Size matters not for the smallest video player of the bunch

Much as Creative might be onto a good thing with its most recent players, its baffling names for them are only going to confuse punters. Do you want a Zen Nano, a Zen Stone, a Zen Stone Plus, a Zen Vision, a Zen Vision: M, a Zen Vision W, a Zen V or a Zen V Plus?

That's a whole lot of Zen, and so bewildering that Apple's simple choice of iPod, iPod Nano or iPod Shuffle is more appealing from the off.

The Zen V Plus differs from the slightly cheaper Zen V in that it supports video playback and has a built-in radio and line-in audio socket. At only about a tenner more it seems like madness not to go for the Plus model, but if you're thrifty then bear in mind that the screen's too small for regular video use and that the radio and line-in may never actually get used.

Its abilities aside, the V Plus is by far the most poorly built player on test. It looks and feels like a cheap plastic toy. It's a good shape and is incredibly tiny and light, but somehow still seems bulkier than it needs to be because the plastic shell feels so hollow. Its clunky control nipple, meanwhile, looks like it'll snap off if you give it so much as an angry look.

Ole, OLED

As it happens, the player's much more robust than it appears, and in terms of features gives the iPod Nano an absolute shoeing, despite being even smaller.

Video and radio are the main advantages over its better-looking rival, while its OLED screen, though hampered by a rock-bottom resolution, means there's an impressive battery life for so small a device.

Movies and pictures look just that bit too rubbish on it though - too small and too pixelated to be enjoyable. Still, the occasional Simpsons episode will be bearable, although unlike its big brother the Zen Vision: M, only the WMV video format is supported.

Also like the Vision: M, all the file management can be done through Windows or Windows Media Player, so feel free to ignore the enclosed disc full of proprietary software.

While the on-screen interface is fine - very close to that of the Vision: M, and with thoughtful use of colour rather than just dreary text - the physical buttons are the big let-down here. They're horribly small and this isn't because of the rather more pleasing minuteness of the device as a whole. They could stand to go larger without fattening the body of the V Plus.

There's so much under the tiny hood here, making it a triumph of miniaturisation, but in a small player you're doubtless looking for something elegant and easy rather than a raft of features. Truth be told, even if it sounds petty, a metal body would make all the difference to the Zen V Plus.

Even though it's a perfectly capable music player, those undersized buttons aside, and is cheaper than the iPod Nano, physically it simply doesn't feel that it's worth the asking price.

The latter, 8GB model especially paying a little more nets you a 30GB iPod or Zen Vision:M, with screens genuinely capable of watchable video.

Score

• 4 / 5

For

• Loads of features considering the size

Against

• Cheap and lightweight

Verdict

Specification