SanDisk Sansa e260

Other than the internal capacity of the e200 series (2GB to 8GB), there is also a microSD/TransFlash slot on the Sansa if you ever feel like you’re going to run out of space. This instantly bring ups the idea of purchasing a cheaper 2GB Sansa and then upgrading the capacity with a 2GB microSD card. Alternatively you can pick up the new, highest capacity e280 and take the total space up to 10GB. But I don’t see a lot of people doing this, at least in India. It may have been a better idea to remove the slot and bring down the cost, and perhaps make the device a little slimmer while they’re at it.

The battery life of the Sansa e260 is rated at around 20 hours. We tested the player with a combination of things including music playback, video playback, photo viewing and FM radio playback, during which the battery lasted for well over 12-13 hours. Another plus point of the Sansa is that the Li-Ion battery is user-replacable. You can buy the batteries separately and put them in if the original ones get messed up.

The cost of the e250 (2GB) is around Rs. 7,500, e260 (4GB) is around Rs. 10,000 and the e270 (6GB) is around Rs. 12,000. When put right next to the Nano’s Rs. 9,800 (2GB) and Rs. 13,200 (4GB), the Sansa offers a lot more value for money. Not only is it cheaper than the iPod, it also has FM, video playback and a larger screen. The only problem I can see with the Sansa is that… it’s not an iPod.