Creative gets really official with ZEN X-Fi as it appears in the wild

Quite a bit went down before Creative decided to really fess up about its ZEN X-Fi (at least in the US), but if you've managed to resist the urge to believe this thing was real, here's the documentation you've been yearning for. The ZEN X-Fi (8GB; $149.99) and ZEN X-Fi with Wireless (16GB; $199.99 / 32GB; $299.99) are both being made official today, and while the latter is available now from an array of reputable e-tailers, the WiFi-less iteration won't hit stores until "later this month." You can also expect a ZEN X-Fi docking speaker station to emerge sometime this summer for $49.99. For those curious to see how this critter looks in the flesh (not to mention how it performs), head on down to the links below -- oh, and there's a video of the bugger waiting after the jump.

[Via PMP Today]

Read - Creative ZEN X-Fi press release
Read - Creative ZEN X-Fi review / in the wild

[xcrunk @ Jul 14th 2008 10:47AM]

I bought the ZEN 8GB hoping to be able to watch XVID videos.

Guess what, you had to convert them using a special app that came with the unit. Conversion times were slow as hell.

Can someone build a PMP that plays XVID's natively without conversion??

[phantom42 @ Jul 14th 2008 11:20AM]

It depends on the video. Some xvid's work fine, others have to go through a conversion - usually due to the audio codec used. The included converter app is slow as hell, but I use alltoavi which runs a 22 minute vid in about 7 minutes.

[216 @ Jul 14th 2008 11:20AM]

The Creative Zen Vision: M could play ANYTHING you threw at it without conversion...

well ok not ANYTHING...but damn near 95% of anything i put on it didn't need conversion

[1234321 @ Jul 14th 2008 11:23AM]

I also hate how that's advertised, most reviews seem to ignor that with the new ZEN and ZEN X-Fi

go with any Archos or Cowon product. Archos does charge for some higher end licensed codecs, but not wmv, divx, or xvid

[Computer_kid @ Jul 14th 2008 11:28AM]

Actually the Zen can play Xvid natively quite well as long as the resolution is at or below 320 x 240, Revision3's small Xvid format plays without trouble.

[Steffen Jobbs @ Jul 14th 2008 11:35AM]

You gotta be yanking my chain. You paid money for a device that supposed to play XviD files and then you need to convert them into a special XviD file to play it. That seems a bit misleading to me. M-Player can play any XviD file I've ever downloaded so why is the Creative device being so picky? Do you think Creative will update the codecs in the near future?

I'm hoping that the iPod Touch will get a third-party app like Perian to allow playing of XviD and DivX files. I've got a Turbo.264 for file conversion to my older iPod, but time is still wasted doing the conversion.

[phanbouy @ Jul 14th 2008 11:47AM]

@Steffen

did you just break character there? weird...

[Gene @ Jul 14th 2008 12:34PM]

all chinese pmps play xvid, rmvb (most popular) and flv (youtube) etc (without conversion of course).

SmartQ （智器） T5-II is pretty good one (the one i'm using), the only con i reckon is not wide screen... so Onda （昂达） vx767+ / vx777 or Ramos （蓝魔） V8 are good recommendations for wide screen lovers.

btw, Creative is just making me disappointed more and more...(Creatxxx is dead...)

[M3Ls @ Jul 14th 2008 10:48AM]

Video isn't working for me. But it does look like a good alt. to the iPod touch which I'm about to order right now.

[xcrunk @ Jul 14th 2008 10:52AM]

I so want a Touch. I had an iPhone but got rid of it, before 3G. I still love that touch interface and want a Touch. BUT, I also like the camera and speaker built into the iPhone.

I'm hoping Apple updates the Touch with a camera. Speaker would be nice. I don't see that happening though.

[Joel @ Jul 14th 2008 10:56AM]

I get a message saying this video is no longer available.

[Oliver @ Jul 14th 2008 10:56AM]

Hmm, black front, chrome rim, silver back, black side buttons... I wonder what that looks like!

The last gen _________________!

[phantom42 @ Jul 14th 2008 11:18AM]

The last gen Creative Zen!

Wow, what a surprise!

[gad get @ Jul 14th 2008 11:24AM]

Oh please, not more of this "it looks so much like such and such" crap.

[Dr. Evil @ Jul 14th 2008 12:07PM]

....seriously. Can we just stop the "it looks exactly like by beloved iPod/iPhone" comments already? It's a good form-factor. Get used to seeing it around.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Jul 16th 2008 2:04AM]

Let's critique apple for a moment; Just like Porsche their fundamental design and aesthetics hasn't change at all in the last 9 years.

