mp3 player with lcd screen quotation

The best MP3 player is capable of holding thousands of songs for immediate playback, keeping you in the groove throughout the day. Choosing the wrong MP3 player can mean the difference between low-quality playback and your entire album library at your fingertips, ready to play any song in seconds. Our evaluation focused on price, feature set, storage, ease of use, battery life, and interface. We also explored auxiliary features such as design and smart compatibility.

Our top pick, the Searick 16G MP3 Player, is a convenient and durable model, making it a top choice if you’re looking for the best MP3 player for running or outdoor exercise. It has great sound quality if you care about quality and can also function as an eBook reader if you’re an avid reader.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Lossless Hi-Fi with fully manual equalizer control gives this unit the best MP3 player sound quality in its class. Plus, it comes in a compact, durable all-metal housing with Bluetooth connectivity that’s great for running.

If convenience and durability are important, this may be the best MP3 player with Bluetooth in its price range. It has a touch screen and built-in speaker–rare among budget MP3 player options–and it does FM radio, eBooks, and a wide range of audio formats.

The best sound quality MP3 player we’ve tested for the money has a lossless output and sounds great over earbuds or via an external Bluetooth speaker. It even comes with a manual equalizer function. In a pinch, the built-in speaker also gives decent sound quality for something of this size. Great for music, with the best headphones for running.

WHY WE LIKE IT: This tiny device is the best budget MP3 player in terms of battery life, with up to 80 hours of playback available from a 2-hour charge. It also allows video playback, a nice bonus.

Ultra slim and tiny, this portable budget MP3 player consumes so little power that it can claim an 80-hour playback battery life from a 420mAh battery that takes 2-3 hours to fully charge. In comparison, an iPhone X has a 2700mAh battery.

Thanks to its small size and low price, this may be the best MP3 player for kids, as long as you don’t require too much in the way of app compatibility or video function. It does support image formats, including JPG/JPEG/BMP files, and text as .TXT files, but it only does video in the somewhat rare AMV format. You can read about the best on ear headphones to go with it.

WHY WE LIKE IT: With this multifunctional MP3 player, music is just the beginning: it also does voice memos, pedometers, eBooks, and FM radio and works as an alarm clock, too, with a built-in speaker.

This MP3 player, iTunes, compatible with Mac OS 10 and Windows 7/8/8.1/10/XP/Vista, aims to win over those in search of a multifunctional, yet budget-friendly device for travel and outdoor exercise. It’s among the best MP3 players for running and jogging, thanks to the stopwatch and pedometer functions as well as an included armband.

It also works as an FM radio and alarm clock with a built-in speaker. It also supports OTG data transfer with Android phones and is PC compatible via a USB cable. Your kids can use it with the best kids headphones.

WHY WE LIKE IT: The best budget MP3 player in terms of design and quality feel, with its touch button interface and all metal frame, this 16 GB (expandable to 128GB) Bluetooth MP3 player is also a multifunctional item that supports FM radio, data transfer, and image browsing.

This solid feeling and substantial portable MP3 player is just 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches, but has a high quality and durable feel with its metal frame. It has 16 GB of internal storage, enough for a considerable song library, and it’s expandable up to 128 GB if you have a micro TF card.

While the battery life isn’t as long as you get with some of the other choices for the best budget MP3 player, Bluetooth functionality is superb, thanks to its use of Bluetooth 4.2. It seamlessly pairs with speakers and headphones, as with most portable MP3 players, you can’t pair with computers or phones over Bluetooth. It does have an internal speaker, however.

WHY WE LIKE IT: A slim, pocket-friendly design plus HiFi lossless sound quality and a colorful TFT screen make this MP3 player with Bluetooth one of the best value propositions if you’re looking for a multifunctional MP3 player.

A good value, the Mibao MP3 player with Bluetooth 4.2, is pocket-sized and has a generous 600mAh battery that provides up to 50 hours of music playback per charge. It measures just 2.4 inches and has a color screen that displays status, song titles, and album art and also gives this MP3 player the ability to function as a (very small) ebook reader.

