There are literally thousands of mp3 players out there to choose from: from Apple’s iPod Shuffle, to Newsmy’s ManMan A1, the selection is seemingly endless. I have personally gone through the process of reviewing the mp3 variety out there, and after a couple of hours of comparing specs and reading reviews, I came to the conclusion that the SanDisk Sansa Clip+ 2GB was the best choice for an under-$50 budget. Placed side by side with products in this price range, and of similarly reputable origin, the Sansa clip+ is the best choice for a number of reasons. Below is my take on the device, with an over yearlong relationship consisting of near daily usage as personal reference.
First, the Sansa Clip+ is very affordable for its specs, with 2GB being the cheapest available variation of the Clip+. As this device originates from SanDisk, the mp3 player comes with an integrated MicroSD card slot for memory addition ranging from 2-32GB. Simply insert a MicroSD card into the side slot to double, triple, quadruple, or more-fold its capacity. The Clip+ additionally offers FM Radio, with station Favorite selection and a Record function which can be used to both voice-record, and to record directly from the radio. Usage of both the Radio and the Recorder is very simple and straightforward, with all recordings becoming accessible instantly after saving.
In comparison, Apple’s iPod shuffle 2GB offers none of these features, and it begins at $49 in the Apple store, versus $40 for the Clip+ at SanDisk’s own store.
Second are the physical attributes of the Clip+. It uses an inch wide OLED screen which displays a variety of information ranging from the Main Menu selections, to Artist Name, Song title, Song timer, and battery life. The arrangement of information and its visibility are great at max display brightness; brightness is easily modified at the Setting menu. Additionally, the Clip+ includes a clip on its backside, hence the name. The clip itself is rather sturdy and easily grips to clothes to prevent it from falling, while increasing accessibility by remaining clipped versus staying in-pocket. Another benefit of the clip lies in its easy to utilize navigation setup. Whether it’s in a pocket, or clipped on your shirt or pants, you can easily navigate to the next song, pause/play, increase/decrease the volume, or turn the device off.
The Clip+ utilizes the common USB to Mini-USB cable for charging and file accessing from your computer, whilst the iPod shuffle requires a rather exclusive jack to USB cable.
Lastly lie this SanDisk’s system perks, including a large file support range with MP3, WMA, secure WMA, Audible, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, and even audio books and podcasts, with all playing back effortlessly. I personally enjoyed that Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, and audio books were supported, in addition to the fact that there’s a customizable Equalizer setting which lets you choose a preset or create your own EQ with which to listen to the variety of files with.
The headphones which are bundled with the mp3 player are average at best, so I would highly suggest getting a pair of good in-ear headphones, and customizing your own EQ to enjoy your sound in the best possible manner.
The SanDisk is a great choice for those of you that are looking for a small, affordable mp3 player. The features it offers are great, and don’t come standard in many of its competition, much less for the price range of 30-40 dollars. Seriously consider this device if your budget is limited, or if you’d simply rather not spend much on an audio playing device. Its easy to use setup makes it a great gift, specifically for those that aren’t technologically inclined, such as younger children, or the elderly. If you still believe the SanDisk Clip+ is not what you’re looking for, I sincerely wish you good luck in your search, you’ll need it!
Oh, and keep researching and reading reviews for all products you choose to buy online, that’s infinitely necessary to receive what you’re looking for, rather than something you’ll be looking to return upon opening.