[gad get @ Jul 14th 2008 11:21AM]

I am loving this thing more all the time!

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Jul 15th 2008 3:27AM]

You can already buy one direct from creative for $199.

http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=214&product=17811&WT.srch=1

[kwen25 @ Jul 14th 2008 11:31AM]

What ever resulted from that Daniel_K incident anyway?

[HalfJoey @ Jul 14th 2008 11:42AM]

The video isn't working for me either.

I want to know what the IM feature is like and it if has a browser.

[DonBmcd @ Jul 14th 2008 1:05PM]

You know I have to think that buying an old Dell X51V used for $75 and a really big CF and SD cards are a much better deal.

[Organic_Shadow @ Jul 14th 2008 12:11PM]

iPod Touch will be the new addition to my handheld gaming devices.

Zen X-Fi will be my new mp3 player. Farewell Zen 16gb, you served me well!

[Mike @ Jul 14th 2008 12:36PM]

How is the 8GB non-Wifi version any better than the current 8GB Zen? It even looks a little fatter.

[bnathuat @ Jul 14th 2008 2:17PM]

That's one short usb cord...

[jorvay @ Jul 14th 2008 3:05PM]

Same size as the cord that comes with the standard Zen right now. At first I laughed when I saw mine, but after using it, I love it. It takes up next-to-no room when I'm on the move, and the player is light enough that it can hang from it without worrying about it coming off or damaging either usb port.

[Rod Munch @ Jul 14th 2008 8:06PM]

It really is a good cable. I find it a hassle to use one of the more normal length ones with my laptop. And come on, we all have dozens of the long ones anyway.

[Syliss @ Jul 14th 2008 4:01PM]

OMG, only a 2.5" screen?! Oh hell no. I have an ipod touch, and yes i have to convert videos, but the screen size alone is worth it. I do like the idea of buttons, but touch screen would help. Price is not bad at all for mem size.

[Chris @ Jul 14th 2008 4:22PM]

Now whether to consider sending back my newish Zen for one of these...

As long as the price tag isn't substancially higher I don't mind... Even if it is ten times uglier and the screen is ridicously small for WiFi use =|

[vdogg89 @ Jul 14th 2008 5:52PM]

anyone wanna explain to me what the X-Fi means? is it just better sound quality or what

[maff @ Jul 14th 2008 9:03PM]

wiki it, jeez!

[frappe987 @ Jul 15th 2008 5:49AM]

It says it has wifi capabilities, does it have a browser and do you surf "normally"? Also wish it was a2dp capable. I'm really thinking about it. I also wish the screen was larger.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Jul 15th 2008 11:44AM]

From my reading up on this, I believe the Wi-Fi is for transfering files from one source (PC, another X-Fi, Zune, etc) to your X-Fi Portable Media Player.

[brie987 @ Jul 14th 2008 11:48PM]

I actually like this but the screen could be bigger. Also it says it is wifi capable, does this mean it has a browser and is able to surf "normally"? Also I wish it was a2dp capable.

[hector @ Jul 18th 2008 9:37PM]

The diference from the X-fi 8 gb and Zen 8 gb seems to be that the x-fi has a built in speaker and also plays music in higher quality or something like it.

the wireless capabilities are for transferring files from PC to the player and also streaming your music and photos to your player on your wireless network. (info from a review site)

[hehe @ Aug 11th 2008 4:23AM]

is the built in speaker loud ?

[Shane @ Sep 2nd 2008 9:15PM]

Looks sharp and all, but I've been looking for a replacement for my 2G iPod Nano. I considered the Zen X-Fi, but for me I don't have the technology (X-Fi capable systems) to take advantage of it or a wireless media server to take advantage of it. So, I skipped it and saved money by getting a 16GB Zen. So far, I love it except that MOST if not ALL of the music I listen to is in iTunes formats.

[Bill @ Sep 16th 2008 3:06PM]

I just purchased the 32GB X-Fi last week. This device is fantastic. The audio quality without X-Fi blows away any iPod I ever had or listened to. The X-Fi processing, through headphones (I use Shure ec5's) does seem to bring out addditonal sublteties in the music. I do use a UPNP media server, which is great for accessing music and files beyond the 32 GB on board. I also have a 16GB media card in the device, which I use only for converted video. For me, audio quality is the primary decsion maker, and so far, the Zen X-Fi is the best I have heard yet.