Long been a fan of the shuffle but when I got a 2gb clip I hardly touched the shuffle. Only when the battery on the clip died did I pick up the shuffle gain.Clip lasts about 15 hours so its a great unit. Waiting on that 4gb.Competition’s a great thing!

^^nuff saidgreat comparison

Love the clip. Menus are awkward as hell (Sandisk Tradition) but the exciting thing for me is that it also syncs to my all-you-can-eat Zune Marketplace subscription via WMP. Yum!

Don’t forget the Creative Stone, that should be here too, is amazing, just drag & drop and it’s less than $40 for a 1GB screenless mp3 player.

One thing to consider, though: the iPod shuffle is smaller and easier to use while in your pocket. Anyone who’s gone outside and found themselves in sudden rain or snow will know why that’s important!Also, the shuffle does have a much, much larger accessory pool, including shuffle-specific speaker docks, cases, and cradles. That’s not a statement that the player is better, but SanDisk just won’t get that kind of momentum.

just announced!!! at http://us.creative.com/local/1/seasonal/redtag/welcome.asp?campid=20991&WT.cg_n=Mailer&WT.cg_s=FebRedTagSale_LandingPage&WT.mc_id=12208 , creative has a sale on refurbed MuVo V100 for only $19.99!!! GREAT PRICE! and i used to use one before i upgraded to a 4GB ZEN.

“pour salt into the open wound”.Breaking Benjamin- BreathI just couldnt help but say that.

I enjoy this web site.However, the writing tone of this article is obnoxious and juvenile. Unfortunate.

Jonathan, the Clip is easy to use in your pocket. So I do not know why you said that.

@James CrossThank you, you opinion in greatly appreciated and will be taken into consideration next time i feel the need to be obnoxious and juvenile. =P

You gotta understand James that there are only so many times that Grahm can show people the error of their ways!It’s pretty dumb to buy something just because it looks cool. If it doesn’t offer functionality comparable to its competitors at comparable prices then you’re paying more than what it’s worth in the long run.Unfortunately, most people are like that and thus the trend of Apple dominance is unlikely to change.At least they’re being forced to lower the price as a result of the Clip. Apple’s starting to feel the heat! Rejoice my compatriots!!!

very well said!unless a die-hard/stubborn apple fanboy i see no reasons for buying ipod mp3ssimply do some simple comparison in your head one should realize apple is a overpriced brand.

“At least they’re being forced to lower the price as a result of the Clip. Apple’s starting to feel the heat! Rejoice my compatriots!!!”I agree. Go Clip…clip the shuffle wings

Does the Sansa Clip support gapless playback and replaygain tags?

The Clip also supports overdrive format for downloading audiobooks from the public library. iPod is not supported.

Got a clip for my sister for her birthday. She really likes it.Didn’t know about the audiobook support so I will have to pass that info along.

Got a clip for my sister for her birthday. She really likes it.Didn’t know about the audiobook support so I will have to pass that info along.

you didnt enlighten me, i have hated ipods since they first came to the market. but, I am glad youre doing your best to teach consumers about better alternatives

i find that i pods are extreamly overrated and overpriced maybe they look Cool and stuff but there are much better and cheaper alternatives also they have crap sound quality.

First of all, let me start by saying that I HATE anything made by CrApple. I also agree that the clip is a far superior player. But I do have to hand the shuffle one issue: durability. the screenless design, aluminum body, and flash memory make it nearly impossible to destroy. Ars Technica, another tech website, did some testing when the shuffle came out and found that the shuffle survived a 40 foot drop onto concrete, submersion in beer, and more. it only finally broke when they drove over it with an SUV. So even though it is a crapple product, the shuffle is somewhat better for someone who’s MP3 player is constantly in the line of fire (literally and figuratively).

obviously, the ipods are almost bad at everything. price, audio and video support. screen quality and such. BUT the only thing i see good for the ipod is their extremely good build quality. but i have a creative zen, feels cheap and plastic-like, but its not that hard to keep safe. i wish the zen had removable battery though.

Put a case on the Clip, and you’ve got nearly the durability of a Shuffle … just won’t get the beer-submersion capability. (Though I’m REALLY surprised the Shuffle can survive this.)

