Updated 26 May, 2012, 4:18 pm IST

Top MP3 Players Under Rs. 5000

18 Nov, 2009, 11:58 am IST | by Shayne Rana

For those looking for just a good audio experience in a small form, here are a few choice MP3 players to choose from.

The standard MP3 player or DAP (Digital Audio Player) is still very much as popular now as it was when it was first introduced. Sure the basics are the same, as an MP3 player is still primarily designed to offer the user strictly audio-based entertainment, but with a few tweaks. FM radios have been incorporated into the devices with the capabilities to record from the same medium for future playback and of course there’s the inclusion of a microphone as well for voice recording. For those of you having a hard time making up your mind which MP3 player or which PMP to buy, here are a few relevant options we believe should help you decide.

Sony Walkman NWZ- B143F
Capacity – 4GB
Price – Rs. 3,990
First on the list is Sony’s Walkman B143F USB Pen Drive styled player. There’s no arguing about the Walkman brands audio quality but the design and layout of the device also makes for rather convenient usage as well as portability. It’s light-weight and comes equipped with a monochrome display that’s clear enough to read almost anywhere. The bundled earphones are more than just good enough to use so extra expenditure on a ‘better’ set could be left out. The button system and navigation options are also well placed with shortcuts for specific features. Sony has also provisioned the B173 with their Zappin technology which is in all honesty neither here nor there but simply depends on the user's preference.

Good: Audio quality is good, Voice recorder has good range, Good battery life
Bad: FM reception is average
Rating: 4.5/5

Creative MuVo T200
Capacity – 2GB, 4GB
Price - Rs. 2,999, Rs. 4,499
The T200 is a quite aesthetically well designed. Its glossy plastic coat that’s available in a few color options make it eye catching. It comes loaded with quite a few relevant features to satisfy most users who aren’t looking for anything too elaborate. Like the B143f Walkman player the T200 also has a built-in USB port negating the use of a separate USB cable. Although it looks good and happens to be one of the very few MP3 players to come with a color display, the audio quality isn’t all too great. The higher tones tend to be a little too sharp and not very well compensated by the bass line. The battery is very average and you should in all honesty get more for the price from that specific aspect.

Good: Good design, Plenty of features, FM reception was ok
Bad: Higher frequencies were too sharp, Battery life is too short
Rating: 3.5/5

Apple iPod Shuffle Third Gen
Capacity – 2GB, 4GB
Price - Rs. 3,700, Rs. 4,800
This is the third generation iPod Shuffle from Apple and while the last two were quite popular in their time, the latest addition to the range has the same potential as well. Purely from a superficial point of view, the new Shuffle is quite a looker with a wide range of colors to choose from and its small light weight metal clip design makes it visibly very attractive. The absence of the navigation keys are one issue and the other is the navigation itself. Through a new audio enabled system that Apple has designed, the controls for the player located on the earphones have to be mastered in sequences in order to play music without issues. This also adds to the already proprietary nature of Apple products and replacements are not cheap. At least they upped the capacity. Audio quality is still really good but has a little room for improvement. Just a little.

Good: Higher capacity, Tiny and convenient clip design, Plenty of color choices
Bad: Controls are difficult, Accessories and replacements are expensive
Rating: 2.5/5

Tags: DAP , Apple , iPod , Creative , Walkman