SanDisk Sansa Clip MP3 player review

Can this challenge Creative and Apple?

28 January 2008 13:00 GMT / By Stephen Patrick

SanDisk may be better known for its wide range of memory keys but it’s increasingly getting involved with MP3 players through its Sansa line.

This small and palm-sized player is aimed as a direct rival to the iPod Shuffle and the Creative Zen Stone but tries to bring a little flair of its own.

Coming in 2GB and now 4GB sizes it isn’t going to compete against larger devices but like the shuffle or the Stone, if you just want something for the gym or for the commute, it’s great.

It’s a tiny device and measures 56 x 36 x 13mm, but still manages to cram in a 25mm screen. True, this is only an LED display but it packs a lot more information than the one on the Zen.

The build is solid and as the name implies, there’s a clip on the back of the unit so you can attach to your collar. There's a dedicated volume on the right-hand side and a lock so the controls can’t be nudged in your pocket.

We particularly like the Home key, which as you’d expect gets you straight back to the start menu, which saves scrolling through when you want to change tunes.

When it comes to volume, we found it louder than we expected and while the quality isn’t anything exceptional, we found it acceptable for the price.

Charged via using USB whenever you plug it into your notebook or PC, the software is easy to use and it easily synchronises users Windows Media Player.

Verdict

The SanDisk Sansa Clip is a great little player that deserves to be as widely recognised as the shuffle or Zen Stone. If you don’t want to get tied down to iTunes, it makes a great choice.

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Review Recap

Made by: SanDisk
Price as reviewed: £35
The good: Small, neat, easy to use
The bad: Needs more storage
Quick verdict: This is a great little MP3 player with a decent sound quality and a worthy rival to the shuffle or Zen Stone
Score