Let’s face it Ipods look sexy and have great user interfaces, that is expect the Shuffle.It has to rank as one of the most rubbish MP3 Players ever invented. It has no screen and I don’t believe even has the “basic” Play, Stop, Back/Forward buttons.It’s just woeful. People buy it who can’t afford a Nano but come on buy something decent. The idea you have no control over what music you want to listen to just astonishes me, it also amazes me Apple have managed to convince people that it’s still worth getting.The fact it also relies on ghastly bloatware to upload music to is another nail in the coffin, but that one affects all Ipods.Looks and user interface aside (which I do realise is all most people look at when buying an MP3 Player) all Ipods are incredibly overrated.The View IMO is considerably better than the Nano, but that’s another point.

IPOD’s are very easy to use. Face it. Quite a few people (mostly old farts like myself)don’t know how to rip MP3′s, but quite a few people know how to buy music on ITunes. Sound and function take a back seat to ease of use.Me, I’ll take my Vibez and D2 with flac files any day.

Nice and straight-forward comparison.I know you wouldn’t want to “pour salt onto the wounds” but I would definitely have liked to here more details from both the Shuffle’s and the Clip’s sides (feature-wise).(Just one small typo under “Music Service Compatibility”: huffle.)

Ahaha, so true. People buy ipods for the name, the sandisk mp3 players are way better. I have one myself and love it. This made me laugh!2 thumbs up!

I heard somewhere that SanDisk Sansa’s (sub $150 price point) out sold iPod’s for November and December in ’07 for the first time ever. Anyone else hear this? Anyone know if this was $ sold, $ earned, or units?

Quick observation.The shuffle is so terrible and useless yet would there be a sansa clip without a shuffle?The shuffle was definitely designed for a specific market.I think the more “active”(runner,snowboarder,etc.,etc.) person bought/buys the shuffle because of its size,durability and it’s ability to perform(UI Difficulty? Come on.) it’s advertised basic function.Does the Clip beat the shuffle in any of these areas?Is there a comparison between the stone and shuffle? It would seem that’s more apples to apples.

I have bought a 1GB Sansa Clip because I wanted to replace my Sansa m240 after my brother’s vista killed it. After having a m240, the Clip’s user interface seems slightly incomplete. But if I think about it hard, the worst flaw of my Sansa Clip is that the visualization only shows the sound activity of the right speaker and completely ignores what is playing on the left speaker. If this is the worst flaw I can find, the Clip should definitely be competition.

I personally prefer the Clip. I got one from http://www.shopsansa.com and L.O.V.E. it. I went with it mainly for the screen (because I like to know what is playing) but learned that it has a ton of other great features like the voice recording and radio.

I love the Sansa clip because it is LOUD, has great reception on the radio and has a recording device.

Just got my sansa clip 2Gb and I love it.I never understood all the hype about the apple players.You get better players with just as good sound, better battery time, more versatility, more features for less money.The Sansa clip is a great example.And the pictures of a sansa just doesn’t do it justice. Go to youtube and watch a video of it, so you really see how small and nice it is.

I’ve got both a Shuffle and a Clip. The Clip wins hands-down. It’s a beautiful design, and while it’s a bit bigger than the Shuffle, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It may not be significantly heavier, either. Other points in the Clip’s favor:I really don’t like having to run the intrusive iTunes. With the Clip, I just drag any files I want using my Windows or Linux file explorer to the Clip. Also, Clip supports the open-source .ogg format and OverDrive, so it wins in the Supported Formats category.

I have a modest understanding of our modern audio technology. I grew up with 45′s, LP’s, 8 track players and casette players. I quit trying to keep up with the audio/tech industry after CD’s came to market. At the advice of audio salesman I bought 3 Sansa Clips for my teens. The oldest thought it was user friendly, but prefers his IPOD. Says he’s doesn’t want to start over again,has his music he wants. Second teen loves it, very user friendly, great sound, easy interface with Windows Media player 11. Third teen still prefers her AAA batteries non-screen interface. We can’t reason with her! I decided to keep one for myself and was astonished as to how much music can be stored on it! I love the sound, the easy interface with WMP 11. The best $40 I paid for any sound system in my lifetime! Thanks for the review, both pro’s and con’s.

