If you are visually impaired and are having difficulty navigating this site, please call our Customer Support line via our toll free number (800) 390-1119.

Newegg.com - A great place to buy computers, computer parts, electronics, software, accessories, and DVDs online. With great prices, fast shipping, and top-rated customer service - once you know, you Newegg.

If you are reading this message, Please click this link to reload this page.(Do not use your browser's "Refresh" button). Please email us if you're running the latest version of your browser and you still see this message.

Newegg.com - Computers, Computer Parts and Electronics

My Account

MyNeweggReviewsHelp & Info  
topNavRowBottom  
Microsoft HPA00001 MP3 / MP4 Players
Customer Reviews for Microsoft Zune 3.2" Black 80GB MP3 / MP4 Player
Newegg.com's Product Ratings and Reviews feature enables Newegg.com customers to help each other make informed buying decisions. Learn More

Currently Unavailable

Review Summary (105 Reviews): Rating + 4
OverallLast 2 WeeksLast 6 Months
Excellent Rating + 5 73ReviewsExcellent
newegg
69%
Good Rating + 4 19ReviewsGood
newegg
18%
Average Rating + 3 6ReviewsAverage
newegg
6%
Poor Rating + 2 5ReviewsPoor
newegg
5%
Very Poor Rating + 1 2ReviewsVery Poor
newegg
2%
of 2
previousTopPaginationForm|

Filter Results     apply changes
     
Reviewer Product Review
N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
8/20/2008 4:01:28 AM

Rating + 5


Pros: Have had the 80gb Zune for over 8 months now- and it is awesome. Video playback is great, Audio is top-notch, and I've yet to find any drawback to the device itself. Microsoft even gives out three free music tracks a week from it's store to registered owners- while I can't say I have liked every track that's been offered I have downloaded 5 or 6 of the offered tracks. Awesome MP3 player. Also, included headset, while I'm personally not a fan of in-ear headphones, are top-notch!

Cons: None related to the player that I know of. I don't personally like being forced to use device-specific software, preferring the more old-fashioned mp3 players where you just loaded the mp3's into the device, but that's no longer an option, and the zune software once you familiarize yourself with it is not bad and make for a nice backup music/video player.

Other Thoughts: Awesome device. Use it everyday at work to help drown out the other people in the office while I'm trying to concentrate. Actually had a couple of people looking into buying it after seeing it in action. Great buy!

Did you find this review helpful? Yes No

Sean
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
8/19/2008 10:45:26 PM

Rating + 5 Best of the best


Pros: This thing is fantastic. Media management is just a simple drag and drop. The video it crisp and clear as well as the audio. Media support already exists in windows (provided you have proper codecs which you would have anyway if you using the media). Video conversion with movie maker is simple just save as a mobile media device and MM takes care of the rest. The usually album/artist/song titles are assigned flawlessly so far and can also be edited easily under file properties in windows.

Cons: Only con is it didn't come out sooner.

Other Thoughts: I'm an IT guy and I keep my headphones on more than half the day and this is by far the best mp3 player I've found. DVDFab pro/platinum is a great program for converting dvd to digital.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: average
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
8/16/2008 11:05:04 PM

Rating + 3 Not as good as I expected


Pros: Large hard drive. Decent way to purchase music. Battery life is good. Large Screen. TV out (although, it doesn't come with the wires for this option). not an ipod.

Cons: Ghosting on screen, lack of support and information (it supports (or encodes) additional types of files than advertised but I can't find documentation listing them. Audio sounds somewhat tinny with their earphones unless their plugged in far enough, this could be uncomfortable- luckily MS included adpaters, but they're really hard to change.

Other Thoughts: Some things seem to be missing from the firmware: Ability to play videos similar to audio (you have to chose a new video manually after each one). Ability to chose when it goes from landscape to portrait. Lacks customization options
And The software could use the ability to change file names easily

Did you find this review helpful? Yes No

linuxwarz
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
This user purchased this item from Newegg
8/16/2008 12:52:42 PM

Rating + 5 Does what I need and more


Pros: Great battery life, even through video playback. Great UI, wireless sync features, and earbuds. Like it much better than iPod. If you don't intend to use the sync software as your permanent music player, it does not suck and gets the job done. Does not seem as bloated as iTunes and both the Zune and sync software work on 64bit editions of Vista. Some people debate about its features vs. iPod. I believe that this player is just right and one ups iPod. In the end, it is really a choice of personal preference.

Cons: Proprietary sync connector, radio isn't strong enough for the buildings I visit, wireless transfer adds 3 play DRM. All music from the subscription store stops working the minute you cancel your subscription.

Other Thoughts: I wanted a case, but all of the zunes are not the same size and the case's do not tell you which version they fit. When looking for a case, make sure it says it fits "Zune 80".

Did you find this review helpful? Yes No

MoDaD
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
This user purchased this item from Newegg
8/11/2008 10:11:37 PM

Rating + 5 One of my best purchases


Pros: One of the best things I ever bought. It's changed the way I watch movies and television shows. With the 80GB of storage I can load hundreds of hours of programming onto it. Granted, I don't use it too much for music, but the ability to watch things anywhere is great. Awesome battery life too. For the price and the amount of storage you get it's really a good deal if you want a portable media player primarily for videos.

Cons: None.

Other Thoughts: The headphones were great and the software, while nothing special, is no worse than Apple's iTunes. Video conversion wasn't a problem for me as I'd just run my videos through a batch in the free version of "Any Video Converter." If you want to play it on your TV, don't buy the Zune brand audio/video jack, as a regular one will work and is usually $15 less. They just switched the yellow connector to red, like Apple did with the Video iPod.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes No

TALENT
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
8/4/2008 8:04:37 AM

Rating + 4 Good but...


Pros: Large Screen, decent capacity, friendly menus, nice look, super fast syncing.
There is a lot to like about the Zune 80. I like the music quality (though at times it can be a little too bright but it's still very good), the menu system is well laid out and easy to navigate. The only problem I had with navigation is sometimes the currently selected menu item likes to jump one field higher or lower than what I wanted to select. I notice the more I use it the less that happens.
I really like the Zune software and find it user friendly.

Overall I am very satisfied with my Zune execpt for....

Cons: ... the screen is too dark. I watched videos on the Zune 30, Sansa View, iPod classic and several other devices - ALL of them had brighter screens. The picture quality of the screen is just fine (there is none of that blurring or stretching people mention - I am sure those people have NEVER seen a Zune screen) but to me the screen looks like it has a really bad contrast ratio with lots of darkness and shadows. I wanted my daughter to be able to watch movies on long car rides but the screen makes her animated movies look really bad. This is a deal breaker for me.. I am returning the Zune to the local store I purchased it at and looking for another alternative...

Other Thoughts: Don't get me wrong - the Zune 80 is awesome. I like everything about it except the screen is too dark and makes my movies look bad. If movies are not your primary reason for buying the player I would say go for it! I am going to miss my Zune a lot.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes No

tuffluck
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
7/10/2008 10:36:17 AM

Rating + 5 excellent unit


Pros: 1. bigger screen by .7" over the ipod but still the entire unit's size is comparable to the ipod. battery life is just as good, too, even with the bigger screen.
2. no scroll wheel. i hated that thing. always wound up listening to pearl jam or oasis instead of "the police" (who i was trying to listen to) because i could never land on the right artist with that inaccurate piece of junk scroll wheel. the zune's navigation system is significantly better.
3. if you listen to songs at random and it lands on a song where you want to hear more from that artist, the zune just allows you to hit enter and then "go to artist," whereas on the ipod you had to go back back back and then use the dumb scroll wheel to select your artist. zune's system--much better.
4. album art actually works. ipod never sync'ed any of the album art, but the zune sync's about 85% of it. i don't understand why that is, but i like it.
5. HEADPHONES (see below in "other thoughts)

Cons: biggest con for me is that when you are looking up an artist, you click on them and then you get a list of the albums, then you click on the album then get the list of songs in the album. i don't like that because i can't always remember which songs were on which albums. ipod has a nice way to bypass that with their "all albums" button, but the zune doesn't have that and you have to manually select each album to find your song. not a big fan of this.

Other Thoughts: overall it is comparable to the ipod, but honestly the amplifying system in the zune and the headphones are a lot better than the ipod and make the zune overall superior. i don't know why but hooked up in my car, the zune sounds way better than the ipod. and the headphones are some of the best on the market, and you get them included with the $250 price. you can be in a car full of people talking with the radio on, but put the headphones on and at a reasonable volume and you can't hear anything but perfect music.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
This user purchased this item from Newegg
7/10/2008 7:31:38 AM

Rating + 4 Great when it works properly


Pros: Big colorful screen. Menu text is big and easy to read. The touchpad is a nice addition from the 1st gen Zunes. Zune software was easy to use. When it works properly, it is great. See other comments for more details.

Cons: Advertises up to 24-hour playback for music. Mine got 4-5 hours at most. Also, the battery would continue to drain after I turned it off. So if I turned it off for the evening, the battery would be dead the next morning. It's almost as if some part of the Zune was still running even though it was turned off. So if I wanted to use it, I always had to charge it first.

Other Thoughts: I'm RMAing mine back for a replacement. I've read on Zune's website that others have had similar issues, and many seem to think it's related to the 2.5 version of the software. My Zune software (original was 2.3) upgraded right away, so I never used my Zune on 2.3, so I can't vouge if my issue is related to the 2.5 version or not. When it has worked, I've loved it. I really hope that my replacement works as advertised, because I got really attached to it in only the 2 weeks that I've had it.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes No

soma1509
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: less than 1 day
7/9/2008 11:54:41 AM

Rating + 5 It is awesome! Even though mines is Red :)


Pros: This MP3 player is definitely a serious bang for the buck. Sure, the iPod Classic 6th generation is about the same price, but the only thing they have improved on really is their flashyness. The Zune's screen is bigger, cleaner, displays better and crisper colors and picture, and (to my personal experiene), it is more customizeable. It supports .wma video files along with the usual .mp4, h.264 formats. One MAJOR thing that I like is that I can transfer the songs that I purchased to anywhere or anyone I like due to its wireless capability and/or through its "social" menu option. Plus it has FM Radio, something that it's still not old technology just yet. the back plate is hard plastic with a smooth texture and a matching grayish/silverish color, which is better because chrome or any shiny metal tends to scratch easily and I really don't like that at all. Last, but not least, the headphones are of HIGH QUALITY sound, and are capable of noise-canceling, and are ear-size customizeable.

