Tune in: MP3 players with great FM radios

By Jasmine France on 22 September 2006

update Sure, you've loaded a fabulous collection of digital audio tracks onto your MP3 player, but what to do when your tunes begin to sound just a bit too familiar?

That's where an FM tuner comes in.

In many places, FM radio still offers plenty of worthwhile content for your listening pleasure, and it can provide a refreshing break from your regular rotation. So if you're not among the Ã¼berdiligent who always remember to sync up their players for fresh content, be sure to pick one with an FM tuner onboard.

Unfortunately, although many players come with this nifty feature, not all of them deliver quite as advertised. In fact, some are so awful that I think they should be forced to remove that marketing point from their packaging. But don't fret. There are several players available with decent FM tuners; in fact, I easily found five with great-sounding radios. Not only that, but some of these players offers an autoscan function and at least 10 preset slots, so you won't have to fumble around finding your favourite stations.

Creative Zen V Plus

The Creative Zen V Plus is a superb choice for anyone looking for a compact and feature-filled flash MP3 player with great sound quality.

Capacity: 1GB, 2GB, 4GB
Dimensions (WxDxH): 43.5 x 15.9 x 67.5 mm
Weight: 43.5 grams

iAudio M3

If you can live without a screen on the main body of the device, the iAudio M3's features and ultraslim form factor put it on the cutting edge of portability.

Capacity: 20GB
Dimensions (WxDxH): 103.7 x 60.8 x 14.2 mm
Weight: 136 grams

iRiver H320

Packed with useful features, the great-sounding H320 is the audio geek's MP3 player but is held back by confusing controls and poor photo integration.

Capacity: 20GB
Dimensions (WxDxH): 61 x 104 x 23 mm
Weight: 187 grams

Sony NW-E005

The Sony NW-E005 is a compact, stylish flash MP3 player that those who can tolerate SonicStage should consider, but beware the unintuitive interface.

Capacity: 2GBGB
Dimensions (WxDxH): 24.8 x 13.6 x 79 mm
Weight: 25 grams

Samsung YP-U2

Despite some minor issues, the simple but feature-friendly YP-U2 from Samsung will be a hot seller, thanks to a sweet price and great overall sound quality. It's a good choice for budget-minded users looking for their first MP3 player.

Capacity: 1GB
Dimensions (WxDxH): 87.5 x 12.6 x 24.4 mm
Weight: 28 grams

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