While it doesn’t offer app downloads as some other devices do, it does pair with external speakers and provides some of the best MP3 player sound quality in its price range. It also has an FM radio and aux out. It supports playback of a large number of audio formats, including MP3/WMA/WAV and FLAC, and you can add your own SD card for over 128GB of storage. Crank up the volume and plug in the best headphones for working out.

WHY WE LIKE IT: Convenient clip-on design lets you take it with you anywhere, while an easy-to-use layout and up to 128 GB of storage allow plenty of songs. This MP3 player with Bluetooth also gives you up to a 30-hour battery life and doubles as a step counter, making it the best budget MP3 player we’ve tested for running.

This simple, tiny, and convenient MP3 player with Bluetooth comes with a built-in pedometer that lets you track steps, velocity, time spent running, and approximate calories burned, making it our pick among budget models as the best MP3 player for running. It has up to 30-hour battery life and takes only an hour and a half or so to charge.

Storage capacity starts at a rather meager 8 GB but is expandable all the way to 128 GB with a simple micro SD card. While it may not have all the latest apps and smart connectivity features, it does deliver great sound quality and even comes with earphones and doubles like an FM radio tuner. Use this with the best over ear headphones.

In order to pick the best MP3 player (digital music player)for travel, running and hiking, or general music listening, we considered value, storage capacity, and user experience.

Since for an MP3 player, music is usually the first priority, we gave preference to MP3 players with lossless Hi-Fi sound output and looked into sampling rate and signal-to-noise ratio where available. We considered other features like FM radio reception, step tracking, and video playback to be nice extras.

When looking for the best MP3 player of 2022, iTunes compatibility may or may not be essential, but the ability to play the major music formats is a must.Make sure you find an MP3 player that works for .WMA, MP3, and any other formats you have music stored in.

Now, you can find great cheap MP3 players, but they may not have many features, like Bluetooth or WiFi capabilities, that some of the best-rated MP3 players have.

A good reason to have a good MP3 player in addition to your mobile phone and other devices is that they can play music for an incredibly long time on a tiny battery charge. Whereas an iPhone only gives you 60 hours of playback from a 2700-3000mAh battery, the best MP3 players offer 80 hours or more from a mere 500mAh.With all that said, be sure to carefully read the many MP3 player reviews of 2022 available on our site to see battery life ratings.

When choosing the best MP3 player, Bluetooth connectivity is important, especially if you use wireless earbuds and speakers.Although, if you find a great MP3 player with a speaker, you won’t need to connect a speaker via Bluetooth.

If you’re looking for the best MP3 player for kids or the best MP3 player for running and hiking, look for a model that combines a small, simple form factor with durable construction and a budget price. Some of the best budget MP3 players have all-metal or scratch-resistant acrylic materials.

If you’re looking for the best MP3 player for running or for the gym, consider one that comes with a sports armband or can clip to your workout clothes, so you don’t have to worry about it falling out of a pocket, such as the Sandisk Clip Sport.

You’ll want the best speakers to go with your MP3 player, and you may want to go all out with the best subwoofers too. Many of the best tabletop radios also incorporate MP3 technology. Although the best smartphone will usually serve most of your MP3 functions these days.

We"ve seen some great deals on Astell & Kern players during the sales season, bringing prices down from "Very expensive" to just "Not cheap" – but the audio you get from them makes them excellent value for audiophiles. Keep your eyes open for on-going deals over the rest of the year.

The best MP3 players might sound like old pieces of tech. But although several of their once trailblazing features can now be handled by your smartphone, this guide features several impressive music players that give you a reliable way to listen to high-res audio on the move – aka in better quality than you"d get from just your phone.

Most people now turn to music streaming services, smartphones or smart speakers if they want to listen to music. There’s nothing wrong with any of those. In fact, you should take a look at our best smart speakers guide and best music streaming services guide if you want to refresh the way you enjoy your favorite tunes.

However, there are still some things that those products don"t do as well as the dedicated music players in this guide. With a couple of exceptions, streaming services can"t match the quality of high-res audio downloads; the digital-to-analogue converters in smartphones aren"t designed with audiophiles in mind and Bluetooth doesn"t have enough bandwidth to compete with a wired headphone connection. That means if you want audiophile-grade sound quality while you’re out and about, one of the best MP3 players might seem like an odd choice, but it could be the best one.

