The new Zen X-Fi3 MP3 player from Creative is known for its compact form, great audio quality, Bluetooth support, and ability to handle lots of audio formats, but the Creative Zen X-Fi3 also has lots of other features that are less than ideal.
Compact, but Bulky
The Creative Zen X-Fi3 MP3 player is known for its compact size, and while it is a bit compact – supporting a 46.5 x 63 x 14mm frame and weighing only 43 grams – the Creative Zen X-Fi3’s form factor comes with one major drawback; it’s a bit bulky. The Creative Zen X-Fi3 MP3 player features a bulky bezel that goes along its design – which totally defeats the purpose of its otherwise compact design.
Small Display Size
Having a compact design also puts the Creative Zen X-Fi3 MP3 player at another disadvantage by forcing it to incorporate a small 2 inch touchscreen display. The Creative Zen X-Fi3 is a touchscreen MP3 player and relies on its small touchscreen for input and navigation, but the small 2 inch display of this MP3 player makes navigation a headache and it doesn’t work well with watching videos either.
Supports Only Minor Features
When most consumers think of MP3 players nowadays, they think of the Apple iPod and its many features that go way beyond simply playing digital audio formats. Unfortunately, although the Creative Zen X-Fi3 MP3 player features a touchscreen display, it only supports a handful of features and doesn’t really stand up to competing MP3 players within the same price range.
Price
Unfortunately, considering the many drawbacks of this MP3 player, it’s $140 asking price is a bit hard to swallow. The Creative Zen X-Fi3 supports the same features that you’re likely to find on a budget MP3 player and at a $140 retail price; the Creative Zen X-Fi3 MP3 player will likely collect dust on the shelves of retail electronic stores.
There Are Too Many Better Alternative Available
The Creative Zen X-Fi3 MP3 player may be new, but it doesn’t really have any features that make it stand out from the pack. There are lots of other MP3 players on the market that do what the Creative Zen X-Fi3 does, but a lot better and for a lot less. It’s hard to find a reason to pick the Creative Zen X-Fi3 over the multitude of other MP3 players on the market – especially when lots of them fare a lot better than Creative’s new MP3 player.