Sandisk Sansa Clip 8GB MP3 Player Review
In this review I’ll be taking a look at the Sandisk Sansa Clip 8GB MP3 Player. I’ve reviewed some other Sansa players in the past, including some Clip models with less memory, and I’ve been pleased with them. I’ve heard that the Clip is being discontinued to make way for newer models in 2010. Would I buy the 8GB Sansa Clip or not? Would I buy it refurbished? Do I recommend it to you? Read on to find out…
Review Continued Below…
The Sandisk Clip 8GB MP3 Player is a small, clip on style, digital audio player that plays MP3, Audible, WAV, WMA and secure WMA music files. While previous incarnations of the Clip didn’t work with subscription services, the newer Clip does work with Rhapsody-To-Go. It also includes a FM tuner. The Clip is small device, about the size of a car key remote fob. Unlike the iPod Shuffle, the Clip has a small screen where you can see the name of the current song and basic operational info. Overall, the emphasis is on portability.
In the battery department, the Sansa Clip uses an internal rechargeable battery. A charge lasts about 12 hours of playing time. This model seemed to run out of juice a little quicker than the earlier model with less memory I tested but this might be due to other factors.
The Clip uses a standard USB 2.0 mini-port for charging the battery and for interfacing with a PC. Some Sandisk players use proprietary USB cables so it’s good to have a standard cable. I’ve found charging to be unreliable for the unit when it was hooked to a computer’s USB port although using a USB car power adapter gave it a good charge.
From the audio perspective, the Sansa Sandisk Clip 8GB MP3 Player sounds good. As I’ve mentioned before, the biggest limitation I’ve found with it has been that the EQ presets aren’t always a good fit for some music, especially when you use an external speaker other than headphones. Speaking of headphones, I do recommend upgrading them to get the best sound. The provided ones are adequate but you’ll want something better.
So, would I buy one? Well, I came real close to buying one for my son at Christmas but I went with another player instead that I’ll review soon. Should you buy a refurbished model or get a new one? I would suggest looking for the best deal you can on a new one. Refurbs are OK if you want to get the best deal possible but you have to keep in mind that if the original problem wasn’t fixed you might end up with an expensive paperweight. I do highly recommend the Sandisk Sansa Clip 8GB MP3 Player though for people who want to hook up to the Rhapsody-To-Go service and/or have a good, inexpensive, player for workouts, commuting to work and the like.
This sounds like something I need. Thanks.
I appreciate you writing in clear non-techy language.
Some of this stuff cam be a little confusing.