Cons: One very tiny gripe that I have is the software synchronization process, I kinda miss the option to simply put a song that I want in it without having to worry about it being deleted if I delete the original song or picture off of my computer. So far, I have my Zune settings to "let me choose" the pictures or songs I want so I can set them up for my wallpaper or whatever. The problem was that as soon as I even moved my pictures to another folder in my computer, my zune still synced up automatically and deleted the pictures from its hard drive. Speaking of pictures, it only supports .jpeg images as far as I know, so I had to use GIMP to convert all of my bitmap wallpaper pictures to jpeg format, and problem solved.

Other Thoughts: Now, here is a very funny story for all of you. I actually managed to get one of these for FREE! No, this isn't a joke or a scam, nor is it a suggestion to visit some scammy website. My friend of mine actually ordered this from WalWart. He only ordered ONE for himself, but somehow, WalWart managed to mess up the order and gave him a box with 4 extra RED Zunes for the price of one! It was unbelievable...everyone in my dorm room now has one thanks to this "accident". I am sure they won't let that happen again, which is too bad, but oh well...I know some of you love this product, and in your reviews have "complained" that it wasn't free :), well I sure can't complain now. Overall, I recommend this product to anyone. Higher quality video and audio than an iPod in my book, as well as a bigger screen, more video support, along with an FM Radio and wireless capability add a really nice touch to this device. Apple iPod users, come to the dark side....we have cookies! ... and the Zune :)

Did you find this review helpful? Yes No

Kpow
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
7/3/2008 3:51:21 PM

Rating + 5


Pros: Nice big screen. Squircle touch pad. Custom wallpaper. High storage capacity. Great interface. Zune program a lot better than iTunes.

Cons: Nothing really. The Zune Social isn't perfected yet, but it kicks the dirt out of anything iTunes has to offer.

Other Thoughts: A great player, I love it.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Mathom88
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
7/1/2008 9:34:30 PM

Rating + 5 Definate Competition


Pros: Big screen and nice picture, great sounding, good user interface. Nice headphones.

Cons: Resolution could be better but no big deal.

Other Thoughts: Supported movie formats are somehwat slim. I love the zune marketplace. It's so much better designed than itunes in my opinion. I'll most likely be getting rid of my ipod.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Dr. R
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
6/26/2008 7:00:29 AM

Rating + 3 Defective


Pros: Large Sceen and clear with glass cover
Better price compared to ipod touch and bigger storage capacity. Bigger screen than ipod classic.

Cons: Mine went dead after only one week ownership and I have a new replacement ordered from newegg.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

TN
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
6/26/2008 6:49:22 AM

Rating + 2 Average at best


Pros: Big screen. Big storage

Cons: Please read below

Other Thoughts: Long time owner of the Creative Zen M 30Gb. I really want to like this Zune, and gave it every benefit of the doubt. Beside its big screen and 80Gb. Not much else impresses me. 1. Its sound is mediocre; I am being kind here. Have you ever listened to the sound from a Zen? 2. Can't remove a song from Play List unless you attach it to a PC 3. It doesn't remember the music track you listened to after turning if off. It's a huge inconvenience when listening to books, and have to manually find the chapter again. No bookmark capability. Who were the geniuses that designed this thing? Going back to the Zen.

2 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Bluewolf
Tech Level: average
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
6/14/2008 3:21:14 AM

Rating + 5 Zune vs. Ipod...no contest


Pros: Wireless sync and transfers, intuitive and user-friendly operation, awesome headphones, bigger screen for superior video playback, XNA release allows for independently developed apps and games, innovative social music platform

Cons: lack of third-party support as far as speaker docks, car audio and various other accesaries, lack of library support from the labels in Zune Marketplace, minor rigidity of marketplace software (easily bypassed)

Other Thoughts: The main advatage of the Zune being a Microsoft product is any software difficulty is easily bypassed with the PC being a much more developer-friendly platform. It's unfortunate that music labels and third-party developers are so reluctant to loose their lips from Apple's teet.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Amplyfied Noize
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
6/10/2008 12:48:45 AM

Rating + 4


Pros: Great sound quality. Seems well built so far. Materials aren't scratch magnets. Very nice screen playing back WMV video. Even looked good in letterbox. Supplied ear buds aren't awful but went into a drawer anyway. Fidelity is high with Shure E3's. No iTunes.

Cons: Battery life is a bit thin. Managed to watch 2 movies and play some music before it died on a recent flight. About 5 hours total with medium backlight. Knocking the backlight timer down to 5 seconds seemed to help a ton when just listening to music.

The software has some flaws and seems to be a work in progress. The auto tag update does not work very well. I have a lot of songs that are live records and it seems to give them random tag attributes and bury them in album folders. Does not have a DVD rip feature. I actually don't mind the software besides these few features. Pretty east to "aim" it on a folder and let it auto sync.

Cannot use it like a portable HDD.

Official accessories are insanely over-priced.

Other Thoughts: Format support is irrelevant. There is plenty of free third party stuff out there to convert anything to anything. I ended up spending a few bucks for a DVD ripper. Burning your DVD's to an acceptable format if much faster than letting Zune fe-format an existing file. Tested out a few formats until I found a combo I liked. On top of that I am using a free DIVX to WMV converter. Takes a little time but not a big deal.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
This user purchased this item from Newegg
6/9/2008 5:09:22 PM

Rating + 5 Couldnt ask for anything else


Pros: Though it has a bigger screen then an 80 gig ipod it is much smaller in width and weighs less.

Cons: Every item you buy is gonna have some goods and bads, but with the zune the one thing people cry about is not having a clock...myself i dont mind i have a cell phone a head that moves so i can look at a clock when i need too

Other Thoughts: New updates to the zune software and firmware keep adding more and more great features. I used to own a 4th gen ipod and after a couple months i had nothing but problems and eventually the hdd going out. Had my zune80 sense x-mas and havent had 1 problem with it.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Hart
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
6/7/2008 11:19:49 AM

Rating + 4 Read for info on 64 bit system


Pros: It's not an ipod continuous updates both software and firmware.

Cons: beware if you are running Xp 64 or vista 64 you may have trouble installing it. Especially XP pro 64. Microsoft did not intend for the zune to be compatible with business OS and since XP pro 64 is based off of server 2003 it does not get along. Took me 4-5 hours to finally find the right way to do it. there are many hacks out there to be able to set it up just look for most current before you try anything.

Other Thoughts: so far so good. It's my first large capacity Mp3 player, I originally wanted a creative but they are slowly losing the market. I will update info on it within the next month.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

hookster
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
6/2/2008 1:31:33 PM

Rating + 5 Great so far


Pros: Love the format of the screen and the way you can switch between media. The touch pad works great for me, i find it to be refreshing from going around in circles with my ipod. Hands down the beast included headphones with any portable i have ever purchased.

Cons: The software had a pit of a learning curve to it but after a few hours i started to enjoy using it. It has better album info tool than my itunes had.

Other Thoughts: I had a 30gb video for about a year and a half and the screen back light went out on it. I am more than happy with this. I feel like i got more for my money than the same price on a 80gb ipod.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

jake
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
6/2/2008 7:58:42 AM

Rating + 3 Needs Improvements


Pros: Has wireless sync and sharing, the touchpad is nice and easy to use, 3.2" screen, plenty of storage, can create a custom playlist w/o using your computer. The headphones have great sound quality and look great.

Cons: It has poor format support, no clock app, can't add apps, game support is poor. Software is buggy, but improving. Battery life isn't great due to the hard drive. Browsing through pictures can be slow, screen resolution is the same or worse than other mp3 players out there.

2 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
6/1/2008 10:52:35 AM

Rating + 4 Zune Critique


Pros: Not an ipod, nice tochpad, great headphones, large screen, radio, wireless sync, and wirelessly share songs

Cons: horrible extension support, only plays mp3, wma, wmv, and mp4 file types. The radio doesn't make up for the lack of a clock, timer, and other apps that the ipod has. Game support is horrible. Battery life isn't great, most likely because it uses a hard drive instead of flash.

Other Thoughts: Decent alternative to the ipod, but there are better mp3/ video players out there. Better than the ipod classic, but not the touch.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

physcsdrk
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
This user purchased this item from Newegg
5/28/2008 11:54:11 AM

Rating + 3 Important features missing


Pros: It looks great, the video is gorgeous, and the layout of the software on the zune is great.

Cons: The zune pc software really leaves a lot to be desired. It only accepts certain formats and it severely limits your ability to organize your music collection. There is no way to make a video playlist or a playlist of podcasts.
A problem with the software on the player is the inability to delete. You have to wait and do it from your pc. Also the wireless sync capability is severely limited because you have to choose 1 network to sync via. You can change the network but you have to use the cable to change it. If you are a laptop user who frequently uses several networks this is severely limiting.

Other Thoughts: For the money this is very disappointing. I am going to stick with this because it was so expensive that I can't get a different one. But I would not have bought this mp3 player had I known then what I know now.
Also, if you listen to any audiobook files and you want an mp3 player for that purpose, check with whatever service you use because I haven't found any that are compatible yet.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

shazzy
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
This user purchased this item from Newegg
5/22/2008 5:15:08 PM

Rating + 4 It's Okay. Nothing Great


Pros: Big screen. Looks cool. Touch pad is nifty.

