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Key Specs
Flash memory8GB
Audible; MP3; WAV; Protected WMA; WMA
1 inch
Yes
No
15 hours
2.2x1.4x0.7 inches
0.9 ounces
Review | |
| Reviewed by: Matt Safford Review Date: November 2008 | |
| If you're in the market for a small, flash-based music player, you owe it to yourself to consider SanDisk's Sansa Clip. For less than $100, the just-released 8GB model lets you carry more than 2,000 songs. Unlike the diminutive Apple iPod Shuffle, the Clip comes with an FM radio, voice recorder, and bright screen for navigating through files. The 8GB model packs in four times the storage of the most spacious Shuffle and costs just $30 more. We only wish it came with a MicroSD card slot for additional storage. At 2.2x1.4x0.7 inches, the Sansa Clip is a bit larger than the Shuffle, but still small enough to slide easily into the change pocket of your jeans or clip onto a shirt. The added size makes space for a two-tone, text-only OLED screen that's bright and crisp. Navigating through tracks and creating basic playlists is quite intuitive. The controls are simple and serviceable, though the blue-backlit faux click wheel is, sadly, just a directional pad. Being able to spin through (rather than click through) a couple thousand files would make finding a specific track a lot easier. File support is limited to MP3 and WMA, but the clip will play protected WMA and Audible files. After ditching the unsurprisingly awful bundled earbuds for a pair of V-Moda Vibes, the Clip sounded comparable to any Apple player, and was loud enough to drown out the busiest of subway stops. A customizable five-band equalizer is a nice touch for those with super-sensitive ears. The Clip charges over an included Mini USB cable, and you should expect about 12 hours of battery life, depending on the bit rate of your music. You'll have to drag and drop files onto the player manually, but that means you aren't tied to any specific software to manage your music. Considering SanDisk's recent SlotMusic initiative, which pushes MicroSD cards as the next physical music format, it's surprising that the Clip doesn't offer an expansion slot. We would love to be able to add a cheap $25 8GB card to the player and double its capacity. The onboard FM radio and voice recorder are appreciated additions that, along with the screen, make the Clip far more feature-packed than Apple's comparable Shuffle. But don't expect stellar performance from either. You can record from the radio, but songs are saved as uncompressed WAV files, so don't record hours of music or you'll have little room left over for MP3s. Considering the price and features, Sansa's 8GB Clip is a great choice for budget-conscious music fans. It beats the iPod Shuffle by adding a screen, radio, voice recorder, and four times the storage for just $30 more than the 2GB Shuffle. If it only had a MicroSD slot and a real rotating click wheel for navigating through the more than 2,000 songs it's capable of storing, we'd give it an Editors’ Choice. More color options would be nice as well. The 2GB Clip comes in red, pink, and blue, while the 4GB model is silver. Oddly, the 1GB and 8GB models are only available in basic (and boring) black. See all of our SanDisk Sansa Clip (8GB) coverage | |
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