My sister got an Ipod shuffle for christmas, but havent got it to download songs yet. I looked at it and I can’t see the USB input thing. I have a black 2gb clip coming in the mail and I hope it comes in before I go to go to the Great Wolf lodge on Tuesday, August 5 and 6. My friend has the red one and me and him like the sound bars on it. My mom is going to buy one if I like mine(duh i will). Ipod shuffle: 1 out of 5. Sandisk sansa clip 5 out of 5.

My sister got an Ipod shuffle for christmas, but havent got it to download songs yet. I looked at it and I can’t see the USB input thing. I have a black 2gb clip coming in the mail and I hope it comes in before I go to go to the Great Wolf lodge on Tuesday, August 5 and 6. My friend has the red one and me and him like the sound bars on it. My mom is going to buy one if I like mine(duh i will). Ipod shuffle: 1 out of 5. Sandisk sansa clip 5 out of 5.

For me the benefit of my 1st generation shuffle was the ability to use it undetected at work. I can wear it inside my shirt, and easily navigate through my pre-arranged playlist without having to take it out and look at a screen. That keeps the boss off my back. For all he knows, I’m just scratching my chest.After a good soaking in the rain, my shuffle died, so I’m buying the 4gb sansa clip today. I hope it can be used as stealthily as the shuffle.

When the front cover of my sansa e250 broke, I bought a cracked screen (ie the screen shows white and a big black area) sansa e260 in order to replace the cracked plate on my 250. I ended up using the screenless e260 as a gym player, without being able to see the screen. It took some fiddling and a flash update and some key fiddling to get to the music part, but it works fine and holds 4gb. I consider it quite a good investment.Moral is: buy used, recycle. There’s a crapload of old mp3 players out there that people are selling for peanuts.

Baah why have you forgot to compare battery times??Imo its one of the most important feature of an mp3 player

This products beats the shuffle simply because it has a (small) screen; game over.I have a 30 gb iPod that I’m extremely happy with. However, my new car has a aux-in port. I need something fairly cheap and flash-based (heat and cold). I am really looking to trying this out.

Good rant, think I’m going to order a 4gb Clip Today. I’ve been through many Mp3 players as they seem to die when I use them probably something to do with using them in the gym and out mountain biking in the rain. I loved my shuffle but was tearing my hair out using iTunes + I now have lots of music on my PS3 Hard drive (in WMA or MP3 format) as its hooked into my hifi so the whole “you will use iTunes!” attitudes really blows buying another one, plus like you said the bigger the things get the harder it is to navigate the shuffle. I dont mind not having a screen if I could just drop my music into folders and skip folders. I tried an iRiver but it had no clip… so maybe this is an ideal compramise….

I own the shuffle, the clip and the stone, 1 GB models. Both clip and stone have dramatically better sound quality then the shuffle. Even old geysers like me can tell the difference =PAfter using Itunes and shuffle for a few months I went back to the clip. I HATED ITunes and the sound from the shuffle was horrible. “Proprietary, over priced crap,” I say.I use the stone and the clip during PT and MetCon workouts and they are plenty durable. I give the stone highmarks for ease of use and durability but it gets a ding for startup time…its like 10 seconds and no screen. The clip is AMAZING and has become my MP3 player of choice mainly because I do like to listen to the radio and the receiver is actually as good or better then my car radio which I am guessing is far more powerful. Anyway, that’s been my experience.

I got my 1G Shuffle last year as a Xmas present and have used it a lot and love it as a quick way to integrate my iTunes music into something I can take on the bus. I own a lot of copy-protected music from iTunes, so this is a no-brainer.However, I did get a 1G Clip for free from Newegg with the purchase of some Seinnheiser headphones and I’ll have to say I’m impressed with the features — especially the quality of the screen and the FM radio. It’s a little bit lightweight and plasticky compared to the Shuffle, and the buttons are quite loud and clicky if you have to navigate very far, but what a great deal it is if you do not need iTunes DRM compatibility!I use them both.

Wow, did Steve Jobs rape your sister or something? You are a pretty angry person. The Shuffle is ten times better than the crappy Sansa Clip. Who the hell uses Napster or Rhapsody anyway?

the Clip have support of Ogg Vorbis and FLAC formats in new firmwares! update the comparision – clip is winner in format section I believe

Well When i took my Shuffle out my charger, the charger broke. Mind you, this is the 2nd time this happened and i already had a replacement.I gave up on Ipod and ironically went to 1GB Sansa Clip which i had never heard of.And it hasn’t messed up at all except for the one time i plugged it into a Wii like an Idiot. It probably had trouble finding Computer info and it froze.But thats better then not having to listen to anything cause a piece is stuck in the headphone jack.Sansa also feels like it takes more songs. I know thats weird and its probably only Psychological but i have all the songs i love on my Sansa and still have enough room. On my ipod, i had to cut like 30 songs.So this is only My Testimony. I love Sansa and hate Shuffle. If you get an ipod, get another one.

Wow, did Steve Jobs is your boyfriend or something? You are a pretty angry person. The Sansa Clip is ten times better than the blind Shuffle. Who the hell don’t want to know what they want to listen?

i just got my 4 gig for 35 bucks….check ‘em out on amazon. really….35 bucks. and yes, they own the shuffle.

…before you get your hopes up, i just checked and the Clips are back to 50 bucks….sorry. and while i’m here…..who would want 2 entire gigs of music shuffling aimlessly??

The SanDisk Clip and Fuze now support both OGG and FLAC. Read more about it: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-12519_7-10109128-49.html (CNET)

new firmware for clip supports OGG and FLAChttp://sansa.com/players/sansa_clip/techFile Support:MP3, OGG, FLAC, WMV, secure WMA & Audible files

Ipod is da best. Anyfing else stinks like poo. lolololololollololoolI believe i have got my point across.

If you want mp4 support, buy something else. I just bought the clip today and I really like it! It’s my first mp3 player. Compared to the $20 Frys specials, this is a huge win at $45 on say at bestbuy: screen, radio, rechargeable and a reliable company. I just didn’t think the price difference for an I*** was going to matter to me.

Next time, Clip and Fuze will be supported by rockbox.. . Bad news to Apple..

I was talking to a classmate of mine – who is an iPod fangirl herself – about how many other mp3s offer more – and for less $$ – than iPoods do, and that in the end, all most iPods have is it’s name. And she said, “Well yeah, and that’s why I prefer an iPod.”Kids these days are so brandwashed.Anyway, I got my Clip today and I already love it. It’s extremely easy to use, the sound playback is AH-MAZING. Personally I think that it’s just as good as my older brothers – don’t know which generation – iPod Nano.

I like the Sansa clip. It has a pretty well put together menu interface and most of all it has a radio. The Sansa clip just has better features and a much better price than the iPod shuffle. The only reason buy a iPod shuffle is if you have DRM iTunes songs and don’t want to pay 30 cents to upgrade them to iTunes plus formats.

OMG. Shuffle sux anus. No screen, how could you want that. My cousin has a Shuffle and I always think, man that piece of crap is a piece of crap.

You do realize that you can transfer files to and from an iPod Shuffle using Amarok on Linux, right? I’ve been doing this for over a year with no problems.

My shuffle goes on the back of my bike jersey. If I need to switch songs, I reach back and click.I’m sure not going to look at a dinky screen while riding my bike up a hill. I just want the music.Simplicity while engaged in athletic activities: shuffle winsAnd I like the light weight factor, which the shuffle again exhibits. I don’t want extra ounces from anything I carry on my bike, or while I’m hiking or skiing or jogging.