Cons: Can't put podcasts in a playlist. Screen may be bigger than iPod but has same resolution. The videos look like an iPod sized screen stretched out. Fastforwarding through podcasts/videos/songs is a pain. It either goes 3x fast or skips by the minute randomly.

Other Thoughts: If you are going from iPod to Zune, don't do it. The Zune still has some more issues to work out before it can be called an iPod Killer.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Sean
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
5/17/2008 4:15:26 PM

Rating + 5 Great Player!


Pros: Great Player. The wireless sync works flawlessly. Videos look beautiful. It also has the slickest GUI I have ever used.

Cons: Wireless sync is pretty slow. Though, I only use it at night, so I never have problems.

Other Thoughts: Worth every penny.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

clair_g
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
5/16/2008 8:56:44 AM

Rating + 5 I Love It


Pros: Large, clear screen. I get between 15 and 20 hours per charge while listening to music. The wireless sync is great, once it is set up I either keep it with me or put it in the dock to charge and play through my home audio system. I never have to plug it into my computer. Sound is crisp with tone being just about perfect for me. I also like the interface (very intuitive) and the scroll button works great.

Cons: I have a fairly large music library (45gb) and some albums showed up incorrectly with messed up album art. It also liked to take two disk sets and make multiple albums. However, this was easy to fix and it was only for a few albums anyway.

Other Thoughts: The player does not support many video formats which requires to the use of a converter or the quite effective hack.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
5/14/2008 2:00:04 PM

Rating + 5


Pros: Compared to iPod 80 GBits lighter, faster, has bigger and much better screen, FM radio, premium earbuds, wireless sync that lets you send music files to your friends over wifi, and not to mention cheaper, and it natively supports more formats than iPod. The build quality seems to me to be about the same.
Zune subscription for 15 bux a month for unlimited songs is also awesome.

Cons: You have to convert xvid and divx files using a seperate converter. I wish the player had natively supported these formats. The Zune software could be better and its nice to see that both the firmware and software receives frequent updates.

Other Thoughts: I am very happy with my Zune and I can def recommend it to anyone looking for a HD based player.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Mike
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
This user purchased this item from Newegg
5/13/2008 12:03:43 PM

Rating + 5 I love it so far...


Pros: Love the fact that I have my PC in my pocket. I transfered all my music (about 9000 track/30 gig), all my photos, and like 10 movies to this thing and everything is working flawlessly.

Battery life is good so far. On a full charge, I messed around with this thing for about 5 hours (music, music while looking at photos, movies, etc.) and it still has about 80% battery left.

IMO this was worth every penny and then some.

Cons: I don't really like the proprietary software or the limited maketplace but the zune hardware makes up for all of this. I would rather have some sort of drag and drop software.

Other Thoughts: I was going to give the overall package a 4.5 but that is not an option.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

audioxstacy
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
5/12/2008 3:16:30 PM

Rating + 3 Looks nice, but...


Pros: I don't usually write negative reviews and have owned 4 other hard drive mp3 players in the past...the best thing i have to say about it, is it looked sleek. and the storage space. for the average owner it's not a bad product but for someone that is into audio, or a multimedia device, i would not recommend. see cons below.

Cons: I bought the red version from a certain retail store and had trouble figuring out how to get it to show up in 'my computer' turns out it doesnt unless you modify the registry. For people into audio, it sounds kind of flat with weak bass response. some hard drive mp3 players have an equalizer, this one doesn't. i build alot of computers so i transfer alot of files...i thought this could act as an external also, it doesn't. last thing is you have to use their software to upload. limits capabilities alot.

Other Thoughts: like i said, i tried to buy from the retail store and returned it...i will be researching into getting a new one from newegg like everything else! never had a problem, 8 years straight.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

SoCoolCurt
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
5/11/2008 8:24:07 PM

Rating + 5 good buy


Pros: well first off, i love the style and interface of the device. the sound in the premium headphones is fantastic. wireless sync is a great feature, it automatically syncs when i get in range of my wireless network. music, videos, and pictures are really all need but you can subscribe to podcast and listen to the radio and such as well. i would certainly recommend this device to anyone who wants a great MP3 player but isnt too fond of the iPod thing. the Zune Pad (touch pad) is a nice feature that comes in handy when scrolling through a large collection.

Cons: mine hates my desktop computer. the USB wont stay connected, it just connects and disconnects like every 3 seconds. i managed to get it to stay on long enough one time to set up my wireless sync settings so i use that now and have it plugged into my PS3 to charge. it works fine with my laptop but my laptop is broken right now but the stuff i bought from NewEgg to fix it should be here tomorrow. i returned it to Best Buy once thinking it was the device and even bought a new sync cable and a new USB 2.0 PCI card for my desktop but it still wont connect. i think its my computer though thus it still gets a perfect score in my book.

also, the playlist are a little weird since you can only make one playlist without being tethered to a computer.

battery life isnt great but its only really an issue if i forget to turn off the wireless (which drains the battery), otherwise it will last through the whole day for me. i put it in the cradle at night to charge anyway so no biggie there eithe

Other Thoughts: overall its a pretty good device. people still ask me "what kind of iPod is that" like Apple invented the MP3 player lol. i dont know, the iPod just never really appealed to me and the clickwheel cramps my thumb. i also like Microsoft products (except when it comes to gaming, PSWii for the win!) as it feels like a very solid device. i am afraid that i will break that sexy glass screen though. firmware updates add new features to it too (havent actually gotten the latest update yet but i did notice it). definite recommendation.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Dirty
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
This user purchased this item from Newegg
5/9/2008 6:22:25 PM

Rating + 4 Great choice for beginners and veterans alike


Pros: Wireless sync, large 3.2" screen, very easy to put videos on it (except videos you download from torrent, sometimes you have to convert those), great sound quality, great hard drive size, and very nice touch controls. Beautiful display and very nice to use. I love this MP3 player! I have tried several others and this beats them all.

Cons: Must use Zune software to load music/videos/photos (even Apple let's you use other software, and that's rare for Apple!) You cannot connect this via USB and have it show up as a drive on your computer. That would have been VERY NICE. I would have given it a 5, except for this very important feature. Not a deal breaker, (I still bought one), but I hope they let you do that in a future update.

Other Thoughts: Make sure that if you are going to purchase accessories, that they explicitly say "ZUNE 80GB" on them. I bought a Belkin screen protector for ten bucks and it said "FOR ZUNE" all over it. The store clerk even said it would work on the 80. It did, but it was too small as it was actually made for the Zune 30gb, and they wouldn't take it back! Also, on my first Zune 80 the glue that holds the plastic display protector came a little loose and a bunch of dust/dirt got underneath it. I didn't want to damage it so I had to return it to AmZon for a refund. Then I ordered one from Newegg! (Can you say, Cheaper!?!)

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: less than 1 day
This user purchased this item from Newegg
5/9/2008 4:47:49 PM

Rating + 5 Smiply Amazing


Pros: UPS delivered this to my door at 6. By 730 i had 3 gigs of music and 60 gigs of video on it and already got my own backrounds. I love software on the computer and the Zune. I also went to best buy and bought it action jacket case which was a great addition, and am currently listening to the Zune through Skull Candy ear buds which cost 30$. They are amazing at noise canceling and sound quality.

Cons: NO EQ!!!!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Alfred
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
4/27/2008 11:38:28 PM

Rating + 1 Bad


Pros: None

Cons: Everything

Other Thoughts: The touch pad control is nice. The UI of this device is horrible. I didn't like how I had bought two of these for my relatives and they didn't like them at all. We're Mac users, and this doesn't work for Mac, either. Nor does it work for Windows 2000.

1 out of 34 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

forceofnature
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
4/24/2008 4:37:15 PM

Rating + 5 Great Media Playe


Pros: Sound quality, storage size just right for me, wireless sync is convenient, wired USB sync is pretty quick. I got this as a christmas present from my wife and now she is a little annoyed that I use it so much, but happy that I have been enjoying her gift.

Cons: Limited to Windows OS systems. I run a couple of Linux systems and had to load vista on my laptop as a dual boot to transfer files.

Premium earbuds work well but the fabric sleaving on the wires caused the internal wires to come through over time. I ended up getting rid of them.

3rd party support products are lacking due to the ipod dominance.

Other Thoughts: Microsoft really needs to be more open with the zune so more 3rd party products will come out as well as support with other OS.

The Shure SE210 earbuds are a great match with this player. Ever since I got them to replace the stock earbuds I I have been enjoying the sound quality even more.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Wells
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
4/24/2008 1:53:28 PM

Rating + 5 Awesome!!!


Pros: Easy to use...User Interface is much better than that of the Ipod...Sound and Video quality is near flawless...

Cons: The Zune software can be a pain to get used to...Mine would reset itself after five or ten minutes of listening to music, but reinstalled the software on the Zune and is working fine now.

Other Thoughts: A much better buy than that of the Ipod. Feels like a better quality device.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Fishfly13
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
4/24/2008 7:02:47 AM

Rating + 5 Awesome Media Player


Pros: Big screen, easy syncing of videos and music. Wifi syncing and sharing is nice. Touch pad is neat.

Cons: Someone stole mine from my office :'(

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: less than 1 day
4/22/2008 9:00:31 PM

Rating + 4 Amazing


Pros: Easy to navigate. Great sound. Radio tuner is sharp and clear. Screen is clear and sharp.

Cons: Comes with a lot of useless stuff. Demo songs, photos and podcasts. All can be easily deleted, just time consuming. Some troubles converting movies to work on my Zune. Not sure if its my movie converter or the Zune.

Other Thoughts: Doesn't have WiFi like the I-pod touch, but you don't have to deal with all of I-pod's bull. Was a former I-pod owner. Wish I would have bought a Zune earlier. Lots of space, pretty good price for the size of harddrive and screen.

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Sharkie
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
4/13/2008 3:19:23 PM

Rating + 5 Beautiful. Puts the iPod Classic in the dust.


