[illmatic]

Hello,

I am in a situation that is so hard. one of those little "angels" are leaning me towards a 20 GB iPod, the other to the iRiver iHP-120. I cannot decide!

What would you take? Here is why I like each

Apple 20 GB iPod (3rd Gen)

1. So sleek and sexy and scrolling wheel makes going thru 3520 songs easy!
2. Sound quality is supposed to be O.K.
3. I LOVE iTunes
4. I LOVE the AAC format

iRiver 20 GB iHP-120

1. Good sound quality
2. LCD Remote included
3. Good value.
4. Battery life KILLS iPod

 

[chadbang]

well, here's one big question: Do you have a PC or a Mac?

If you have a Mac, the answer is easy. Get the iPod!

And if you like Itunes on the PC. Get the iPod! The software and the player go together like hand and glove.

 

[illmatic]

I have a PC that already has iTunes installed (it is a pretty clean PC jukebox, nothing fancy like WinAmp, but good).

The iRiver is just so tempting for $50 less.

 

[rafer]

the battery life kills it for me for the ipod, thats why i think the iriver is better. i can go for usually 3-4 days without recharging it.

 

[chicubs]

iriver has drop and drag with windows explorer making a hell lot easier than the ipod and itunes....honestly I think the ipod is good starter HD player, but doesnt come close in features to the zen, iriver, philips HDD100 or the Karma.

 

[illmatic]

This is my first hard-drive based player, but I am quite an audiophile.

Edit: C'mon guys! I need some real opinions here! I just know I am gonna feel guilty if I don't buy the iRiver over the iPod (and vice-versa).

 

[chicubs]

then go with the iriver and get the better remote, features, and value all the ipod really has going for it is the UI and the looks (if you are into white)...the iriver's ui isnt hard but a lot of people arent tech literate so they complain.

 

[illmatic]

Ease of use is a small concern of mine, but I want something that looks good, and is easy to at least scroll through, plus has decent battery life.

 

[pank2002]

I think the ipod's firmware's way better then the iRiver firmware. However iRiver firmware is more likely to get further develope.

The only real advanced i see at the iriver player is the batterylife, and that a pretty damn huge advanged there

If you need recording go with the iriver.

I use the iPod myself, and I find it pretty good player. Im no audiphile though. I recharged it every day or every other day.

 

[illmatic]

Still not strung to either side. Any "iRiver vs. iPod" reviews around?

BTW, most of the iRiver's features are ones that I don't need, but the battery life is pursuasive.

 

[illmatic]

I am leaning towards the iPod for some reason, just because it's only flaw in my sight is battery life, and a) firmware may help that in the future and b) I will usually use it for no more than 4 hours a day. Plus, the advantage of AAC and iTunes is doing me over (and all my CDs have been ripped to iTunes as AAC, why do it again?).

 

[austonia]

dude. the iPod's battey life is pathetic. and it has like, no options. I do like my 2nd gen Pod, but I tried the new ones and ended up selling it. The new touch-sensitive buttons are nothing short of horrible. I hope you like using the lock button ALL THE TIME. The new ones don't feel as solid as the 2nd gen either, they are more "plasticky". Anyway, the iHP has about 10,000 features, plus a remote that you can control all functions of the player. Practically the same size as iPod, chepaer, and 2x the battery life. What is there to decide????

 

[rafer]

i have owned both an ipod and the ihp-120, and the one that i use now is the ihp-120. there are several reasons why i chose to keep the ihp-120 over my old ipod. the ipod is small, looks nice, has a nice UI, and easy to use, but thats about all it has. the ihp-120 is just as small, and to me, just as easy to use. it took a day to learn all the functions, but now its smooth sailing. to me, the ipod's battery life was unacceptable as i only got around 5-6 hours on average after one charge. Using the same files on my ihp-120 i got over 16 hours on one charge! the ipod battery life will probably not be affected by a firmware change, so dont expect it. the ipod was nice but the ihp just had so many better features that i had to go with it over the ipod. it is all about personal preference and priorities. i would not let reripping your cds prevent you from getting a player other than the ipod, because you will be missing out on lotsa good stuff. i would rather be extremely happy and have to rerip cds than be dissappointed and not rerip my cds. so dont let that sway your decision. i suggest you go to CompUSA and try them both out and decide, but if i were in your shoes i would get the iHP-120

 

[Dr.DooM]

I've found that the g2 Ipod is better than the g3 or Iriver. I loved Apple's user interface but needed something that would last over 8 hrs with heavy use. You can still buy factory refurbished g2 Ipods at a steep discount over at www.powermax.com.

For those of you holding your breath for a player with a scrollwheel, you better give up now. There won't be a third party player with anything resembling a scrollwheel since Apple has the patent and is willing to enforce it. I've tried all the other alternatives like iRiver's 4-way, Rio's joystick, Creative's wheel, and Dell's nub but none of them come close to the sleek, intuitive operation of a scrollwheel.

 

[EyEPoD]

I would save a little more and either get a 40 gig ipod or zen xtra. You will eat up space very quickly, plus the ability to use the ipod as a fast firewire external hard drive is a great, often overlooked, feature.

It seems pointless to me to buy a 20 gig ipod when you can double the size for only a 100 more, but i guess if you are saving that money for headphones, or if you think 20 gigs is the absolute most you will ever need, then I would give the nod to the ihp.