Better than the Ipod Nano. Maybe. (Sony Walkman NWZ-S639F 16 GB)

Member Name: Patrick3001

Product:	Sony Walkman NWZ-S639F 16 GB
Date:	21/01/09 (797 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Better Value for Money. FM Radio. Incredible Sound Quality. Nice Earphones.

Disadvantages: Very few compatible accessories. Not as 'pretty' as the Ipod.

The chances are if your looking at this player, you're also looking at the Ipod nano, and maybe the Creative X-FI. It's a tough decision isn't it? Well I've been there too, I picked this, my wife picked the nano. The Creative will forever be a mystery - although it does look very good and would have been my second choice.

I guess which one you pick will depend on your personal preferences. I think all but the most ardent of Sony fans will admit that this thing is no looker, it has a typically Geeky/Techy sony look to it - not a sleek as the nano. So if looks and showing off to you friends is what counts then this isn't the one for you.

Where the Sony does win hands down is sound quality. If you've read the reviews you probably already know that the Nano's sound is good but not great. This really does have very good sound quality. You probably won't notice the difference unless you upgrade to some serious headphones, but it's nice to know that you're hearing the music how it should be heard. Also of note - the supplied Sony earphones are very good, I've spent £40+ on worse before.

So Sony wins on sound quality. Which you find more useable is going to come down to preference. The Apple offering has very slick interface, and "Coverflow" is a real winner, however I personally find the touch sensitive scroll wheel a bit of pain when accuracy is required. As such, I prefer sony's more traditional menu system and buttons. Both are very good though, so if you are new to MP3 players I wouldn't worry about either in this respect.

I would suggest that Apple wins in the software department. ITunes IS extremely good, however this player does work well with MediaPlayer (unlike old Sony's) which is a step in the right direction.

So in my opinion, it's a close call between the two. However, for me the decider had to be the price. You can get this 16gb player for less than the 8gb Ipod nano. That's double the capacity for less money! The Sony also has a radio, which will add value for some, and more sound presets and settings if you're in to that kind of thing.

As I said at the start I went with the Sony, and am convinced it is better value for money. I'm happy with my choice. However, having lived with both an Ipod and this in the house for a while now, I can tell you that the Nano has one major advantage - the accessories! EVERYTHING is made to work with Ipods. Try getting a dock for this....or a speaker system that it doesn't just attach to via the standard cable. It's just not going to happen. As such, if you're planning to use you player in the home, not just with headphones, I would probably say that the Nano is the best choice.

Sorry this is more of a comparison than a straight review. I hope it has still proved useful to you.

Summary: Fantastic value for money. A real winner from Sony.

Processing/Quality:
Reliability:
Ease of use:
Features:
Sound quality:
Download speed: