This is a review of my new (Refurbished) Sansa Fuze 4GB Player (Blue).
The Sansa Fuze comes in various colors and various storage sizes. It can be upgraded via. a microSD Card, and supports high-density microSD cards (allowing you to use up to 12GB total).
Colors Available
The main-screen interface is okay, aesthetically it looks a little goofy (in my opinion), but the rest of the navigation is fine. It is very similar to an iPod.
The Good
- Great, easy-to-read screen
- Supports multiple file types
- Customizable equalizer
- Great 24 hour battery life
- Good operating system support (Windows, Linux, and even Mac)
- Great upgrade options (microSD Card) and great size options (2GB, 4GB, 8GB)
- The device has a good feel to it, it’s perfect for holding. It does not feel cheap, and is very solid.
- USB Modes can be switched so the device will act like a FlashDrive, providing more support for older or uncommon operating systems.
Sansa Fuze
- Supports album art
- No proprietary software needed to upload music to the device
The Bad
- The screen is still a bit small for watching entire movies, however this is the case on any device this small.
- Videos must be converted to a smaller size before they can be viewed on the device. This is also said for photos, but I copied regular photos and viewed them without a problem.
- The included headphones are pretty cheap, but easily replaced.
- Proprietary cable. Mini-USB would be nice, but the cable in particular does not seem like it is going to break over time. It is similar to the iPod connector cable.
- Does not include a wall-charger, so it must be charged with your computer.
Other thoughts:
This device can not be used while on the charger, which is common for most MP3 players.
I would be comfortable giving this to a kid, it is not a delicate device. The device’ long battery life and descent storage (expandable) won me over when compared to many of the other devices I looked over.
Sansa Fuze
I purchased the refurbished version of this device. My total purchase added up to about $44, which is great for this device and the features it came with. I have noticed no problems with having the refurbished version, however many other users on Newegg had mentioned problems which they were unable to receive a return for.
The price was such that I would not be devastated if it were to be stolen or lost.
The scroll-wheel physically turns, unlike what you may expect on a device like the iPod. I do not think this is a weak point of the device, it functions just as it should and appears to be attached very well.
Overall:
I would recommend this device to anyone seeking a MP3 player with a good battery life and descent music storage. People who might have disadvantage of this device might be people traveling in areas where there is no place to recharge using a computer/laptop, however USB wall chargers can be purchased for relatively cheap.
