• The basics
• Pros and cons of MP3 players
• Solid state players
• Mini hard drive-based players
• Regular hard drive-based players
• The big issues
• Other considerations
• Weighing up the options

Bundled software

These days, most players on the market offer drag and drop functionality, which simply means you open the player in My Computer as you would any other folder on your PC and copy the files across. However there are some notable exceptions such as the iPod line, which require specific software to use.

That said, some people will want software to help catalogue and organise their music as well as make playlists. You should investigate which software comes bundled with your player before buying. Most will come with at least a basic package, although many units are compatible with Windows Media Player, which is handy for those already using this to organise their tunes.

Whichever player you get, make sure software is available for your operating system. Some players or the bundled software will not work under Linux, Windows 95 or NT. Also, earlier versions of Windows 95 don't have USB support built in.

Just be sure to clarify that your player will work with the operating system you use, or plan to use in the near future.

Headphones

There's not much point having a high fidelity digital audio device if you're listening to it with tinny headphones or earphones. Bundled headphones are often lousy, in which case you might add the cost of a good pair to your budget.

If you are prone to getting tangled up in cables, you might also want to check out players that come embedded in a pair of headphones, so you can have "spaghetti-free" MP3! Wireless Bluetooth models are also an option, although typically their sound quality is less than impressive.

Noise cancellation headphones (that block out ambient noise) have come down in price a fair bit recently and may also be worth considering - but maybe not if you're jogging about the city and need to listen out for your safety.