Cowon Q5 80GB - Expert Reviews

Review summary: Cowon's Q5W could be Holy Grail of media players -- or more specifically, video players. It boats unprecedented compatibility with file formats and terrific performance, in addition to many levels of customisation, making it a must-see choice for ...

Pros: Design ; standard USB connection ; massive codec support ; easy TV-out facility ; basic Internet access ; great image, video and audio quality

Cons: Slow menus ; small hard drive capacity ; device can get very hot ; no H.264 support ; no kickstand

Verdict: Cowon's Q5W is, without question, one of the most capable media players we've ever seen. Despite minor issues with navigation and a complicated interface, this will be the portable video connoisseur's new best friend. Its unrivaled support for ...

Review summary: The Cowon Q5W aims to do everything a gadget-aholic may want in a portable video player. Unfortunately, its confusing dual interface and high price hold it back from greatness.

Pros: Boasts robust video features ; high-quality audio playback ; includes a Wi-Fi-enabled Internet browser ; Bluetooth audio streaming ; component and composite video output ; MSN Messenger ; built-in speakers

Cons: Heavy ; expensive ; awkward to navigate ; difficult to configure for wireless Internet

Verdict: The Cowon Q5W has a split personality. Sometimes you'll find yourself navigating through Cowon's attractive media browser, and other times you'll be poking your way through the rather dull Windows CE 5 desktop

Review summary: The bottom line is that the Cowon Q5W is more expensive and more complicated than it ought to be..

Pros: Plenty of features ; excellent audio and video quality

Cons: Sluggish response ; heavy and clunky ; poor interface

Review summary: The Cowon Q5W is a portable media player with a stunning 5in touchscreen display and built-in Wi-Fi capabilities.

Verdict: The Cowon Q5W works well enough for listening to music and watching video, but you'll need patience and some technical savvy to achieve more complex tasks, such as loading content over a secure wireless network. While the player has much potential, it ...

Review summary: The Cowon Q5W is a portable media player with a stunning 5-inch touch-screen display and built-in Wi-Fi capabilities. I tested a model with an internal 40GB hard drive that sells for a hefty $550 (as of 12/19/2007). A 60GB version is also available, ...

Pros: Beautiful 5-inch touch screen Wireless networking

Cons: Could use much more than 40GB for video Advanced features can be complicated to use

Verdict: The Q5W has a USB miniport for syncing with a PC (using Windows Media Player, Windows Explorer, or the supplied Cowon Media Center software). The second USB port should be a hit with photographers, because it lets you archive images from a digital ...