• 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

Solid state players

Solid state players were actually the original form of portable MP3 players and contain no moving parts (such as CD or hard drive mechanisms). These are by far the most common MP3 players available these days, and will probably make up the bulk of your options when making a purchase.

Solid state players use flash memory or onboard RAM to store files. Some older models are expandable via a variety of media cards (if you own a digital camera, you might have one already); however, this is extremely uncommon these days.

There is a wide array of solid state players - from 32MB ultra-small players to expandable players that can hold up to 16GB or more courtesy of optional media card expansion.

Because they contain no moving parts and are highly compact, solid state players are durable and perfect for use when exercising. That's why Oakley's Thump! MP3 sunglasses and other models have sporty features like a stop-watch, heart rate monitor, and arm clip.

Solid state players weigh anywhere between 15 and 150 grams and usually have the highest cost per megabyte of all the players - so choose your initial capacity and expandability options carefully.