What Type of Portable Music Player Should I Buy?

Three types of digital music players are available today, defined by their type and quantity of storage.

Which type of player you choose depends on how you plan to use it, how many songs you need to store and how big your budget is.

Micro Flash Players

Mini Players

Hard Drive Players

Consider File Formats

Choosing the Right Player for Your Needs

If you're a runner or jogger, bypass the hard drive players and stick with a micro or mini flash player that won't skip.

If you want to put your entire CD collection in the palm of your hand, then go with a big-capacity hard drive player.

If you want more storage capacity than you get with a micro flash player, but still want a somewhat-small form factor, make the compromise and choose a a href="http://digital-lifestyle.aol.com/music/faqs/faqarticle/_a/mini-flash-mp3-players/20070314125109990001">mini flash or big-capacity hard drive player.

Of course, style plays a factor in any decision of this magnitude. If all your friends have iPods - and if you like that look - then an iPod is probably the player for you.

If you prefer to buck the trends, you'll find visually appealing players from all of Apple's competitors.

The following table summarizes the features of each type of player: