16GB Creative ZEN V Plus hits North America

Right on cue, Creative's beefed-up 16GB ZEN V Plus has made its way from Singapore to our shores, offering twice the capacity of the company's previous top-end model. Otherwise, the player appears to be identical to others in the line (apart from a new black and white color scheme), boasting a 1.5-inch OLED display, a built-in FM radio, and support for MP3, WMA, WAV and Audible audio formats, along with uncompressed AVI video. It's also somewhat less expensive than the straight currency conversion from Creative's Singapore site suggested, with it now officially setting you back $250.

[Thanks, Roofus]

[Cody @ Aug 7th 2007 4:31PM]

I'd say that's some good pricing, no?

[Jonathan Keim @ Aug 7th 2007 4:36PM]

Definitely, wonder why Apple didn't beef up the iPod today... they might not want to effect the sales of the iphone, but the nano should be ok in my opinion.

Looking forward to a full ipod line product launch before christmas ;-)

[Johan S @ Aug 7th 2007 4:41PM]

No, that pricing is no good for it. Prices need to be reduced by 30%. Otherwise how to compete with the nano?

[Al @ Aug 7th 2007 4:54PM]

Johan how do you logic that? It cost the same as the ipod, but you get twice the space, and twice the features. How is that pricing no good?

[Johan S @ Aug 7th 2007 6:14PM]

@Al

The problem is that the Apple products are better in terms of UI and music availability via iTunes (but let's not argue on that front). The thing is, the Apple product has plenty of brand recognition. So these devices need to cost a lot less than the iPod for folks to consider purchasing them. Even though Creative has been in the mp3 player business longer than Apple they come across as a knock off brand (even though they aren't). So it kind of sucks for Creative - they have to inform users about their feature set, plus cost less.

[Jason @ Aug 7th 2007 7:11PM]

Johan, do you have down syndrome?

[SteveMB @ Aug 7th 2007 4:46PM]

Wow, better than the iPod nano AND cheaper. Just think you could get a crappy iPod 8GB for $250, or a Creative 16GB for the same price? Which one would you pick?

[Chris @ Aug 7th 2007 4:54PM]

The one that functions and syncs seamlessly. So far, advantage iPod.

[andy @ Aug 7th 2007 4:58PM]

Of the two choices - the Creative Zen V in a heartbeat (the V+ for the radio etc. obviously, too).
However, I'm still more than happy with my Sansa e280 (8Gb) which I purchased for an equivalent of $180. This is far and away superior to the iPod Nano, and for me just has the edge over the Zen V/V+.
Now, the thing is - will Sansa bother updating their product line-up anytime soon? Methinks not, sadly - and it's a crying shame if they don't.
Still, this is a beautiful PMP & I may well find myself recommending it to friends looking for an intermediate sized PMP.

All the best,
Andy

[ark_v2 @ Aug 7th 2007 10:08PM]

I have a sansa e280 too, and love it. It's better than the Zen V plus in the interface and control, it's perfect, and the microSD it's of great help too. The only thing I miss it's the line-in, but it kills the iPod.

[jere @ Aug 7th 2007 11:07PM]

I hope you know that ALSO for $250, you could buy a 30 gig ipod. I think that's a better deal than both the others.

[SteveMB @ Aug 7th 2007 5:01PM]

Chris, what are you talking about? The Creative is drag-n-drop. It can't get any easier than that. I'm sorry that you didn't know that because your an Apple fan boy who doesn't know anything about other MP3 players.

[Ian @ Aug 7th 2007 5:04PM]

Lots of people don't understand drag and drop. They don't understand how files work. They want to plug in their player and have it sync automatically.

[JimyD @ Aug 7th 2007 5:17PM]

If a PC user doesn't understand drap and drop, then mankind is truly doomed. Unnecessary software such as iTunes is the primary reason why I don't buy an iPod.

[Jon @ Aug 8th 2007 12:10PM]

@ian, that explains a lot about Apple users then. Thanks.

[--Ed @ Aug 7th 2007 5:06PM]

>>Definitely, wonder why Apple didn't beef up the iPod >>today... they might not want to effect the sales of >>the iphone, but the nano should be ok in my opinion.