I just recently bought the 8GB version on sale for about 50 bucks. Best MP3 player for the price that I’ve ever held in my hand, bottom line…

Like Tim, I just bought the 8GB at walmart for $50. I was looking for a micro player for the gym and happened to see it. What a great buy. So far it’s pretty amazing. The sound quality is great with the customizable EQ. It has the quickest and easiest setup of any mp3 device I’ve purchased. Out of the box it’s still charged, so all I did was plug it into my computer and start dumping music onto it by drag and drop. There really is no need for additional software. I suppose you could use Media Player if you wanted, I didn’t see the need. As far as being able to quickly change songs on the shuffle while “engaged in athletic activities”, I can do the same with the clip by reaching down and hitting the next button. I don’t really see how that’s a selling point for the shuffle. Plus, I can create playlists that I can “shuffle” through. For the record, I own an 80GB ipod and enjoy it just fine. I really just wanted a screen to be able to select what music I work out to. I’ve also owned a Zen 30GB and a Zen V 4GB. The 30GB was great, it just didn’t have the availability of accessories that the ipod does. For f**** sake, you can buy them at 7eleven. I have the 80GB ipod for home and my Altec Lansing IM7 stereo. The clip is now going to be my workout and travel player. I’m not an apple “fanboy” or a hater either. Honestly, if apple would lose the proprietary b.s., I’d probably buy more apple. I do hate itunes. Back to the clip, I have found the menu a little tough to get used to. It’s not impossible, just different. I’m tired of people claiming ipod controls are so “intuitive”. It’s a computer device, it does what you tell it to. That’s the point, the clip does what I tell it to. It plays the songs that I choose from it’s 8GB memory and it sounds great too. It’s also small enough and light enough that I can’t even tell it’s there. Basically, the best micro player I’ve seen yet and at a better price to boot.

Sansa is the Best. Guys just go for Sansa 8gb, It’s the best , Very Good Sound Quality. Very Small, with a Screen to see your song. Very good Radio for people who think radio is more relaxing or like News, I can’t belive when some review say radio is not good in Sansa. Has AudioBook to listene to talks, books & journals which can book mark, so it’s easy to hear from where you stopped last time.Supports all kind Music Files unlike Ipod.Very good Battey life. Size is perfect for all Activity.Very good Sound Quality.Everything in a Small size and low priced package,So why not Sansa.

You should update your article, because with latest firmware the clip also supports OGG and FLAC!!! The Clip now also wins the crown in “Supported Formats”.So in the end, there is only the “Design” category left for the shuffle.

Good article. I can’t believe that people actually buy that junk vix. the iPod Shuffle. All Apple products are garbage. They charge you so much money, but there’s NO radio, and there’s NO voice recorder on any of Apple’s mp3 products.On the passing boxing day, I managed to pick up the 4gb Clip (for just $40!)and I am so amazed at how many features this tiny thing is packed with!I absolutely ADORE the clip feature. Myriad women comment on how cute my mp3 player is… and hell, I’ve got the tracks that prove just how handy the voice record is!!~In my opinion, BUY THIS MP3 PLAYER. The features that allow you to create playlists and delete individual songs without even using a computer are worth it alone.When you realize you have everything you need in the palm of your hand, rather, clipped onto your jeans, you’ll buy a second one just to make up for its mere 14 or so hours of battery life.

I record my own music so I know how my music should sound when played through another sound source… THE SANSA CLIP MAKES MY SONGS SOUND EVEN BETTER THAN MY STUDIO EQUIPMENT! AND I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE “CHEAP”! I LOVE IT, PERIOD.P.S.The kick drums sound so sweeeet! lol

This is my first MP3 player a 4GB clip on sale @ BB for 49!All the music I need for my sessions in the Jacuzzi!Best thing about it is no software to learn, just drag & drop music into the folders of the Clip!Click>> Start>>Explore >>Sansa clip >> Music, the load your music files..great for a Novice..Stopped me from getting a Mr Softee Zune..LOLBTW how long does it take to charge this battery the first time?

As an added insult to injury (or to use the reviewers words: pouring salt in the fanboys’ wounds), you can now purchase a 4 gig Clip at your local Wally World for under 50 bucks! I bought one a few days ago and love it.I couldn’t care less about the voice recorder, and don’t plan to use the radio much if ever, but the little clip is perfect for my workout. The controls can seem a bit small if, like me, you’ve got those fat little fingers but they’re simple to use even while on a treadmill or bike.Stock earbuds are not the greatest sounding, but adequate. Just for grins, I plugged in the over-the-ear headphones I use with my guitar’s practice amp and was amazed by the sound quality from the Clip. The 5-band EQ makes things even sweeter. Can anyone recommend a better quality earbud? I’ve heard good things about the Skullcandy line.