Pros: -HUGE screen compared to the iPod Classic
-The Zune Pad is interesting and cool when compared to the iPod's wheel
-custom laser engraving including images.
-Glass screen; the iPod has a plastic screen which scratches more and is less clear.Oh also the glass is less breakable
-Makes better use of physical space (see large screen)
-Cool GUI
-PREMIUM HEADPHONES WIN!!!!
-Radio and WiFi features (sharing, plus syncing from wherever you are)
-Superior audio quality.
-Amazing integration into windows (when you plop something into My Music, it automatically shows up on the Zune Software, unless you tell it not to.)
-Handles podcasts better than any Mp3 player besides the iPod.

Cons: -Doesn't come in a 160GB version, but that's OK for me.
-A little bit bigger than the Classic, but the huge screen makes up for it. Honestly not a huge deal.
-No EQ
-Battery life is less than the iPod
-Can't use it on a mac (though in my honest opinion this is a pro, not a con ;] )
-You have to turn off the WiFi if you don't want your battery to get eaten to bits.
-The computer software can use a bit of work. A problem I have is that if an Mp3 lacks album art, which most do, it goes and adds something random.
-Without hacking it, you can't use it as an external HD, which is something a lot of iPod owners do.
-Not a lot of people own one due to its poor reputation from the 1st gen release.

Other Thoughts: I was skeptical when buying this, because I have been using iPods for so long. But I was very very pleased upon getting this. One of my favorite things about this is that it comes with amazing in-ear headphones that block out sound. The backs of the headphones also magnet together, and the chord is rope-like so it doesn't break. As stated the screen is beautiful, but something I would have liked to see is a higher resolution with all that space. In my opinion, if you're choosing between the iPod classic and this, and you have a PC, go with this, no questions asked.

What's upsetting is that the first release wasn't so great and Microsoft got put down a lot. So with the coming of these, people (myself included at first) have an idea stuck in their head that the Zune is a bad product. Trust me, you'll have the envy of any iPod owner. The pros outweigh the cons.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Kliend
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
4/11/2008 8:42:44 AM

Rating + 5 sweet!


Pros: Great software. Awesome design, sleek product, nice looking UI. Touchpad is awesome. Pretty Screen. Much better than Ipod Classic.

Cons: Battery life isn't as good as ipod classic. Software/firmware had a lot of bugs when it first came out. Now there are some bugs.

Other Thoughts: I had this since it came out and have been very happy with it.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Wayne
Tech Level: average
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
This user purchased this item from Newegg
4/5/2008 9:03:29 AM

Rating + 1 Zune 80gb


Pros: Big screen, can set your own background, nice headphones

Cons: Software is the worst software I've worked with. I'll sync videos on there and it will change the name and artwork on it. I get error messages saying "item is missing or can't be played." Microsoft's support is very poor.

Other Thoughts: I got this instead of an Ipod because of its big screen and my dislike of anything Apple. I have to (grudgingly) admit that my wife's Ipod is much better. I'm very disappointed.

5 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Michael
Tech Level: average
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
3/27/2008 8:24:01 PM

Rating + 5 Better than ipod


Pros: Where do I start? Great design, interface, sound quality, screen, video quality, premium headphones, light, not made by apple, comfortable controls, easy to sync.

Cons: I got this to replace my 30 GB Zen Vision M. While I believe the Zune beats it in almost every field, there is one very big down side, and that is the supported video formats. The Zune only supports WMV and limited mp4, which is really inconvenient. If I'm lucky, the Zune software will accept the file and convert it in about an hour or so, if I'm not lucky then I have to use another converter for a couple of hours and only then will the software accept it.

Other Thoughts: Outside the lack of supported video formats, this is a great player. While I would not say that its a must get, but if you are looking for a great HDD based player, this seems like the best choice.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
3/25/2008 8:30:26 AM

Rating + 5 Zune - WiFi - FM Trans - Awesome


Pros: An amazing mp3 player with built in wireless, fm, and has everything any other play would want. I drive about 10-14 hours a week and I take this little guy with me everywhere, I bought an FM Road Trip, so it sits in my truck charging and broadcasting over my trucks radio. See Other.

Cons: People ask me if it is an iPod, because appearently Apple invented mobile music, ha.

Other Thoughts: It is truely amazing, I never have to take it out of my truck to sync it due to the wireless feature, and becauses of the great hard cases you can get off of the web for it, I dont have to be gental with it, all my construction buddies and dirt dont hurt it.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

peacefull
Tech Level: average
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
3/24/2008 10:19:57 AM

Rating + 5 Red Zune 80gb coming out!


Pros: Zune now offers RED zune 80gb. Newegg should get those in stock. They are not in retail yet but will be coming out soon.

Cons: The only con is that they only came in black.

Other Thoughts: I'm happy zune offers red now.

0 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

chops61636
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
This user purchased this item from Newegg
3/18/2008 1:19:19 PM

Rating + 5 Almost perfect


Pros: Finally, an MP3 player I can be proud to own without having to be an Apple fanboy. Almost everything about this player is awesome. Tons of space, even for someone like me who maintains a collection of over 250 GB of music. Syncing folders to the Zune is simple, it has a great interface, and is genuinely fun to use. Sound / video quality is outstanding.

Cons: The only problem with this player, imo, is the battery life. Not only does it not come with an A/C adapter, forcing me to charge it through USB, but the battery doesn't last long at all. While I'm listening to music it actually isn't all that bad, but the big problem is that it drains faster than it should when the player is off. If I leave it off for a week, I can almost count on a dead battery when I come back to it.

Other Thoughts: Overall, the player is amazing, and I would highly recommend it. If charging the player more often than you might imagine isn't a problem for you, go for this thing. It's cheaper than the iPod and just as good if not better.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Nathan924
Tech Level: average
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
This user purchased this item from Newegg
3/12/2008 4:18:01 PM

Rating + 5 Very nice media device


Pros: Tons of storage space. It can be filled with more music than the average person will ever have. The extra space can be used for pictures, videos, and podcasts, or however the individual chooses to use it. Large screen with sharp picture. Nice interface on the device. A nice-looking device, black on the front, gray on the back. The scrolling and touch activated pad (rather than pushing in) is nice. Battery life seems to be good.

Cons: The included headphones aren't that great. They produce decent highs but basically no bass to speak of, despite the magnets on them. The headphones also don't stay in the ears very well; if I happen to use them, I'll be readjusting and pushing them back in to my ears occasionally, as they come out. I can't imagine they would stay in very well if a person is exercising with them in. This is no big deal though, as one can use another pair of headphones.

Other Thoughts: The Zune software works fairly well and has a nice looking interface, which you can put different "skins" on.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
3/8/2008 6:00:33 PM

Rating + 5 You can also use as mass storage...


Pros: I have always been one to buy more than I need, in this case so I thought. I am very impressed by Zune! and love the software as well, hated using itunes since musicmatch is no more(which is where i'd buy all my music online)

Cons: none whatsoever, the sound is awesome at the gymn, the video is amazing "DVDFab Platinum" works great on converting video for your Zune

Other Thoughts: although IPods have been stuffed down our throats, I have yet to own. I bought my son one, but decided on this for myself. if you wish to drag and drop to you zune, you might want to read this article at zunescene about "Zune Mass Storage Mod"

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Sang
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
This user purchased this item from Newegg
3/6/2008 10:20:26 PM

Rating + 5 Best for the Money


Pros: 3.2" Screen is much better and bigger that the Ipod Classic. Wireless syncing is insanely fast; takes about 1-2 minute to transfer an album of 12 songs (with Wireless-g). Basically you don't need to use the USB cable (except for charging). Zune software is very easy to use once you have explore it all. Lots of storage space for your multimedia. Touchpad is very easy to use, and yes I like it more than the IPod wheel. Zune AV pack dock is a nice optional accesorries that can connect your zune to a home stereo/video, comes with a wireless remote, too.

Cons: One dead pixel out of the box, ghh... Zune can not be used without Zune software. Media cannot be renamed or remove from Zune directly (have to use computer). The earphones are just not my type. You have to push it into your ear canal so that it sucks the air out of your ear to make it stay in your ear. Buy an aftermarket earphone will solve this problem. Zune can not be used as an storage device.

Other Thoughts: Zune software doesn't have video convert, which is required if you want to watch movie on your Zune. Go to Cnet and search for "any video converter". This software is free and does the job. Even with one dead pixel, I'm fully satisfied with this purchase.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Richard M
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
This user purchased this item from Newegg
3/6/2008 1:33:34 PM

Rating + 4 Amazing Device


Pros: Amazing screen and the controlls are much better than the Ipod wheel. I had two ipods fail on me, so i switched products

Cons: Like everyone else, the software is a drawback. But this is a microsoft device, you can be confident their software will put itunes to shame in future releases.

Other Thoughts: A bookmark feature would be nice for audio books

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
2/29/2008 8:34:11 PM

Rating + 4 its better than an ipod


Pros: i have owned both an ipod classic and this and so far this is a much better choice. the screen is awesome it's made of glass instead of just plastic so it doesn't get scratched nearly as easy as an ipod. i love the wireless sync its just so handy. the new scroll pad works really well, i never really liked the ipods scroll wheel because i would tend to have to go back and forth in order to land on what i wanted. the software installed without a hitch, i know that a few people were having problems with it but i have a realy old and slow computer so if it will work for me most likely it'll work for you. ive had this for a little over a month now and i haven't had a single problem with it where as with my ipod i had to exchange it twice in the same month. overall i love this player and wouldnt trade it for anything else

Cons: there are some things that i didn't really like about the zune but nothing that i think should deter you from getting one. first off theres no clock, but then again ive got about 50 clocks on all of my other electronic devices so why would i need another one. second no eq, i was pretty disappointed when i found this out but i didn't really need it all that badly. third is that i did have some issues with the software finding the info and album art on a few of my cd's that i ripped but i tagged them manually and it was all good. finally the biggest con is that you can't transfer your songs from itunes. it said that you could on their website but i haven't figured out how to do it. it wasn't that bad for me because i got most of my music from third party sources but i was pretty peeved that i couldn't get those other songs from itunes. if your switching from an ipod and you bought most of your music from itunes then good luck,but if you didn't buy anything from itunes then you'll be fine

Other Thoughts: i heard that they'll be coming out with games sometime soon so that'll be pretty cool, and also if you order it directly from their website you can have cool pictures etched into the back

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
This user purchased this item from Newegg
2/29/2008 6:57:54 AM

Rating + 3 Microsoft Zune 80gb Jan Purchase


Pros: 1) It is slimmer than the gen 1 zunes
2) Has a larger screen than the ipod classic
3) headphones are nice
4) video player is very nice
5) 80 gbs for $233? You really can't beat that.
6) can do wireless sync w/ your computer, but that's not all that great. You have to power it up anyways, so plugging it into the USB dock/cable isn't exactly a chore.