Apple officially discontinued the iPod touch on May 10, 2022, meaning the Cupertino giant has effectively left the MP3 player market. But while Apple may have turned its back on portable music players (that aren"t also smartphones or tablets), other big names haven"t. Sony recently announced its most ambitious, complex and expensive portable music player yet.

The Astell & Kern A&ultima SP2000T is the best portable music player you can buy right now. Yes, it"s expensive, but if you want a premium digital audio experience while you’re out and about, don’t look (or listen) any further. The SP2000T sounds superb.

Give this A&K your music, sit back and relax – if it doesn"t wow you we don"t know what will. The A&norma SR25 MKII is a gifted digital audio player that will reignite your love of music. And unlike many of the A&K"s more pricey players (one of which is listed directly above here), this one is small enough to put in a pocket and will keep you streaming, pinging or downloading once-treasured songs to it, just to see what it makes of them.

As well as a new 4.4mm headphone jack, the MKII unit (an update on the A&norma SR25, listed below in this guide) also boasts a new Replay Gain function to uniformly adjust volume playback from sound sources up to 24-bit/192 kHz. You"re also getting AK File Drop (first introduced in the pricier A&futura SE180 player) for easier wireless file transfers; BT Sink function for simpler connection of the SR25 MKII to an external Bluetooth device and extra internal silver-plated shielding to protect from electromagnetic interference.

The Onkyo DP-X1A isn"t the most compact device on this list, but we think it"s one of the best MP3 players you can buy, offering lots of customizability, an intuitive interface, and fantastic sound.

The DP-X1A looks a little bit like a phone, but much thicker with two audio ports – one headphone jack and one balanced output for those interested in a cleaner and overall better quality sound. The device has an easy-to-use volume wheel, as well as physical playback buttons and two microSD card slots for those with a sizable collection of music.

The player is built with a full version of Android 5.1, complete with features like Wi-Fi connectivity and the Google Play Store, which results in an MP3 Player that is to Android what the iPod Touch is to iOS. Unlike the iPod, however, the Onkyo DP-X1A is built for super-high-quality audio.

Speaking of the sound quality, it"s an absolute dream. It supports a range of music formats, including FLAC, OGG, WAV, MP3, ALAC, and more. In terms of hardware, the device has two chipsets, one to power the overall device, and one to handle the DAC and amplifier – resulting in a noise-free experience.

Formats:AAC-LC, HE-AAC, HE-AAC v2, Protected AAC, MP3, Linear PCM, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Dolby Digital (AC‑3), Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC‑3) and Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX and AAX+)

Apple took us all by surprise when it announced the iPod touch 7 in 2019, the first upgrade to its portable music and video player since 2015 – and then promptly discontinued it in 2022.

Using a hi-res audio playback app for iOS called Vox, we listened to Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor. The strings had a warm and natural quality, while soprano vocal duets soared sweetly above the mix without ever sounding harsh.

You get 64GB of onboard storage and there’s a microSD card slot if you want to expand it. It also supports major audio formats, including FLAC, WAV, MP3, AAC, AIFF, and more – and it’s able to play at sample rates of up to 192kHz.

The interface is easy to control. Tap through options using the touchscreen, and select the music you want to listen to. It could be more responsive, but you get used to it. Battery life is around nine hours, which isn"t amazing, but not terrible either.

The best option for working out, this MP3 player is small and light. It only offers 16GB of storage and although that’s not much in comparison to a phone, it still holds plenty of songs. Despite being built for sport, it supports a pretty wide range of audio formats – including MP3, AAC, FLAC, WAV, and WMA.

The Astell & Kern A&norma SR25 is an impressive MP3 player that"s designed to make your hi-res audio files really sing, thanks to a new performance mode, support for balanced audio connections, and Bluetooth LDAC wireless compatibility. Because it has recently been superseded by the MKII variant above (which tweaks the build ever-so-slightly and adds a 4.4mm headphone jack plus a Replay Gain function to uniformly adjust volume playback from sound sources up to 24-bit/192 kHz), you may see it slightly discounted, but it"s a rare sight for A&K players.