I messed up…my $49 Clip has 8 gigs capacity, not 4. Ouch! That salt’s gotta sting…here, lt me rinse it out with a little lemon juice.

Anyone know where I can get a replacement usb cable for my clip? I lost mine and can’t find a replacement anywhere. michaelj76@juno.com

I read that the Clip is compatible with a Mac, but I cannot get it to work. It loads and can be seen as an attached device, but I cannot see music that is on it nor move music to it.I would like to get one, but if it is not compatible with Mac, I’m kinda out of luck.

Anyone who’s willing to do a little bit of research before buying anything would note that the Clip is a far better deal than the Shuffle. I got my 4GB Clip on sale for $50 at Best Buy ($60 right now). The 4GB Shuffle is now $80.Ths Clip has a much better interface, not to mention a *screen*, 5-band EQ, playlist capabilities… I rest my case.

You should update this to mention that, because of firmware updates, the Clip now wins in supported formats as well.

After several generations of iPods with mixed levels of happiness, I bought 2 4gb Clips at Costco for $40 each. I gave away all of my Apple products to various family members and haven’t looked back. The recipient of the shuffle feels ripped off because she compares it to the Clip.The only problem – the clip came off when I dropped it and replacements are not available. There are a ton of people that will sell you gazillions of useless Apple add-ons, but I’m stuck with a clipless Clip.

Bought 2gb in October,it was fantastic…3 weeks ago, LED went out on screen, still works but hard to get to playlists…does anyone have the sequence? or maybe i’ll just buy a new one…

Bought the 4GB Clip on Black Friday 2008 @Best Buy for $35. What a deal! I should’ve bought 2 or 3 of ‘em. Nearly daily use since then, and it still works like a charm.@Rick – here’s the sequence:1. Assuming you are starting at “Music” on the home screen…2. Click right once to “Play All” (assuming it’s navigating to the first option which is “Play All”).3. Click down 6 times to get to “Playlists.”4. Click right once to enter the first “Playlist” option which would be the “GoList.”5. Click up or down to scroll to the playlist you want.6. To reiterate, I don’t know how you’re going to navigate without a screen since the Clip UI remembers the last option(s) you navigate to, so it could be anything.Also, I’ve updated to the latest firmware (highly recommended), and if you haven’t, then the navigation might be a bit different as Sansa engineers made a lot of improvements besides just additional audio format support.If I were you, I’d just buy another one; the screen is essential IMO.

These days, list of supported formats in Sansa Clip is much longer than in iPods. OGGs, FLACs are supported. So Sansa Clip wins in one more category.Difference in price and capacity also got even bigger – 8gb clip is cheaper than 4gb shuffle.And you didn’t even start going into all the small nifty features in has, like audiobook bookmarks, audiobook speed adjustment, fm radio, voice recording etc. It’s such an amazing player that I’m happy my ipod had fallen into water and got me to buy a clip I guess not only Apple has fanboys now.

Clip is absolutely amazing! it is affordable and very friendly and easy to use. I absolutely love it. The sound quality is amazing. [:great article

Bought the 4GB Clip on Black Friday 2008 @Best Buy for $35. What a deal! I should’ve bought 2 or 3 of ‘em. Nearly daily use since then, and it still works like a charm.@Rick – here’s the sequence:1. Assuming you are starting at “Music” on the home screen…2. Click right once to “Play All” (assuming it’s navigating to the first option which is “Play All”).3. Click down 6 times to get to “Playlists.”4. Click right once to enter the first “Playlist” option which would be the “GoList.”5. Click up or down to scroll to the playlist you want.6. To reiterate, I don’t know how you’re going to navigate without a screen since the Clip UI remembers the last option(s) you navigate to, so it could be anything.Also, I’ve updated to the latest firmware (highly recommended), and if you haven’t, then the navigation might be a bit different as Sansa engineers made a lot of improvements besides just additional audio format support.If I were you, I’d just buy another one; the screen is essential IMO.

Thanks for the great review. I was trying to find out more about the Sansa Clip and your info is very helpful.