Cons: 1) The zune will not show up as a hard drive on your computer. In other words, if the proprietary software breaks, your zune is..well, a paperweight. More on that later.
2) Video format has to be wmp 10 or the zune will convert when it syncs. The player natively supports any codec you have on your computer, but it doesn't care. At the end of the day, if you want the sync times low, the best way to store your files is wmp 10 format w/ MP3 tracks in 320x240 resolution. NOT what I had in mind.
3) The zune software is ok, but a small percentage of users have issues with installation, as well as sudden crashes. I upgraded my CPU and moved my music files from one directory to another, and for 3 days I had to fight the zune software to get it to run. It kept crashing. The error message was actually helpful, but the link it pointed me to didn't help out (partially due to my frustration). Finally, I followed through on a post related to WMP11 and it works now.

Other Thoughts: Bottom line, I wish I had waited and purchased a 32gb ipod touch.

3 out of 12 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

griggen
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
2/24/2008 11:28:03 PM

Rating + 5 I never want an iPod again!


Pros: I am sure that most of you looking at these reviews are people who want to know if this is better than your iPod. Put simply; YES! It is amazing! The screen is huge and the new zune pad scrolling device is really quite fun. Soon there will be games from the XNA creators club application. Beyond that the zune software has grown more mature and for being young is arguably better than iTunes. For the price that newegg offers this model is incomparable!

Cons: Maybe having internet connectivity through the wireless but no big deal.

Other Thoughts: Buy it!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Mr Ivan
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
2/23/2008 10:21:52 PM

Rating + 5 Great player!


Pros: I am extremelly satisfied with Zune! Really good screen, just the right size. Earbuds that came with it are very good. Wireless syncing is so handy. Battery life is pretty good. Design is really slick and attractive.

Cons: Please add the clock! Not many cons, just some suggestions to enhance interface but all are minor. Doesn't support DivX or XVid, have to use separate converter.

Other Thoughts: I used iPod and Creative before and Zune is hands down the best I have used. I use it on flights often and it is my saver, battery enough to watch two movies (with low light settings). Zune software is really elegant now that they had revamped it after first gen. Wireless syncing is not fastest but defenitely removes another cable from my desk. Design is great. Get extra charger or get TV pack which charges, has remote and connects to TV. I simply LOVE it!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

TIMMMAYY!
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
2/15/2008 11:04:49 AM

Rating + 5 Better than any iPod


Pros: Large Screen (wide screen when turned sideways for video viewing), 80GBs of storage!, The software is very much improved since the first generation zunes, the earbuds it comes with are of high quality, easy to navigate interface, operating system rarely crashes/freezes (never has for me and i've been using it for almost 2 months)

Cons: doesn't support many video formats so you have to acquire a video converter for your pc. the battery dies quickly when playing video but what can you expect most laptops can't play a movie for 2 hours without the battery dying. doesn't come with an AC power adapter so you have to charge it via usb.

Other Thoughts: I'm anti-apple so i've never owned an iPod but i've used plenty of my friends ipods, and none of them have ever seemed as good as this zune. After using this for a little over a month i used one of my friends newer ipods (which cost more money btw) and i was shocked by how much worse it was, the interface on the iPod is so sluggish and difficult to use, and the sound quality is worse

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

rhkenji
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
2/9/2008 7:33:52 PM

Rating + 5 One of the best player ever!


Pros: * Big Screen * Thin * HIGH Capacity * Very nice interface * Wifi * The Zune marketplace is very nice * Absolutely Sexy! * Auto download and sync via wireless of podcasts and music is absolutely amazing. I love this.

Cons: * Battery life - I typically use this to watch around 2hrs of video + around 6hrs of music everyday at work and by the end of the day, im desperately needing of a recharge.
* Cant delete music/playlist/playlist item/ on the zune.. you need the marketplace software for that.
* Cant use it as a hard drive
* Cant upload songs without the zune software

Other Thoughts: I have an ipod, cowon a2 and this. This is absolutely the best among the three. Although I like cowon's support for more video format but thats about it..

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: average
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
2/7/2008 10:34:16 AM

Rating + 2 Beware


Pros: Not an Ipod. 80GB, decent size screen. Price is ok.

Cons: I bought it to play videos. Movies, TV shows etc. The play back is dark on many movies. Any dark scenes comes out almost black on the zune. I messed with what little options you have in the settings and have the screen on max brightness, but as I just said, any dark scenes on the video comes out pretty much black on the zune. The current firmware offers very little in the way of adjusting video playback or audio. I was prepared to live with that, cause I think that can be fixxed with a new firmware. But now just 8 days after I got it, the Zune shuts back down shortly after I power it on. I have tried resetting it, letting the battery fully discharge, deleting the whole harddrive. No difference.

Other Thoughts: I have bought many PC hardware from Newegg and never once needed to RMA any of it. And still won't, since I bought the Zune at my local Walmart. I will be returning it to walmart soon for a full refund, not another Zune. I searched boards on Zune and this seems to be a very common problem in many Zune's if not all of them. Looks like it's back to my reliable PSP for video playback. Does a better job of it then the Zune anyway (bigger screen, dark scenes look great, widescreen so WS video isn't just taking up the center 40ish % of the screen and you can stretch the video to fill screen completely) only downside was it is slightly larger and does not have the 80GB harddrive...which was why I went to the zune.

4 out of 12 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Spence
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
This user purchased this item from Newegg
2/2/2008 5:16:40 PM

Rating + 5 Zune


Pros: Second Generation is FIRST CLASS!!!
Owned 5 ipods (2-broke just after war. expired and Apple REFUSED to repair $$$) Never going back! I'm mot hard on them, used for podcasting in car and music, no running, etc.

Cons: Price, but you get what you pay for...

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
1/31/2008 9:08:08 PM

Rating + 5 great! but....


Pros: the player itself is great. it is simply a media player without all the gadgets and accessories that come on the ipods. the navigation is much easier to use and very intuitive. battery life is great... i went on a 20 hour cross country trip... watched a bunch of videos and listened to alot of music and had battery to spare.

Cons: the zune program isn't the best and I wish I could do more editing on the player itself but that isn't annoying. what IS annoying are those headphones that come with it. they are too sensitive to abrasion... so you can hear everything that touches them... although they fall apart if you are a little rough.... better than the ipod headphones though.

Other Thoughts: the accessories for the zune 80 are slowly coming out... cases are becoming more abundant etc. i love the player

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

lycanthos
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
1/31/2008 2:41:41 PM

Rating + 2 Random Reboots


Pros: Big Screen
Easy To Use
Software is easy to navigate

Cons: 1st Zune 80 has a broken pixel returned it.
2nd Zune constantly reboots on its own accord.

Other Thoughts: I'm done with Microsoft Products. 3 Xbox 360s and 2 Zune 80s is too much of a hassle for me.

3 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

caseyyano
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
1/30/2008 1:27:23 AM

Rating + 4 Quite Wonderful


Pros: I have owned it for 35 days and so far it is still unscratched and fully functional. Very nice device visually.

I have a Zune Original and so I have a laser etching on the back; It's very beautiful.

Cons: 1. Cannot function as a hard drive.
2. Cannot play AVI and DIVX video formats.
3. Did not pass the "thrown against the wall by a drunken person" test. He refunded me for another though. All is well.

Other Thoughts: If your computer was reformatted and your Zune has your music/vids then you can get them all back from your Zune. Wirelessly if you want...

I have not found a single human being on the wireless search thing. If you go to the University of Washington, turn your Zune on and share some musical love.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Joe
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/28/2008 4:21:26 PM

Rating + 4 I was happy....


Pros: Nice large, vibrant screen. Sound is crisp and clean. Love the radio and podcast features.

Cons: The device I got had something wrong with the battery. Though it was fully charged, the device would regularly shut off at random points during playback.

Other Thoughts: Sent it back to Newegg, but now they are out of stock so I got a refund instead of a exchange. Wasn't too happy with that as now I will have to spend my money elsewhere. Would have perferred the cash to go to newegg :-)

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

kashmir_FX
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/27/2008 10:18:54 AM

Rating + 5 nice, like it better than the ipod


Pros: cool interface, cooler than the classic, fm band (i like it) headphones are nice, better than apples

Cons: software isnt bad but isnt good, you can use windows media player, with it without hack, wich is bunk

Other Thoughts: screen is big, better than ipod classic, cheap on newegg too

1 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Sp1ff
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
1/26/2008 10:44:34 AM

Rating + 5 Greatest Mp3/Video Player yet!


Pros: Large screen(bigger than an ipods) Wireless sync and share capability.

Cons: Not really a major concern but I wish it could accept xvid or divx formated videos without having to convert them to wmv first.

Other Thoughts: Screen smudges easily, not a problem just get a case.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Mo
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
1/25/2008 1:23:11 PM

Rating + 4 Read this!


Pros: Perfect size. Great sound quality. Good screen. Light weight. High capacity. Smooth video playback. Very happy after a lot of time invested.

