What MP3 player should I buy?

[MrPahoehoe]

I fancy buying an mp3 player, but don't know what to get. I've always liked the i-pod nano, but they are fairly pricey and i've started to hear a few things that I don't like the sound of (e.g. I'm a pc user and would have to convert all my current mp3s before uploading them, dodgy screen, etc?).

But all the alternatives seem like a step down or appear to have flaws of their own.

I fancy one with a capacity of somewhere between 3-10gb, but size is probably more important than capacity: the smaller the better.

Any suggestions would be extremely appreciated. Thanks for your time!

[Retro]

Stick to cd players. They are just better.

[Morrisonker]

I've heard good things about Creative Zens, I bought a Creative Zen Micro and although I've had problems with it, the larger models seem to be very reliable.

[Doodah71]

According to BBC's watchdog the Apple i-Pods are full of faults and their customer services are worse than useless.

I'd opt for something else if I were you.

[scubadiver]

I bought a Creative Zen 60Gig Jukebox a couple of years ago, because I had concerns about the iPod.

Excellent piece of kit - great sound, good battery life and easy to use. Oh and I have never had any problems with it.

It is probably too large for what you are looking for, but as a brand, I can highly recommend Creative Labs.

[the_gooner]

myself i've got a "rio carbon" great machine, had it a while no probs, 6 gb hard drive, and after a survey at work of people with different players, the rio sounds the best, which is the point not what it looks like(little dig the ipod)

[dippy_dumbo]

I've had a Creative Zen Micro since March and I've had so much trouble with it!

However, I have heard that the larger models, such as the Creative Zen, are much better than the Micro version.

[bancodegaia]

I've had my creative zen jukebox for just on a year, use it virtually every day and I've not had an ounce of trouble from it even when I dropped onto concrete from 6 feet up. Good sound, easy to use, good battery life but may be too big for you if size matters to you that much.

[Deore]

get an ipod any day of the week

[homer75]

I can't see past the iriver stuff -- not as trendy as the ipods but cheaper and, in my opinion, better.

[SuRichardson]

I can heartily recommend the larger Creative Zen mp3 players. I bought a 40gb model nearly two years ago. File transfer is easy. Sound quality is excellent as is the battery life. The Zen Sleek Touch seems also to get good reviews

[DiscoStu]

I really like the Creative range. I've got a Muvo N200, and although it's only 512mb, I've had no problems with it and the sound quality is better than the Shuffle, which it competes against. AND it's got a radio. I have friends with larger Creative players who also rave about them.

A new alternative which another friend has just bought (but which I have yet to see and hear) is the Sony A1000. It's a 6GB machine and has a gorgeous floating display. Certainly, from the Sony site, and the press I've read, it does look great.