Creative Zen Vision W (30GB) review

Smooth, slick, easy to use and reasonably cheap Tested at £220.00

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

A great alternative to the iPod Classic, particularly if movies are your priority

Pros

  • +

    Easy to use

  • +

    good value for money

  • +

    excellent music and movie playback

Cons

  • -

    Not much really

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

Along with great performance, there are three things we want from a video player to take on a long journey: a unit that's slick, small and stylish; a user interface that doesn't require any head-scratching or manual-reading; a big-enough screen to comfortably sit through a two-and-a-half hour movie.

Tick, tick and… tick. By those exacting criteria, the Zen Vision W is an excellent portable. The 'W' has a 30GB hard drive, a 4.3in screen, and the ability to deliver superb sound and vision.

Creative's pedigree as an MP3 brand – longer even than Apple's – comes into play here: the player has a pleasingly punchy, detailed sound via the supplied headphones that very few rivals can emulate.

All-in-all then, the Vision W gets the thumbs up: it's smooth, slick, easy to use, reasonably cheap, a great performer and fits easily in your pocket.

What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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