MP3 players

Sounds solid, and is a worthy Apple alternative

Nicely balanced sound but the touchscreen lets it down

Neat ultra-portable player that packs a punch

Cheap and fairly cheerful, but sad to say the Archos doesn’t sound great

Stylish look and feel, but sound lets the side down

The iPod Shuffle keeps it simple – and it’s brilliantly effective

Earphones and MP3 player in one with a dynamic, exciting sound

Ultra-portable, sounds superb but still a tad pricey

Comes in a choice of colours and has shake controls, but sound quality puts us off

Looks good on paper but fails to deliver