With Wi-Fi connectivity, you have access to streaming services including Deezer and Tidal, while Bluetooth aptX ensure listening with wireless headphones needn"t sound inferior to wired connections.

This is a small, light and stylish MP3 player with a simple matchbox-like design and a big, wide screen. It"s an upgrade on Cowon"s previous MP3 player model, this time with a volume dial, Bluetooth and more features.

It offers exceptional battery life. You"ll get 45 hours of playback time with regular MP3 files and more than 30 hours with high-res files – which still beats most of the competitors on this list.

This MP3 player is short on storage with only 16G internally. But with a MicroSD card you can bump that up significantly. It boasts an impressive 45 hours of battery life and supports a wide range of formats.

If you pair one of the devices in this buying guide with a set of the best headphones you’ve got the ultimate in premium, portable music: high-quality music that you can take on your travels.

So how do you select one? Well, you"re in luck. Because the market is increasingly geared towards the audiophile (the kind of people who won"t touch Spotify"s lossy streams), firms are constantly innovating. These days, ever improved sound quality, hi-res audio support and seriously impressivebuilt-in DACs (Digital-to-Analogue Converters) are making already impressive players even better.

And there"s style to match the substance, with manufacturers also competing on design to deliver players that look as good as they sound. Fan of brutalist architecture? Astell & Kern is the name for you. Something a bit more colorful? See SanDisk or Sony. Want something about the size of a matchbox? Cowon"s Plenue D3 is the one – see them all in our guide above.

We test dozens of hi-res portable music players every year at TechRadar, and that means we know exactly which features, specs, file support and wireless audio codecs to look out for.

It"s important for us to compare the performance of these players against the claims made by their manufacturers, which is why we take the time to make sure the stamina, durability, connectivity and sound quality claims are legit.

We make sure to test each product against its chief competitors too, so you can be sure that if we say so, the product is the best bet for the money. We live with these players for well over a week and run them in religiously so that the components have "bedded in" before we commence our tests, and we don"t finalize our testing until we are certain of the sound quality.

After more years in this game than we"d care to admit, we are truly confident that our star-rated reviews are the best indication of the quality of the hi-res MP3 players in this list. There are no sales teams involved in our verdicts, which means if we don"t like it for sound, design, usability and features, we simply won"t recommend it here.What"s the difference between an iPod and MP3 player?An iPod is a type of MP3 player. It"s the name for Apple"s range of portable music players, but you"ll find plenty of other MP3 players from other brands – many of which are listed in our guide below.Why do people still use MP3 players?There are lots of very good reasons why people still use dedicated MP3 players and similar devices. One is sound quality: depending on the device, you can listen to much higher quality versions of tracks than anything you"ll find on streaming services – especially if your device has a headphone jack, which many phones lack. For serious music fans that"s a major consideration: Bluetooth audio quality is getting better, but for full hi-res audio you still need your headphones to be wired. Even Apple"s most expensive headphones, the AirPods Max, can"t do fully lossless audio wirelessly.

Another reason is that not everything you might want to listen to is available on the various streaming services – and not everything that"s there today might be there tomorrow, because songs and even artists come and go. By synchronising an MP3 player with your desktop music collection you can always be sure that you can hear what you want to hear.

A big bonus for many people is that with your own music collection, you don"t need to pay a monthly subscription to listen to it, or to listen to it without advertising.

Although it"s less of an issue than it used to be, another reason many music fans preferred MP3 players is because they were designed to do one thing and one thing only: play music. Most smartphones weren"t, and audio performance of some of them wasn"t brilliant; battery life and storage space weren"t always great either. And MP3 players don"t require you to have a mobile phone connection to get your music, so you can happily wander far from mobile signals and Wi-Fi without losing your soundtrack.

Last but not least, some of them are really, really cool.Is an MP3 player worth buying?Whether you should buy an MP3 player or not depends on what you want to use it for. If you"re trying to avoid being glued to your phone, checking social media or taking work calls when you want to relax, an MP3 player can be a great option to listen to music while staying cut off from all of the distractions of your phone – and the rest of the world.

Some people enjoy listening to MP3 players when they work out, so they don"t have their phone with them. Whether that"s also to keep calls and messages at bay or keep their phone safe.