Cons: Anemic software. Only compatable with WMV, Mpeg4, and H264 video formats. This is the biggie and why I took one egg off... The zune software will re-encode any of the suppored video formats if they are not in the perfect "zune" format. If my WMV's etc. were anything but 320x240, they got converted. (which takes a while) I tried like 15 different encoders before I found "DVDFab Platinum" Its free to try for 30 days. So worth it. Use the ipod setting, not the zune setting. (Zune setting forces 4x3 which is stretched, ipod setting allows letterbox.

Other Thoughts: All in all I am very happy with the zune. Wide screen would have been nice.
Also, you dont have the option of setting up the display to be horizontal all the time. Thats kind of annoying.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/24/2008 6:01:14 PM

Rating + 5 Good Item


Pros: Very smooth, very thin, very light. zune software is still cra___y however its being updated. Good sound, good ear plugs however i use logitech noise canceling headphones with it.

Cons: Does not play avi files. I went from creative zen vizion w wich played any divx and avi file.

Other Thoughts: for making ur own movies get the full klite full codec pack or just the FFDShow MPEG-4 codec. you can use media encoder 9 that can be downloaded for free from microsoft to create and convert your own vedios. Converted a bunch of my AVI films to wmv with this codec and media encoder. they play great, without any hickups or shaddin.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes No

FatKid
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
1/21/2008 1:24:29 PM

Rating + 5 A Great Product


Pros: The screen is great, it's quite large and it's glass, much better than the previous zune with the plastic screen. 80GB is alot of space so getting all of your favorite songs and movies on there shouldn't be a problem. The touch pad is very useful and allows for fast browsing. Fairly slim so you can easily fit it in your pocket. The noise-reducing headphones are great, and they come with different size ear buds that can easily be taken off and put on. I'm a big fan of the cord on the headphones, it's not a plastic or rubber it is more of a cloth like material. Wireless transfer of songs and pictures between Zunes is an awesome feature and great for sharing stuff with friends.

Cons: I have an odd occurrence with my Zune where the battery will show at just over half full and then suddenly depletes to very low. My friends that have the same Zune model do not have this problem so I wouldn't be too worried about this. The battery life is great though, approximately 20 hours listening to music and 4 hours of watching videos. There is no clock, but it doesn't effect me too much. Also, when you transfer songs to another Zune wirelessly you only get to listen to it 3 times and it cannot be resent.

Other Thoughts: Some people complain about faulty software but it really isn't an issue with me. The only problem I have is the Zune not recognizing the album or placing it in the wrong album. If you don't care what the little picture on your screen looks like and your only interested in your music being there, this shouldn't be a problem.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
1/21/2008 9:26:02 AM

Rating + 5 nice player-great wifi


Pros: It is nice to have a player like this. Probably the best one out there but not yet perfect. I love that it has wifi sync-I'm able to take songs off of my neighbors computer also because he doesn't have encryption on his house wireless. Nice to be able to sync from anywhere in my house without plugging in to my computer. sound is great, but i would like a equalizer for some songs. It also has radio tuner!

Cons: It would be great to have equalizer for sound. No delete function-must use the software on computer to delete. When I sync to other peoples network, I can't delete undesirable songs that I've downloaded without having to go home and connecting to my zune software. still no nice 3rd party accessories out there. I would like bose dock for it but does not yet exist. Altec Lansing seems to have the only decent speaker dock for it. A high end dock from another company is huge and costs $600.

Other Thoughts: Hopefully 3rd party manufacturers will provide more quality accessories for the zune.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes No

Paolo
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
1/21/2008 9:01:58 AM

Rating + 5 Awesome


Pros: Alot smaller than i though, High capacity.sound quality is great,headphones are great, they block out alot of outside noise.
screen is very nice.

Cons: is a pain to get video on here,due to the lack of compatibility.
I afraid of scratching the screen hah

Other Thoughts: great player, and its not an apple product...

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

justamemory
Tech Level: average
Ownership: less than 1 day
1/20/2008 5:52:26 PM

Rating + 5 Zune 80GB


Pros: excellent sound quality (I'm using Etymotic ER-6i's and while they're still slightly thin in the low register, there's great separation and clarity). screen is perfect size: doesn't cause you to squint while trying to view. Pictures and videos look awesome. Interface is probably the slickest I've ever seen. With the way I keep my music, the ID3 database isn't entirely accurate, but good enough. Although, the feature where it organizes multiple albums per artist is a big plus.

Cons: not HDD accessible out of the box. the "premium" headphones cough up too much artificial bass at the expense of mid's and hi's. o ya the Zune software is pretty lacking...unless you've extensively edited the tags for your collection, you're gonna have some issues with the way the program reads album art/meta-data.

Other Thoughts: I had an iAudio X5 for 2 years, and this is definitely a step up in sound quality and interface. Although, I sort of miss the functionality of HDD access and customization options.

maybe a simple bass/treble should have been added, but the sound you get from it with good headphones is definitely nothing to keep you from buying this.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Nightmare
Tech Level: average
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
1/20/2008 1:40:04 AM

Rating + 5 O yeah


Pros: 80GB that should say it all. The Zune 80GB is so easy to use and it kinda fun swipping throu my music.

Cons: Headphones suck. They sound good but hurt my ears.

Other Thoughts: Can't wait to put some movies on here and really use it. I have 12GB music on here already.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Chris
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
1/19/2008 10:39:51 AM

Rating + 2 A ferrari running on 4 cylinders...


Pros: Big screen, great navigation through menus, CHEAP, small form factor, glass screen, player is not cluttered, looks awesome, sturdy, wireless trading

Cons: Software, No equalizer, it doesn't even have a clock!, resolution of screen is too low for its size (pixelated images/videos), lack of support for video, cannot be used as a USB drive

Other Thoughts: This possibly awesome player is ruined by being so proprietary and by its software. There is no way around using it. It is confusing to use and it loads/unloads music you do not want. You can't just put music onto your player, you have to load it into the software first. Hacked firmware in the future is not looking promising. Also there is a lack of many features which should be included. You cannot delete music with the player. This player is nice if you only want to listen to music, but for anything more it's horrible! The screen is big but doesn't look good. I am VERY disappointed in buying this. I was hoping Microsoft could come up with an Ipod killer. They could easily come close but they made it too proprietary. Do NOT buy this player unless you want to play music only.

2 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

BobPT
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/19/2008 6:50:48 AM

Rating + 5 Really nice!


Pros: Works great.  Buying it locally would have cost me about $280 but got it from Newegg for $239.

Cons: None

Other Thoughts: If the iPod Touch was the same price, I would have preferred that, though not having a radio would have been a big negative to me.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Phil
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/19/2008 12:59:37 AM

Rating + 5 Zune 80GB


Pros: -Sleek
-Thin
-Big screen
-Great Software

Cons: -None

Other Thoughts: People complain about the software because they aren't used to it yet.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Dan
Tech Level: high
Ownership: less than 1 day
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/18/2008 4:29:42 PM

Rating + 5 its sleek and great but


Pros: It has a big glass screen.
its sleek and sexy unlike the 1st Gen its 80 gb
and its great for movies

Cons: only problem i see so far is, the wifi chrome cover on the top is loose and rattles, if it does fall off it will probably be after 30 days, so i might wanna get a replacement (thanks to newegg's so-so replacement policy)

also i dont like zune software, i was hoping it would work for wmp
zune software is dumbed down wpm, even iTunes was better than it

Other Thoughts: its good, but im still not sure it was the best decision

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/15/2008 7:55:29 PM

Rating + 5 It's a Great Device!


Pros: Large glass screen,
Easy to use (squircle) touch pad,
sleek, much better looking than 1st gen zune. It's a little bigger than the ipod video but not at all a bad size. The screen is dourable glass. Ships with good quality headphones. Radio, podcasts, movies, 80gig. It has everything the ipod does and then some for the same price.

Cons: I'm not crazy about the zune software. I own an ipod too (it broke) and itunes is a much easier to use program. There are less restrictions.
ARGH! CANT BE USED AS A PORTABLE HARDDRIVE! There are 3rd party fixes that can tinker with the settings but by default no harddrive useage.

Other Thoughts: My zune came with a layer of sand or some substance underneath the glass screen... That kinda ticked me off. Now I get to see how Microsoft tech support trys to con me..,

REGARDLESS! The zune is overall a great choice for those looking for an ipod like device. The 2nd gen has many fixes over the 1st.

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

lee983
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/15/2008 2:15:41 AM

Rating + 5 Best Mp3Player


Pros: had both Ipod then this,The Zune is far superior in sound and function!

Cons: none

Other Thoughts: wish newegg had the case for it!

11 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Skip
Tech Level: average
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/14/2008 10:19:19 PM

Rating + 5


Pros: Wireless sync.
Send friends music.
Send friends pictures.
Radio.
Better looking then i pod.
Monthly subscription if you choose to.
bigger screen.
More bang for the buck compared to i pod's features.

Cons: Lack of media support and video conversion.
Only for PC not macs.

Other Thoughts: This is a very nice player i love it in fact i bought one from Fred Meyers so i thought i would buy another from here!!!

15 out of 16 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/14/2008 6:23:05 PM

Rating + 4 Pretty good


Pros: Very nice display....sound quality is good....even using headphone jack to plug into surround sound system sounds perfect...no distortion at all :)

Software is not a huge install, does not bog down computer at all...works without a hitch

Cons: Software not near as good as iTunes.....but it works well with no issues at all...iTunes is a different story :)

Had to RMA first one because buttons did not respond sometimes even after firmware update (which is automatic) Newegg is the best!!

Other Thoughts: Reviewed by

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Matt
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/13/2008 8:20:50 PM

Rating + 5 2nd Gen Is Infinitely Better


Pros: This is much much better than the previous Zune generation. The touch/click (squircle) pad works better than anything on any other player that's out there hands down. It navigates through the Zune very well. It's very responsive while scrolling, fast forwarding through videos, etc. Most importantly, I have not had it freeze on me! The software works well. If you are coming from iTunes (like me) you will be very pleased at the functionality of the Zune software. It's got an FM tuner, which most other high capacity MP3 players don't have. The videos, although same resolution as the iPods, looks better (in my opinion).

