Top 5 most popular MP3 players

Perhaps it has been a long time since you used the standalone MP3 player. Most of us now stream our music through services like Spotify or Apple Music instead of maintaining a collection of physical or digital music.

However, smartphones are not the best way to listen to music. Battery life, monthly data limits and restrictions on phone usage all affect music playback. If you are interested in listening to music on a separate device, the following article may help you.

Here are the best MP3 players you can buy right now, suitable for all types of budgets.

Best MP3 player overall: Apple iPod Touch 256GB

Reference price: $ 398 (VND 9,241,000)

While Apple has discontinued the legendary iPod Classic, the iPod Touch 256GB is a worthy successor. However, the iPod Touch is almost nothing like the basic iPod Classic. Touch is like an iPhone without a cellular connection. It has access to the App Store, runs Apple's iOS mobile operating system, and comes with apps like Apple Music pre-installed. You can also load your music via iTunes.

Unlike many standalone MP3 players, the iPod Touch has an 8MP main camera with a 1.2MP front camera. Although you can only access the Internet via WiFi, the most significant difference between the iPhone and iPod Touch is the price. You pay almost double for the equivalent storage on your iPhone. If you don't need 256GB of storage, you can save some money by choosing a 32GB or 128GB model instead.

Best Sony MP3 player: Sony Walkman NW-ZX300

Reference price: $ 698 (VND 16,208,000)

Sony is a pioneer in this area, with a CD player and Walkman cassette player. Although never as popular as the iPod, the Sony Walkman MP3 player continues to offer great value for money. The Sony Walkman NW-ZX300 is also one of the best MP3 players for audio enthusiasts.

NW-ZX300 weighs 157g, battery life 30 hours and fully charged in 5.5 hours. It also runs Sony Original OS built specifically for music listening, instead of mobile operating systems like Android or iOS. The device supports a comprehensive selection of file formats, including Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) files and can even upgrade compressed audio files thanks to a feature called DSEE HX.

The rigid aluminum chassis is designed to resist electrical noise, for clear reproduction and sound reproduction. The NW-ZX300 comes with a balanced plug for headphones, providing dedicated right and left audio channels. It also supports Bluetooth, which uses Sony's LDAC to transfer data at a rate nearly 3 times that of a standard Bluetooth configuration.

Best waterproof MP3 player: FINIS Duo

Reference price: $ 128.99 (VND 2,995,000)

FINIS Duo is one of the best waterproof MP3 players on the market and it is also quite unique. Duo is primarily aimed at swimmers who want to be able to listen to music underwater. Lastly, the device is rated IPX8 for water resistance up to 3 meters for 30 minutes.

However, FINIS Duo is unlike other MP3 players on this list, as it uses the bone conduction feature, instead of headphones, to play music. Duo can be fixed with a headband or swim goggles strap and located on the cheekbones. You also don't have to charge your device too often, as the battery life can last up to 7 hours. FINIS Duo has 4GB of storage for MP3 or WMA audio files.

Best cheap MP3 player: Soulcker 16GB MP3 Player

Reference price: $ 39.99 (929,000 VND)

In the heyday, cheap MP3 players didn't have many features or storage space, but now things are different. Soulcker 16GB MP3 Player is an affordable, but fully featured option. This 16GB MP3 player supports SD card so you can expand your memory up to 128GB. It also has Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, making it easy to connect to your favorite Bluetooth headsets and speakers.

The device supports all major audio file formats: MP3, WAV, WMA, APE, FLAC and AAC. The Soulcker 16GB MP3 Player has a built-in speaker, FM radio, support for ebooks, a 2.4-inch color screen and recording function. The Soulcker 16GB MP3 Player even provides 55 hours of playback time after charging for 2 hours. Of course, if you use a standalone MP3 player, you might not need all these features. In terms of price, however, Soulcker 16GB MP3 Player is a great choice.

Best MP3 player for kids: Mighty Vibe

Reference price: $ 82.99 (1,927,000 VND)

You may not want to give your children a device that is easily damaged or too expensive. If you are interested in an affordable and durable MP3 player, then the Mighty Vibe is a great choice. This device is the spiritual successor of the discontinued iPod Shuffle but there is one major difference. It is Spotify. Mighty Vibe lets you download up to 1,000 tracks from Spotify to listen on your device without a phone.

This makes Mighty Vibe the perfect MP3 player for kids. Just download the kids' favorite Spotify playlists to the device and they can listen for up to 5 hours on a single charge using either wired or wireless headphones. This MP3 player weighs only 20g, is waterproof and shockproof. However, it requires a Spotify Premium subscription to download music.

Although smartphones can play music, it is not always the best choice. A dedicated MP3 player can do a better job, especially if you have your own music library. They usually have more capacity and better battery life. Besides, they are usually significantly cheaper than smartphones.

Before adding music to your new MP3 player, you should also make sure your music library is organized. Refer to the article: Managing music with Android for more details.

Wish you find yourself a suitable product!