MP3 players won"t suit everyone, many prefer the convenience of having all of their music on their phones, but there are plenty of reasons why an MP3 player is a great idea for some people.

Now, truth be told, if any of that applies to you, you stilldon"t need an MP3 player -- your iPhone can still sync music files from iTunes (on Windows) or the Apple Music app (on Mac), and it probably has more storage space than your old iPod ever did. Android phones, too, can play whatever music files you can load them up with. But if you really want a dedicated device for your music -- or, maybe, a parentally curated set of songs to give to a kid who"s not ready for a phone -- there are still MP3 device options out there. They"re not all great, and they generally come with some caveats. But if you"ve gotten this far, here"s what I can recommend, more than two decades after the iPod was first released.

The iPod Touch was the last dedicated music player in Apple"s lineup, but it was officially discontinued in May 2022. You can still find used models out there, but don"t expect them to be supported for much longer.

What to do instead? Get a used iPhone, or a new iPhone SE -- and just use it on Wi-Fi. The latter will cost you about $429 all-in (for 64GB of storage), but you"ll get a device that can run the latest version of iOS, and it can pull music from iTunes (on Windows) or Apple Music (on the Mac). It works seamlessly with Bluetooth headphones and speakers, but you"ll need a pesky Lightning adapter to use old-school headphones. And, because it"s got the App Store, you can also opt for alternate services like Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube and the like (so long as you can access a Wi-Fi hotspot), in addition to or instead of the Apple Music app.

Yes, this is way too much to pay for a "music player," in my book. But it"s the most capable and flexible option here, especially for those who are already in the Apple services universe -- or refuse to leave their iTunes-based MP3 library. It"s also a nice fallback portable MP3 player option for kids if you don"t want to spend up for an iPad, which starts at $300 and isn"t pocketable.

The Mighty Vibe is the closest modern equivalent to the iPod Shuffle, the screenless iPod that was beloved by runners for weighing next to nothing and just spooling off songs from their favorite playlist. (It"s also a great gadget loophole for sleepaway camps with "no screen" rules.) The catch is that this model only works with Spotify Premium and (thanks to a recent firmware update) Amazon Music, both of which can be synced wirelessly.

The Vibe can store upwards of 1,000 songs in its music library, and -- unlike the old Shuffle -- it supports wireless and wired headphones. But it charges through the headphone jack via a proprietary cable, rather than more ubiquitous micro-USB or USB-C connectors. The 5-hour battery life is so-so, as is the price tag over $100, which feels higher than what you want to pay for this MP3 device product in an era of $30 wireless headphones and $200 smart phones.

Yes, the products above are really the only ones I can recommend in this category with any degree of enthusiasm. But they aren"t the only options. If you"re looking for a bargain basement option (under $50), a serious high-end alternative (starting at $350 and going to four figures) or some interesting workarounds, read on.

In the (distant) past, the tiny SanDisk Clip family of players were a serviceable option for basic music playback (so long as you"re well versed in the old school drag-and-drop method of file transfer). But some Amazon reviewers have criticized the later iteration of that model -- the Clip Sport Plus -- saying that its Bluetooth connection wasn"t up to snuff. If you want to go this route, you might want to stick with wired headphones.

This 4GB "player in a headphone" model uses Aftershockz"s patented bone-conduction technology. It"s also fully waterproof, and retails for about $150. (Note that CNET hasn"t tested these hands-on.)

If you"ve got an old phone -- or you buy a new one without service -- you"ll have access to the full realm of app-based music services, and any music files you care to upload. Something like the $180-ish Samsung Galaxy A03S (shown above) fits the bill nicely, since you can drop in a MicroSD card that you"ve preloaded with tunes.

Audiophiles have long looked down on digital music because the sound quality was notably inferior for golden-eared listeners with distinguishing tastes. But the development of lossless file formats (such as FLAC) and cheap ample multigigabyte storage have made portable high-fidelity music a reality.

At this point, there are really only two major players in the high-end portable music space: Astell & Kern and Sony (where the Walkman brand still lives on). I"ve used earlier versions of each brand, but not the current models.