Cons: Using wireless sync to transfer music is basically pointless, unless you are transferring from one Zune to another. Transfer is not as fast as through USB.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

bobbybob
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/12/2008 12:27:25 PM

Rating + 4 excellent


Pros: The new touch pad is great. It allows for much faster and accurate scrolling than the older Zune, also it is much more fun. The new software is great; it is easy to organize most everything. The Microsoft Marketplace is great for finding podcasts. This display is perfect for viewing all your videos and video podcasts.

Cons: Several minor things: You have to download the Zune’s software from online. In addition, you have to purchase “Microsoft Points” prior to buying the song. Your videos have no way to be organized, all put into one folder.

Other Thoughts: It would be nice if it came with an AC charger and case. An extra $40-$60 but worth it.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Kutz
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
1/11/2008 11:43:28 PM

Rating + 5 Finally, a great mp3 player


Pros: Solid, small, sleek design. The touch button works very well and can be turned off if thought to be too sensitive (although I thought it had perfect sensitivity). It has the response of nice laptop touch pad. Great video and sound quality. The headphones are actually very nice and magnetically clip together.

Cons: The Zune software can get frustrating at times when syncing music. Once used to it though, it is easy to make it do what you want.

Other Thoughts: I have waited for this MP3 player to come out for a very long time. When Microsoft made an MP3 player I knew it was going to be good, but I wanted to wait for the second generation to keep from having a player with a lot of bugs. It was definitely worth the wait. I am extremely happy with this device and all my friends love it too.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

chucky
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/11/2008 9:10:26 AM

Rating + 4 Nice


Pros: I got this from newegg.com. I ordered it Wed 11 AM, they shipped it before 6 PM, and I got it the next day for the 3 day UPS groung. Grest job.
The 80 GB Zune has plenty of room for songs, pictures and videos. The glass screen is better than others' plastic screen.

Cons: Noise from the hard drive when changing songs. Poor foreign language support. A lot of squares instead of Chinese song title show up on the screen that cause headache to find the song I want to listen to.

Other Thoughts: I would rate it excellent if not for the language issue.

0 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: average
Ownership: less than 1 day
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/10/2008 10:58:26 PM

Rating + 2 I Loved it.....


Pros: Awsome media player.....

Cons: .... The sound only worked on the right side of all headphones...

Other Thoughts: Depends on how newegg wants to do this, if they send me a new one, thats great, if they wanna send me a fixed one, ill just get my money back and get it from best buy...

0 out of 16 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Billy
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
1/9/2008 4:18:55 PM

Rating + 5 Wow


Pros: I Love this thing. Big screen, nice interface, very attractice. Zune software works great. The stock earbuds are great, but the cable gets frayed kinda fast. So glad i got this instead of an ipod.

Cons: screen gets smudgy. no games without a hack. battery life isnt the best, esp. with video

Other Thoughts: you would be crazy to buy an 80 gb ipod over this. flat out crazy.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Michael H.
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/8/2008 6:58:32 PM

Rating + 5 The Greatest MP3 Player Known To Mankind


Pros: This thing is amazing; the screen is huge, the interface is awesome, and the software is very easy to use. The audio quality, even through the stock ear buds, is amazing. The video and picture quality is on par with my old Vision M, and that is a VERY good thing for anyone who didn't know. The radio reception was excellent, and, though I haven't tried the "sharing" music thing, I did sync wireless and that works like a breeze.

Cons: The only thing I see is that the screen gets kinda smudgy if you touch it without a case or screen protector on (I use neither). The stock ear buds are actually quite good for being "stock ear buds".

Other Thoughts: I had a Vision M for about a year now and this thing is an amazing upgrade. If you are thinking about upgrading or just need a new mp3 player, BUY THIS. You WILL NOT be disappointed. Also, hats off to Newegg; for I ordered it at 11pm one night and it shipped out at noon the next day. Bravo!

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

KillerPrince
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
1/6/2008 12:17:58 AM

Rating + 5 Very Nice!!!!!


Pros: Love it and gonna keep it even when the 3rd generation of zune will come out, nice headphones

Cons: none what soever just wish it had more features(clock,games, etc)

Other Thoughts: the setting for the tags being messed up is easy to fix by going to settings from person below talking about fixing the software cause you can do it manually

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Roghog
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
1/5/2008 10:58:10 PM

Rating + 5 Puts the ipod to shame


Pros: HUGE screen, its so bright and clear, much better than any of the ipods screens...interface is amazing, software is fine, so problems there, radio is a nice touch, headphones are nice, people are just complaining cuz they had disformed ears or something, they are really nice. touch pad is insane, its so fast and easy.

Cons: none really, at the moment its a little hard to find a good case for it, but i guess that is expected with a newer product. wish it could be an external hdd but i'm sure u can get a driver for that, haven't looked into it that much.

Other Thoughts: i did ALOT of research before i bought my first mp3 player, i've seen the old zunes and they were only alright, all my friends have ipods and they all complain about the scroll wheel and how they freeze all the time. when i showed them mine they all loved the huge screen and headphones, and touch pad DOMINATES the ipods! put those ipods to shame with your zunes! go buy this! its worth it!!!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Joe
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
1/4/2008 6:06:29 PM

Rating + 5 Zune 80 is a winner.


Pros: The Zune 80, as compared to the iPod Classic, is an ingenious MP3 player, and far better than Apple's comparable version. The Zune Pad is perfect for browsing music, video, pictures, and podcasts. It is not too sensitive, which is complaint in some of the earlier iPod Videos, but you are still able to move around your library quickly. The 3.2" screen is beautiful, with a glass covering as opposed to the iPod's plastic, making it much more resistant to scratches. The battery is fine; it will last you for more than ten hours while listening to music, while just under three when watching video. The OS is fantastic; my favorite part is time it saves while browsing between categories. The iPod forces the user to return to the music menu to switch between artists, albums, genres, etc. However, the Zune displays the categories on top and the sub categories below, making it easier and faster to navigate. The headphones sound quality is fantastic. Wireless sync works well.

Cons: The software is so-so. Although it is visually appealing, it's functionality is not that of iTunes. The battery life is a little short while watching constant video.

Other Thoughts: If you do not download your music from iTunes, you can still sync your iTunes library with your Zune. You can also sync any video that you download from iTunes. The Zune accepts just about every kind of video format. This is a winner over the Apple iPod.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

nickerbocker
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: less than 1 day
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/3/2008 10:56:43 PM

Rating + 4 To Zune or not to Zune... a matter of personal taste.


Pros: Very comparable to the 80GB iPod Classic.
Pros *over* the 80GB iPod Classic:
* Larger screen.
* Much nicer stock headphones.
* Wireless sync.
* FM Tuner.
* More responsive interface.
* Scratch/finger print resistant finish.
* $15/month DRMed download-till-you-drop service available (but I have not tried this yet).

Cons: Cons when compared to 80GB iPod Classic:
* I like the form factor of the iPod Classic a little more.
* iTunes is more polished than the Zune software.
* Does not work as an external hard drive like the iPod does. At least this is not supported by the default drivers by Microsoft. I wouldn't be surprised if there were 3rd party driver available, however.
* No Mac support by Microsoft.
* More accessories available for iPod at this time.

Other Thoughts: This is one slick device. When the 30GB 1st generation Zune came out I did not think much of it. My 4G 20GB iPod died and while shopping for a replacement this newly redesigned Zune really caught my eye. I would definitely recommend this device, but don't rule out the iPod Classic yet. They are very comparable devices and I think what is right for you will come down to personal taste. For me, I made the right choice. Competition is good, and right now the PMP market is healthy with good competition, no doubt.

6 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

patt2k
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
This user purchased this item from Newegg
1/2/2008 11:14:22 AM

Rating + 5 Great!


Pros: All You people complaing about headpones! headphones are great!
I dont have to buy new ones which I was planning to. great sound,noise canceling, when I have my music on volume 2 I can barely hear what's going on outside!

Cons: NONE

Other Thoughts: Great Music Player You Should Really GET IT!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

B
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
1/1/2008 8:22:11 PM

Rating + 5 Great i think its way better then ipods


Pros: Nice LCD screen,holds tons of songs and videos, compatible with limewire,overall its my favorite mp4.

Cons: None really, just the headphones that come with it arent to comfortable i invested 25 dollars on a Skull Candy set and theyre way better.

Other Thoughts: Great buy, you can do way more things with this than an ipod trust me buy this if youre looking for an mp4.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Abronsius
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
1/1/2008 10:12:54 AM

Rating + 4


Pros: great picture, good sound (once you get decent headphones), small size for being 80GB, simple interface, device GUI seems stable (not a single freeze up or crash, like I hear about with so many other video players), plays nearly all MP4 I've thrown at it, using wifi to send files to others is cool, radio is nice.

Cons: battery life could be better when playing video, Zune PC software/interface is confusing at first and seems beta (for now), stock headphones SUCK (below average sound and will NOT stay in my ears-even with adjustable nubs), device cannot be accessed through Explorer without registry hack, no tag editing, no video playlists or shuffling, device cannot be used if Zune software is running while connected, no AVI, OGG, MPG, FLAC or GIF support, no way of organizing videos except by filename, no tv out without additional purchase (not that 320x240 is desireable at 58")

Most cons are minor and just require workarounds.

Other Thoughts: I was wary of no popular format support, but it'll play MP4 natively (my neph's 1gen 30GB converts MP4 to WMV-and it's not fast), and nowadays there's PLENTY of MP4 to be found in the usual places (thanks, iPoo!).

