Benq Joybee 120 review

5 November 2003 0:00 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Smaller than a box of matches and covered in metal, the rather small yet sexy looking Joybee is a very stylish attempt at creating MP3 players for the style conscious music listening public.

Apart from the 128MB of internal memory the player also boasts FM radio, voice and radio recording capabilities as well as the ability to play MP3s and WMA (Windows Media Audio) files.

Controls are well placed around the unit and volume control has been placed on the headphones. Power is provided by the internal Lithium-Ion battery keeping running costs low Benq promise 16 hours running time- enough for a week’s work of playback on the train to and from work, but clearly more complex functions than playback are best performed on a full charge.

Style is at the top of the list as well. All the power cables fit snugly into the carry case provided in the box and the unit is available in three colours - orange, lime and for the less adventurous silver.

Verdict

The only real setback to this player is the volume control placed on the headphones. For true audiophiles this means that you won't be able to switch out the set for your own without using the menu system to change the volume and use the Hold function, so anyone who hates in-ear headphones will have to take the Joybee off the top of the shortlist.

That said with all the features the Joybee offers there would be enough to keep any solid state MP3 fan happy. If you then look at the price, Benq has managed to do this all for under £90 making this a fantastic deal for anyone concerned. The name says that it's a Joybee and for once the name really does say it all.

Score

Review Recap

Made by: BenQ
Price as reviewed: £89
The good: Cheap, also plays WMA, battery life
The bad: Volume control on headphone cable
Quick verdict: Definitely worth shortlisting if you don’t mind using the menu system to change volume when upgrading headphones; apart from this bugbear it’s a steal at £90
Score
Winner