If you"re the sort of person who has hard drives full of uncompressed music audio files -- and can hear the difference between that and comparatively low-resolution MP3 and AAC files -- then, by all means, pair up one of those players with your wired headphone of choice.

That said, nearly all of the streaming music services now offer lossless or high bitrate options -- that"s nearly all the big players, from Tidal and Qobuz to Amazon and Apple. (

Apple users can opt for iTunes Match, which lets you upload your own digital music to live in tandem with Apple Music tracks. It costs $24 a year, above and beyond the price of Apple Music.

If you truly care about the sound quality of your music, it"s time to invest in an MP3 player. Unlike today"s smartphones, MP3 players have a built-in audio jack (or a few), and — save for the iPod Touch — easily expandable memory.

To determine the best MP3 players worth buying, we constantly evaluate products from reputable audio brands at various price points — from super affordable to undeniably luxurious. Our picks all play high-res audio, have impressive battery life, and are small enough to slide into your pocket.

When shopping for an MP3 player, consider the size and quality of your digital music collection. If you own a lot of music in lossless file formats and don"t want to compromise on audio quality, you should consider getting an MP3 player with an advanced DAC (digital-to-analog converter). A high-end MP3 player will also improve the quality of the sound from high-impedance headphones.

In addition to the audio hardware and performance, it’s important to consider the amount of available storage an MP3 player offers. You should either consider a product with ample onboard memory or one with a built-in microSD card slot for easy expansion. Today’s splurgeworthy MP3 players will most likely offer you a combination of both.

Bluetooth connectivity is a must if you plan to use your media player with wireless headphones or earbuds. On the other hand, Wi-Fi-equipped products are all but guaranteed to bring you access to your favorite streaming service. If you"re subscribed to one, look for onboard Wi-Fi.

When it comes to wired connectivity, avid audiophiles with vast collections of headphones and earbuds should look for players with more outputs. Such products cost more, but their audio performance and ability to accommodate virtually every wired headset are worth investing in.

Plug in a Micro SD card up to 32GB and you"ll be able to play the audio files right away! With 1/8" audio output you can easily integrate this into your projects. Rechargeable battery inside charged via mini USB.

Combination of Local and Streaming Music - INNIOASIS G1 is not only a local mp3 player with Bluetooth, but also a streaming music player. The device comes pre-installed with many of the most popular online music Apps, including Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, Deezer, Amazon music, Apple music, etc.

Powerful Local Music App - G1 music player has a built-in powerful local music playing app, it is compatible with most music formats, including but not limited to MP3, WAV, FLAC, APE, OGG, M4A, AAC, WMA, MP2, etc., and provides various song categories, such as Title, Folder, Artist, Album, Genre.

Amazing Audio-visual Enjoyment - The device is not only a digital music player but also an MP4 player. It is equipped with a 4" full-touch LCD screen and HiFi sound module, and supports 720p, 1080p HD video playback, which can bring you an unparalleled viewing experience.

Wider Bluetooth Compatibility - The device comes with a Bluetooth 4.2 chip, which can be backward or upward compatible with other versions of Bluetooth devices, such as headphones, speakers, car stereos, and provides fast pairing and stable connections. It is an excellent mp3 player with Bluetooth.

Long Battery Life - This G1 Bluetooth MP3 player has a built-in 1500mAh lithium battery, and the whole machine adopts a low-power solution, which can continuously play 15 hours (Bluetooth earbuds) - 25 hours (Wired earbuds) of music or 4- 5 hours of video. It is your rare walkman music player for travel or sport.

Expandable up to 1TB - This digital audio player provides a Micro SD card slot. It allows you to expand external storage up to 1TB and is compatible with SDXC, SDHC. This can greatly satisfy your need to store more songs, videos, audiobooks.

Portable E-reader - In addition to offering numerous online music apps, this device also comes pre-installed with Audible, Kindle, which greatly facilitates you to listen to audiobooks and read e-books without disturbing by phone calls and messages.

Easy to Set Up Parental Controls - The G1 digital player does not allow the installation of additional apps, which prevents children from installing inappropriate apps. Additionally, you can uninstall pre-installed apps that you don"t want your kids to use, and set a reset lock to prevent it from being restored.