Ripping is pretty easy with free DVDDecrypter, and converting with Videora iPoo converter takes about 5 mins for a 20 min TV show or ~30 mins for 2 hour movie. I've been obtaining files and loading my Zune for the last 3-4 days straight and I'm still only at 48% or so.

The PC software kinda blows. Can't add or remove any file from the device except through the PC, and no managing the sync list. If you remove anything from your collection, it is imeddiately removed without prompt when you connect the device. It also seems to randomly add and change some labels and tagging info for no reason or way to make it stick (not all the time, but I have a few files that will not keep their labels).

If they fix the software and add a few features, it would easily get 5 stars.

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Jude H.
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
This user purchased this item from Newegg
12/28/2007 4:07:30 PM

Rating + 5 Great


Pros: Amazing video playback and easy-to-use interface. Haven't tried out the wireless yet as I have no use for it so far. Overall, outstanding MP4 player, much better than the Ipod classic. Zune software was very easy to use.

Cons: Earbuds are okay for on-the-go listening, but sound quality is only average. Invest in some higher-quality headphones if you aren't satisfied. You won't be sorry.

Other Thoughts: Overall, excellent piece of technology. Looks great, plays great, and sounds great (with proper headphones of course). Did everything I expected and more, much better investment than the Ipod in my opinion.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

pclover
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
12/27/2007 8:02:37 PM

Rating + 5 IT ROCKS!


Pros: Very good. So much better then the iPod. I love it

Cons: Does not support WiFi Browsing.

Other Thoughts: IT ROCKS.

1 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Emerica.
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
This user purchased this item from Newegg
12/27/2007 3:51:47 PM

Rating + 5 Incredible


Pros: Beautiful display screen, button interface is very smooth. Software sets up easy and transfers songs and album covers smoothly. Lighter and skinnier then the previous generation of zunes.

Cons: Not pertaining to this particular model, but I broke the screen on my previous 1st generation Zune support pretty much said I'm stuck with it. SO TAKE CARE OF IT AND DON'T SIT ON IT :(.

Other Thoughts: Anyone with an extensive music and enjoys music on the go should get one. Far better then any Ipod apple can ever release.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

zunephobia
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
12/27/2007 9:38:11 AM

Rating + 5 FANTASTIC!


Pros: EVERYTHING. wireless sync, wifi sharing, fantastic packaged headphones, great screen, fm tuner, the 'squircle' is amazing and the interface is awesome. Blows the ipod out of the water.

the new zune software and interface are both great.

Cons: ignorant people still hate on it because of apple's market penetration

Other Thoughts: i had an old zune and it was great. I warrantied it (because i didnt like the battery life after leaving it in my freezing car overnight about 25 times) and ended up getting my original purchase price when i bought it a few years back (262 after tax).

so i tried the 80 gig ipod since the zune wasnt available at r*diosh*ack. well that was a mistake. I returned the ipod and waited for this bad boy. This things owns.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Chris
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
12/26/2007 2:24:27 PM

Rating + 5 Zune Rocks


Pros: Great Device
The Interface is very pleasing and easy to work with
Wifi Sync!!!
New Features without buying a new device(At least this is what I expect, Microsoft did it the first round with 1st Gen Zunes, I expect they will do the same with the 2nd Gen Zune)- This is UnConfirmed for 2nd Gen Zune
HUGE Screen!
80Gb for very little more than the 30gb Zune
Touchpad for navigation(option to turn it off and use the multidirectional pad as a button like 1st Gen Zunes) - This feature is really nice if you are used to Ipod like functionality

Great Headphones included. Very comfortable to wear and well crafted! These are much better than most standard "included" headphones.

Cons: Slightly lacking software if you are used to iTunes etc.
No Bookmarking feature on the device, this is bad if you are an audio book fan.(hopefully this will can be added later)
Battery life not as good as some players - 19-23 hours per charge for audio, don't use the unit for video but I have heard it is close to advertised
No Equalizer - not too big of a loss but still notable

Lacks a quick navigation feature like some competitors, i.e. press the center of a wheel while in an audio book and navigate quickly to any part of the audiobook.

Other Thoughts: I like Microsofts policy for the First Gen Users providing them with a firmware upgrade to add Second Gen features to their product. This prolongs a products lifespan making an investment in an MS backed device preferable.

I anticipate that they will do the same for future updates.

I would really like to see bookmarks, a quick navigation option for large audio files similar to the ipod feature and some other unknown features added make me very happy.

I really like the touchpad, I had a 1st Gen Nano prior to this device and the comfort of a similar input device is very pleasing.

Overall the Zune 2nd generation is an overwhelming success in my personal opinion. Microsoft is taking the steps needed to really be a viable competitor in this market space. No other mp3 player that I know of provides real added functionality to previous versions of hardware, this tells me personally that there is more to come. Very Pleased!!!

4 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Jourmane
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
12/25/2007 5:45:56 AM

Rating + 5 Great alternative to the iPod


Pros: This thing is amazing. For having on a 320 x 240 screen resolution, the videos and pictures look amazing. The included "premium" headphones are leaps and bounds ahead of other (iPod)headphones. The cord on the headphones is rapped in nylon so it wont kink( go Microsoft!) The 80gb storage capacity is more than you should ever need. I have never had a problem with apples propriatary software, the same goes for the zune software. Just takes a little getting used to.

Cons: -The headphones could have a little more bass
-Annoying that it can't play Avi, or other popular video formats, not a big deal if you have a converter

Other Thoughts: This is a great product. You wont be disappointed.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Elm St.
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
12/24/2007 9:10:49 PM

Rating + 5 Fricken Sweet


Pros: The screen. software is better than itunes. just everything

Cons: nothing

Other Thoughts: amazing

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

garand
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
This user purchased this item from Newegg
12/23/2007 3:47:27 PM

Rating + 5 Wonderfully better than iPod's


Pros: Huge screen, radio, file sharing, wireless syncing, great touch pad, awesome battery life. Software is leaps and bounds better than iTunes. It doesnt need to come in any other colors, black is awesome!

Cons: Mine came with some minor flaws. There was a little black spot on the side where it is silver. It bothered me a little but not enough for me to return it. It would be better if there was a better supply of cases for the 80GB Zune. Maybe it is because it is a relatively new product but a good case would be wonderful. FYI: Cases for the 30GB Zune do not fit the 80GB Zune very well.

Other Thoughts: You shouldn't have to go online to use it the first time.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Tamoki
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
12/17/2007 6:27:13 PM

Rating + 5 Better alternative to the competition


Pros: Polished interface, glass cover, big screen, touch pad works VERY well especially for viewing pictures and panning around in a zoomed in mode. Music selection is fast and precise and the software is uses is pretty painless. FM Radio tuner built in is a big plus. A lot of storage, relatively small package and....WIRELESS SYNC! Headphones it comes with are nice enough to keep, software does its job very well.

Cons: Can't play DivX videos, but not a problem if you have a half decent converter.

Other Thoughts: Overall a very good PMP any way you look at it. VERY GLAD I got this over other 80GB...."alternatives". The touch pad really sets it apart, but if you are already heavily devoted to iTunes you might be disappointed. Not a problem for people like me that don't even have iTunes installed.

Running Vista Home Premium x64.

*If you have a 64-bit OS then make sure you download the 64-bit software.*

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

N/A
Tech Level: high
Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
12/17/2007 8:52:53 AM

Rating + 5 Happy


Pros: Features similar to iPod.
Adds/difference to iPod:
Radio
Wireless Sync
Bigger screen (but same resolution)
Touchpad (which i think is cool, not sure, but I am sold)

Full podcast support with the software, which is awesome for me.

Slick interface and I like the radio. Sound is good and plenty loud. Videos look great.

Cons: iPod is more widespread so you are going to have more accessories and that sort of thing, but it was not really a concern for me.

No graphis equalizer, c'mon Microsoft that bugs me.

No Line in voice or radio recording, which i think is a nice feature to have, but i dont particularly use that myself, but be aware.

Other Thoughts: Look, it does what the iPod does. I think it has to be between this and the iPod I think you would be great going with either one, but I am very happy with

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Tyler
Tech Level: somewhat high
Ownership: 1 day to 1 week
12/15/2007 3:54:37 PM

Rating + 5 Very Stylized, Incredibly Enjoyable


Pros: Looks great, and feels great. The first things that you'll notice while holding it, are the smooth skin and fingerprint resistant armor. Next you'll see the giant 3.2 inch glass covered screen. Glass makes it stronger and scratch resistant. The Next thing is the touch pad, which I was skeptical about, but its really really great. Skimming through your collection or music, and especially your pictures is a blast and unbelievably smooth. Everything on this player is solid, and it feels like it. Even the software. I know there have been complaints about it, but I have had zero problems with the Zune software, or the firmware on the actual device. And trust me, I'm not running any super computer, my comp is six years old, and it runs fine, my specs are way below whats recommended on the Zune sight, and I have ZERO problems. I highly recomend this product, I have owned a 30 gig iPod video, a 30 gig Zen Vision M, and in the first week of owning this, I love this wayyy more. Go Buy One!

Cons: When I pulled it out of the box it had some sticky stuff right below the screen, but it peeled off with a breeze. I had to sync it 3 times the first time, but it wasn't cause it froze, it just didn't copy everything, and I have a huge library (hence the 80 gig) and wasn't that big of a deal.

Other Thoughts: Go Get One!

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No

Filter Results     apply changes
     
of 2
previousBottomPaginationForm|

NeweggBusiness
For Business Needs EggXpert.com
Newegg Community |NeweggMall.com
Shop Multiple Retailers 		Shop by Region: United States | Canada | China
VeriSignReseller RatingsReliability Seal1This site protected by Trustwave's Trusted Commerce programInc500
Policy & Agreement | Privacy Policy | NeweggBusiness | Newegg Canada  © 2000-2010 Newegg Inc.  All rights reserved.
If the Adobe Reader does not appear when you click on a link for a PDF file, you can download Adobe Reader from the Adobe web site. nassau