Sony NW-ZA815 2GB - Expert Reviews

Pros: Fantastic audio ; great screen ; impressive headphones

Cons: Picky about video formats ; awkward to convert ; no FM radio or voice recorder

Verdict: Same excellent audio as before, but now with easier file transfers

Review summary: Pitched directly at the iPod Nano market, Sony's latest Walkman has a few advantages over its rival. The screen is bright and crisp and the displayed MP4 videos look great. The battery life, too, is impressive should it manage the purported 30 hours ...

Pros: Good display, Drag and drop, Reasonably good value

Cons: No expansion possible

Verdict: A strong offering from Sony, with plenty to recommend it

Review summary: The biggest bonus for the Walkman though is its new drag-and-drop functionality

Pros: Good displayDrag and dropReasonably good value

Cons: No expansion possible

Verdict: This 2GB version seems a bit light, and there's no memory expansion possible unlike the Sansas at half the price, but the 8GB iteration is only just over the £100 mark

Review summary: We are happy to report that both high prices and Sony's SonicStage software are nowhere to be seen on the new range of A-Series players. Instead, you'll get a heap of high-quality codecs that can be organised with the utmost simplicity. Simple to use ...

Pros: Sound quality ; battery life ; design ; no SonicStage required ; high-quality video support ; easy to use ; price

Cons: No FM radio ; no gapless playback

Verdict: A well-priced, high-performing and stylish audio player. Its simple operation and management will appeal to most people but a couple of key features are missing. Overall, this is an excellent contender from Sony

Award: Recommended!

Review summary: Sony adds drag and drop to its video Walkman, is it enough to finally kill off the competition?

Verdict: With the Walkman NWZ series, Sony has finally created the nano killer the NW series always should've been. Being able to drag and drop files to it makes managing your music a breeze, while the superior sound quality and bundled headphones round out ...