8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Great, Durable MP-3 Player
Date of Review: Apr 16, 2008
The Bottom Line: A great MP-3 for all average users - top quality, durable construction; reasonably small; easy to use; great sound
After a horrible experience with a Creative Labs Zen V Plus player (see my review), I was a little "gun-shy" about buying another MP-3 player. I did a LOT of research this time, and the Sansa e-series looked to be the best bet.
The e250, with 2 GB of memory, has more than enough storage space for my daughter (it was bought for her). You can, if you want, add additional memory by installing a flash chip.
The unit looks, feels, and IS rugged - the back is metal, and the front is a solid composite material. She's had it a year now, and though it travels with her everywhere, she's yet to manage to damage it. This MP-3 player even looks good.
Yes, the e250 is bigger than an iPod - but still small and thin enough to easily slip into the pocket of a teenager's tight jeans. And, it has a nice screen that is actually big enough to make the menus visible.
Loading music onto this unit is a breeze if you use Windows Media Player - you don't even have to load any software onto your computer. If you want to be adding photos or video, or converting from other file formats, you will have to install and use the software that is provided.
A thumb wheel is used to navigate through the on-screen menus. Using the wheel takes a little getting used to, but is quite easy once you get the hang of it.
Unlike other MP-3 players we've tried, the Sansa e250 has not had any firmware (internal software) issues, or problems with freezing up. And I can replace the battery myself when it finally dies.
Of course, the most important aspect is the music quality - and with the e250, it is more than acceptable.
If you buy an e250 (or any of the other e-series players), you absolutely need to also buy a silicone "skin" and screen protector. The skin protects the body of the unit from dings and keeps it clean, and the screen protector keeps the screen surface from being scratched. You can buy the skins in a variety of colors, with the screen protector, for $5 - $8 at Amazon.com
You might also want to buy a wall socket charger. This allows the player to be charged without having to be plugged into a computer (we're running out of USB ports on the computers !). We bought the cheapest one on Amazon.com (about $2), and it has worked flawlessly.
I was so impressed with the Sansa e250, I bought a second one for my wife.
The Sansa e250 is a rugged, good-looking, easy to use, good-sounding, piece of quality electronics that I heartily recommend.
