB MP3 player. It sounds great, its interface isn't a hindrance, and its pricing is right in line with the competition. Accessories and features such as premium headphones and an FM tuner give it at least one area where it's a step up from an iPod Classic, and if you're interested in wireless syncing, this could be the player for you.

We need hardly add that the Sony Walkman NWZ-A818 is a player of rare beauty with quality Walkman-branded earphones adding to the appeal. Its black brushed metal is less shiny than its predecessors and we wish Sony had sorted out somewhere other than round the back for the Hold button; other than that, it's hard to fault.

It's got fewer bells and whistles, but the Archos 405 mirrors the impressive performance of the Archos 605 WiFi at a more manageable price.