I really do not see the correlation between the two. If I want a new phone I will look at the iPhone. If I want a new music player I will look at an iPod. I have ZERO interest in a iPhone and a lot of interest in a new 16GB Nano. My 8GB is busting at its seems.

[Chris @ Aug 7th 2007 5:15PM]

I wonder if/when these will hit the Brick & mortar stores?

[Homeboy @ Aug 7th 2007 5:13PM]

This whole Zen V Plus vs. iPod Nano duel will be back to square one next month when Apple will be introducing the Nano 16GB along with they new iPod G6.

[Chris @ Aug 7th 2007 5:16PM]

16gb Nano will prolly be $300 and still won't have radio, and the Creative will still win out...

[Homeboy @ Aug 7th 2007 5:20PM]

Chris:
You're right it won't come with radio, but what makes you believe a 16GB Nano will cost 300 dollars? The price will stay the same, $250, just like when the Nano got bumped up from 4GB to 8GB.

[Brian @ Aug 7th 2007 11:51PM]

You Apple fanboys already had your fun today, go backto your IKEA Hufter chair and listen to your hip indie-music. Let the realistic people talk now.
16GB, small player, color screen and Radio/video (though very tiny screen) makes this player a deal by far.

[Jon @ Aug 8th 2007 12:07PM]

Hei Brian come on now. I love indie music and occasionally shops at Ikea. But I do not own any Apple products. ;)

[Chris @ Aug 7th 2007 5:22PM]

the Nano is always $50 or so more than any other player. If it debuts at $250, rest assured that within the week, Creative will drop the price of the Zen V. No way they will sell it at the same price point as the iPod...

[Chris @ Aug 7th 2007 5:23PM]

btw, i'm not the iPod lovin' Chris that posted before, 2 diff guys, lol

[Pyrun Men @ Aug 7th 2007 5:27PM]

CRAP CRAP CRAP!!! This thing is fugly! A blind man wouldn't even use this thing!

[Jon @ Aug 7th 2007 6:53PM]

Quite why this guy isn't voted down yet is beyond me.

[vern plageman @ Aug 7th 2007 5:29PM]

Am I missing something? I have a Creative Zen Vision plus with 30GB. Which is awesome. Paid less than $300.

[Chris @ Aug 7th 2007 5:39PM]

This is flash memory, and the biggest capacity in a flash player to date...

[Charles @ Aug 7th 2007 5:30PM]

Do Creative players force you to use software like iTunes or SonicStage or can you copy files straight to the player and play them?

I want to be able to simply copy files to the player in a directory structure and then browse them in that structure on the player. I had an Archos player like that about seven years ago and it was so much more convenient than using crappy software. Shame the player broke after about a month.

[Neebs @ Aug 7th 2007 5:37PM]

Yes. I'm fairly certain it works with folders. I have a Zen Micro, and it had folder support, at least. I imagine these had some sort of structuring support.

Hell, even my Zen Stone has folder support.

[Rex @ Aug 7th 2007 9:33PM]

Yep, my old zen micro, which i still use, makes me use Mediasource.

[Brian @ Aug 7th 2007 5:44PM]

No, the Zen V is not a USB mass storage device. I have the 4GB Zen V, and it's an MTP device.

MTP works with Windows Media Player 10/11 - the device syncs through Windows Media Player, or you can drag tracks on/off the device.

It's still a hell of a lot better than iTunes.

[Roofus @ Aug 7th 2007 11:37PM]

If you're still required to use media source you need a firmware update. The latest Zen Micro firmware lets you use a host of methods, like drag and drop, Media Source, Sync Manager, Windows Media Player, Rhapsody, etc...

[CalGoldenBear @ Aug 7th 2007 6:08PM]

The Zen line beats out the iPod for the simple fact that it's more versatile. You can load files from any XP computer, you can load more file types and when it comes to the screen, the Zen wins hands down.

[zip22 @ Aug 7th 2007 8:01PM]

the ipod (nano) actually supports more formats, can load from any xp/mac/or linux computer, and when it comes to the screen, the ipod wins hands down (namely with resolution).

