MP3 Players Reviews: Best MP3 Players to Buy for Gifts or Personal Use - Three MP3 Players Under $100
By girly_girl09
Tips & Advice on Choosing the Perfect MP3 Player for You!
Whether you are looking to purchase an MP3 player as a gift for a child or grandchild or are interested in purchasing one for yourself, there are a few things that you should be aware of.
MP3 players have become very popular in recent years and the popularity of convenient, portable music, combined with incredible new technology means that the world of MP3 players has become somewhat overwhelming for certain consumers. There is an MP3 player out there that is suitable for your listening needs.
This article will cover:
- What exactly is an MP3 player?
- Features to consider when purchasing an MP3 player
- Types of MP3 players available
- Average prices of different types of MP3 players
- Other useful MP3 player information!
What Is An MP3 Player?
An MP3 Player is a portable audio listening device that is used to play music in it's digital format (.mp3 format). These songs can be downloaded from the internet and usually retail for about $1.00 each. A popular software program to download .mp3's is called iTunes. There are also much more affordable places to download music legally online such as Amazon.com or WalMart.com. I believe Wal-Mart MP3's cost .88 cents each.
If you already own the music on music CDs, don't worry as there are many programs that you can use to 'burn' the data on the CD onto your computer, so you can later upload the songs to your MP3 player. You don't have to pay to re-download them!
MP3 players are a great way to bring portable music with you on the go. Unlike portable CD players, they don't skip when you're jogging and are great for working out.
MP3 Player Features to Look For When Purchasing Your Device
There are many models available, so you don't want to get stuck with purchasing something that doesn't offer what you need or more commonly, has more features than you could ever use!
If you simply want to listen to music, you can find a very affordable MP3 player for around $50. If you'd like your MP3 player to also play movies and look at your digital photo collection, then you will have to shell out a little extra money.
Some MP3 players even include games to play, which are perfect for traveling on the subway to work or passing some time at the doctor's office.
If you're buying an MP3 player for a teen, they probably are going to want the MP3 players that play movies and can store pictures. If you're buying an MP3 player just to listen to music, then you really don't need to spend much money, at all!
Some people purchase MP3 players to use with the AUX jack in their car (consult your car's manual to see if you have an AUX jack). If so, you can hook up your MP3 player with an AUX cord (around $8) and play the music on your MP3 portable device into your car stereos. The good news is, any MP3 player that has a traditional headphone jack, will be able to play music via an AUX cable in their car, providing the car has an input jack.
Another feature to look for is the size of the hard drive of your MP3 player, where all the music and other files (if applicable are stored). Typically, every gigabyte can hold about 250 songs. 250 songs is plenty for some people, and not nearly enough for others. I remember my first MP3 player only held about 10 songs! It was 64 MB. This was one of the first players that came out and it cost me around $89 which would buy you a very nice MP3 player these days.
Battery life is a feature that you should definitely consider before purchasing your MP3 player. Many are rechargeable, so you don't have to constantly purchase batteries, but some do require the use of batteries, ultimately costing your more money. Sometimes, in the long run, it is more cost efficient to feature a rechargable MP3 player. Also keep in mind, that some rechargable MP3 players do not have a battery that lasts long from a single charge, this is important, too.
The last feature of MP3 players that you should be aware of is whether or not there is a digital user interface, some MP3 players just have a play, pause and next/back button, and you can't select what song you want to play from a list. This is usually true in smaller hard drive MP3 players. If you have 1,000 songs, you will need a screen to view that will allow you to select your song or album from a list.
Average Prices of MP3 Players
Prices for MP3 players can range anywhere from $40 to $300. See below for my reviews and the exact, up to the minute low prices featured on Amazon.com.
 | This iPod is a huge MP3 player that can hold up to 40,000 songs or thousands of songs and lots of movies and pictures. It has everything you could ever want in an MP3 player and is a very popular model. This model is rechargeable - you will not have to pay for batteries! The battery life is typically 40 hours per charge, that's almost two days worth of music that you can listen to without having to worry to re-charge the device. Perfect for a weekend trip! Amazon Price: $284.99 List Price: $349.00 |
![Apple iPod nano 16 GB Orange (4th Generation) [Previous Model]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41WvXSKnFWL._SL75_.jpg) | The Apple iPod nano is one of the best selling models. It is only different than the above model due to it's hard drive size. It can hold around 4,000 songs or 2,000 songs and a few movies and lots of pictures. It, too is rechargeable and a single charge lasts for about 24 hours for music or 4 hours for video. Amazon Price: $199.00 |
 | This model is the most affordable MP3 player device made by Apple. It just plays music, has no screen to select what song you'd like to listen to and randomly shuffles the music. (Perfect for joggers or non-discriminatory music listeners) It holds around 500 songs and has a rechargeable battery, too. The battery's charge lasts for about 12 hours. It conveniently clips to a belt loop or your sleeve for easy listening! Amazon Price: $149.99 List Price: $69.00 |
 | This SanDisk model doesn't carry the Apple logo brand, but is VERY good value for it's price! It holds up to 1,000 songs, has a digital screen for easy song selection, also includes a FM radio and a built in microphone for voice recording (great for grocery lists or notes to yourself when you don't have a pen and paper handy). It's rechargeable and the charge lasts for about 24 hours. You can also watch videos on this device, making it the best pick for an affordable MP3 player that does almost everything! Amazon Price: $70.00 List Price: $79.99 |
 | This MP3 player by Sony holds around 1,000 songs or up to 15 hours of video. Its rechargeable battery life is really great and it can last for 45 hours for listening to music or up to 15 hours for watching video. It's a really snazzy model and would make a great, affordable gift for the teen in your life without breaking the bank! Amazon Price: $79.95 List Price: $99.95 |
Which MP3 Player Will You Choose?
So there you have it. No matter your price range and buying needs, there is definitely an MP3 player out there for you!
MP3 Accessories
 | Amazon Price: $6.25 List Price: $39.99 |
 | Amazon Price: $174.99 List Price: $199.00 |
 | Amazon Price: $174.99 List Price: $199.00 |
 | Amazon Price: $9.99 List Price: $29.99 |
Comments
hahaha I had this one already started a few days ago. I'm going through my unpublished hubs tonight and forcing myself to work on them. My goal was two, now I'm done and off to bed! :) I have 20 unpublished ones that are partially done and they've been bothering me just sitting there, that awful bright red font. blech!
From ice cream floats to MP3 players.. doesn't get more random than that!! I'm in love with the ice cream and going back to visit it.. I want an MP3 player, I can afford ice cream!!! LOL!!
Well done, a really good hub.
Rather informative. There's also WMA, FLAC, etc..more than just .MP3. In fact, iTunes songs aren't even MP3. But I guess I may be splitting hairs. ;)
Never been fond of the iPod..great interface, but bad compatibility with Linux. Sound quality isn't the best either...I might recommend, too, posting some good headphones. Stock headphones from any MP3 player are sub par at best, including the iPods.
Ellie Perry 2 years ago
My goodness! You are prolific!