MP3 Players – Hard Drive or Flash Memory?

There are two basic types of portable audio players - hard drive and flash memory. CD players are also available, but seem to be being phased out - their popularity was limited because of problems with skipping during playback.

When shopping for a portable audio player, the choice between flash memory and hard drive will be the most obvious distinction. This article will examine the advantages and disadvantages of each type to help you make a better buying decision.

The most noticeable difference between the two types is storage capacity. Flash memory players typically have a maximum size of about 4 GB, while hard drive audio players are available at more than 100 GB.

How much is that in terms of songs? Generally speaking, for average songs encoded at average bitrates, you can store about 250 songs in 1 GB. So your 100 gigabyte hard drive can store about 25,000 songs.

Probably no one has that many songs in their music collection. After all, at three minutes per song, that's the equivalent of 50 days of nonstop music. So the question is, why does anybody need 100 GB for a portable audio player?

The answer is that portable audio players no longer simply play audio. Many of the latest models feature video playback, and they can also be used to store photos and cover art.

Another use for high-capacity portable audio players is data storage. Most MP3 players connect to a computer for data transfer. This allows them to be used as portable hard drives for moving data from home to office, for example.

What about flash audio players?  Are they likely to become relics like the CD MP3 players?  Not at all - flash players are better suited for listening to music during vigorous activity like exercise. Unlike hard drives, flash players have no moving parts. This means that no matter how much jostling or vibration they experience, they will playback audio without a hitch.

Hard drives, on the other hand, are subject to audio skipping unless they are kept relatively stable. Hard drive technology is improving all the time, however, and this is less of a problem now than it used to be.

Hard drives also tend to consume more power than flash memory, meaning batteries will have to be recharged more often for a hard drive audio player. Of course, there are other factors which contribute to battery life such as the size of the display, but generally speaking, hard drive audio players need bigger and s tronger batteries.

Video is a big power consumer, so if you are getting a hard drive audio player for its video capabilities be aware that you are going to be recharging batteries often.

The bottom line?  If you want an audio player for an exercise soundtrack, the choice is easy - go with the flash memory type. If you need a device for portable data storage go with the hard drive type. In between, well, you will have to judge the relative merits of each type of portable audio player to decide which is best for you.