[zip22 @ Aug 7th 2007 11:11PM]

just to put in some facts

ipod:
AAC, MP3, ALAC, WAV, AIFF, Audible
1.5" LCD 176 x 132

zen v:
WMA, MP3, WAV, Audible
1.5" OLED 128 x 128

so more formats and the nano's screen is both sharper and brighter. seeing both in person reveals this immediately. but i suppose the uninformed ipod hate in this news post can continue.

for the record, i think the storage benchmark and price are spectacular. it can only be good for the industry as a whole. i do not, however, think the zen v is a better device outright than the ipod nano.

[duerra @ Aug 7th 2007 6:33PM]

Umm.... uncompressed AVI? Isn't that an oxymoron or something?

[Steven @ Aug 7th 2007 7:22PM]

Avi is a container format, not a type of compression

[Revrant2394 @ Aug 7th 2007 9:27PM]

Look at all the Zen V love, it feels all warm and fuzzy here.

Someone hold me.

[jere @ Aug 7th 2007 11:05PM]

Aw, how does THAT comment get a highest rating? I LIKE my macbook!

[Roofus @ Aug 7th 2007 11:21PM]

You're welcome.

[dvdchris @ Aug 8th 2007 1:09AM]

I think the dealbreaker for me is whether or not it records FM. I attend seminars that use FM to transmit to the audience and it's extremely handy to have this feature.

[Z @ Aug 8th 2007 6:55AM]

I don't get it... creative players have more features than the ipod and still they don't sell well. Creative's strategy of flooding the market with tons of different types of MP3 (at one point they had over 100 variety - I think this caused the much anticipated zen photo almost 2yrs in delays and it was the only player ever to win an award in abstention) backfired.

Personally, I won't buy one. Never liked the sealed battery thing - Overcharging can kill the battery and no extra battery packs available for those extended weekends or vacations. But what creative is really saying is... when the batteries die, buy another zen because it costs more than a battery. But that's a really ambitious plan to increase zen sales because creative assumes that people will always keep buying zens in iPod world. And a look at the 5% and shrinking market share seems to agree with that philosophy.

[z @ Aug 8th 2007 6:56AM]

I agree... the zen beats the ipod in every category except the one that matters the most... SALES!!!!

[kickenchicken @ Aug 8th 2007 10:48PM]

man, it gets annoying to see these posts, its a Creative product, we dont care about the iPod nano in this thread. and, id get a V Plus over the iPod anyday, in terms of sound quality and functionality, it beats it. i rather use Windows explorer, or WMP 11, or Rhapsody than iTunes. the iPod nano may support more formats, but formats that are very rare and not really used much if at all. and for those who must know, Creative has some pretty good sales in Europe, just not in the Us. and i didnt see apple coming out with a 16gig player first. and i didnt see apple price there 8gig player below 220.

[Andrew H. @ Aug 9th 2007 10:03AM]

I have a 1GB zen v myself paid only 90CDN for it. I am so glad I didn't fall into the nano crowd.
I don't know how many times I dropped the thing on concrete and its still scratchless.
The ONLY problem I have with the thing is the long load up time and thats it.Other than that there is nothing you can say bad about it.
Also, being an university student, my most favourite feature is the record function which I use for all my lectures. and if i remember correctly it records in mp3 format, not WAV.
As soon as lecture is over, all i need to do is hook it up to ANY computer via usb and just do a drag and drop.

[xWhit3Devi1x @ Aug 9th 2007 6:35PM]

I love Zens they are so much better than ipods. I got my 30gb Zen Vision M for only $200 and it has way more features than the ipod. Plus the sound quality on these baby's is Top-notch, suck it Apple fanboys-you lose.

[John A. @ Aug 11th 2007 3:40PM]

So whatever happened to the 16GB Teclast player? The model, the T39, has been out for months now, but nary a hint of 16GB versions. Even 8GB ones are hard to come by. Hmph.

[Marc @ Mar 10th 2008 6:13PM]

where can i get one i cant find it anywhere

[Marc @ Mar 10th 2008 6:13PM]

thats really cool but i cant find it at any stores on the internet where can i get one. message me if u know