Review: Creative Zen Vision: M

February 6, 2006 | Filed in: Reviews, Guides, Tutorials, Technology

Warning: iPod users might feel threatened, restless, and jealous by the contents of this review and hence discretion is advised. Oh, and also, the images I took are fuzzy due to poor light and bad photography.

Manufacturers like Creative, Archos, iRiver and others were around before Apple launched the iPod and they still offer features before Apple includes them in its products. But Apple outsells the others by huge margins. The reason? Simplicity. A lot of people like its appealing, elegant design while others appreciate the integration with iTunes and the resulting ease of use. Personally, I’m someone who values features over looks and as a result, players from Creative and iRiver continue to impress me more than the iPod. So does the new Creative Zen Vision: M deliver? Let’s look at it one thing at a time.

[Update] The new packages for the ZVM do not include the AC Adapter.

Design:

Design-wise, the Zen borrows some things from the iPod but then mixes them with it’s own style to create a product that at once looks similar to the iPod but actually isn’t. The gorgeous 320×240, 262K color display is sharp and is visible even in bright daylight. It has a good viewing angle and is sufficiently bright. The front face can get scratched but it’s not as big a problem as the iPod nano. It ships with a carrying case so you can use it to protect your Zen Vision: M from scratches. The player does feel a little heavy and thick but not so much as to bother users. The device has a power button on top and next to it is the headphone jack. The microphone is on the right edge of the player. The bottom of the player has the port to connect Creative’s special multi-purpose adapter which has ports to connect the player to the USB port on your computer, the AC adapter, and and A/V out. While the adapter reduces the clutter, it also means that if you lose/damage the adapter, you can’t charge the player nor can you transfer any files. Creative will soon offer a dock as an optional accessory and it should be worth it if you’re worried about the small adapter. Now, coming to the touchpad which has been a subject of debate. Most people will agree that the iPod click wheel is the best in the business. Maybe. But after spending a couple of hours with the Zen, I can state that the touchpad is a much more natural way of navigating through menus. Sure, it takes time to get used to the sensitivity of the pad but once you adjust, it’s a breeze to use it. People used to the click wheel will have trouble getting used to this but someone like me who only used the click wheel at stores, will find the touchpad easy to use. You can tap it to go up or down once, or slide along. The center portion is used as a select button. It also features right and left buttons that you need to click. Other than the touchpad, there are four clickable buttons. They are a little hard to press but then again, you don’t want to accidentally press them anyway. One of the buttons is Play/Pause, another opens up options, a third is for going back, and the fourth one you can configure to do a specified function.

Score: 9/10

Audio Playback:

Since the main purpose of this device is to play music, audio quality is the most important consideration. You can rest assured that the quality is awesome. After all, Creative uses their expertise with PC sound cards in their players so you can expect good playback. The next generation device will apparently feature Creative’s X-Fi technology which should improve the quality even more. The player will playback MP3, WMA, WMA DRM, and WAV files. While Creative doesn’t have it’s own store like iTunes, it collaborates with a number of stores such as MSN Music and Napster to provide a wide choice of providers. In fact, Napster’s To Go service is exceptional in that you pay a fixed amount each month and get unlimited songs. While a tad expensive at $15, it still beats paying 99 cents per song. You could also use Real Rhapsody which features songs at 79 cents and albums at $7.99. To test out the player’s audio capabilities, I tested it with several songs by artists across genres such as A Perfect Circle, U2, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Rage Against The Machine, Pavement, Coldplay, The Beatles, Soundgarden, and Wu-Tang Clan among others. The supplied earphones were disappointing and you should definitely consider investing in a good pair of headphones that will do justice to the audio quality on offer here. There are plenty of options for you to customize playback including a range of preset and customized EQs.

Score: 9.5/10

Video Playback & Photos:

The 262K color display ensures tha videos playback smoothly and at high quality. To test it out, I played an episode of Lost which was in HDTV quality and it blew me away. As an additional test, I played an episode of Clone High, a discontinued animated series. The quality was excellent and colors were reproduced fairly accurately. They were no jerks nor did the video ever skip. The player accepts a multitude of file formats such as DivX, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, Motion-JPEG, etc. This means that you can obtain videos in most commonly used formats and use them on this player. most videos are at 320×240 anyway, they fit the screen and play well. Images stored on the player look crisp and you can either resize them to 320×240 or keep them in their original size and simply zoom in on them. The best part is that you can watch photos while listening to music and audio quality during video playback is top-notch.

Score: 9.5/10

FM Radio, Recording, and Microphone:

Here are two features - one of which iPod users can only dream off, and another which was recently added, but in the form of a $50 accessory. FM Radio has been standard on Creative players since forever and it makes an appearance here too. Creative also includes microphone recording as well as FM recording capabilities with the Vision: M. Microphone recording is sharp and the mic picks up sounds well. A slight issue with it is that it records in WAV format but that shouldn’t be much of a problem with most people. The FM radio sounds clear and has good reception.

Score: 9.5/10

Battery Life & Other Things:

Here is where the Vision: M really trounces the iPod. It offers about 15 hours of battery life with music and around 5 hours with video. While I didn’t use the player long enough to test this myself, I got these figures from my friend who owns the Zen. Of course, these numbers can change depending on the quality of playback and other factors but in general, battery life is head and shoulders above that of the iPod while providing a better display and two options for recharging - AC adapter and USB. All in all, if you use the Vision for a combination of music, videos, and photos, you can easily make this thing last you half a day (all your waking hours can be covered!). Like I mentioned in the beginning, the screen can get scratched if you are not careful. It would be wise to invest in a leather carrying case to protect your precious player from the elements. There is just a 30GB version available in 5 colors and it costs $330. There is no info on higher capacity versions in the pipeline.
Score: 10/10 (Battery Life)

Conclusion:

While not without it’s little annoyances and quirks, this is by far the best MP3 player on the market. It costs $30 more than the iPod video but provides more features and bundles an AC adapter as an extra for just a few more dollars. Plays a variety of file formats and features a crisp display. If you’re in the market for an MP3 player, this is what you need to consider. Mac users, unfortunately, can’t use this brilliant product. Now if only this thing could play Doom3….

Overall Score: 9.5/10 (Not an exact average)

My roommate who actually owns the Zen Vision: M has finished his review. To download it as a Word document, click the following link:

Creative Zen Vision M Review

It’s a must-read since it is from someone who has used the Zen for over a month.

70 Comments so far
Leave a comment

A great piece of art written by a great writer and a Great Review!

Great work buddy!

Thank you for the appreciation

Awesome review mate.It feels I should own this right away instead of the “hype & hoopla” type mp3 players out in the market.
But I seriously fear the pricing factor here in India.

Pricing will be quite high in India I guess. I almost bought this one but then decided to wait for the X-Fi one

Thanks for the comment

Has this been published in the Delphian?

Why dont u diGG it?

@Louis: No but Gaurav’s review should be published in this week’s issue of the Delphian so watch out for that one

@Abhinav: I don’t quite get you.

I didnt read the review .. I just kept staring at those BEAUTIFUL pods .. =P~ … Send one to me .. ..

It’s not an iPod

It’s something much better than an iPod

welll thnx for tht great article man u saved me from blowin up a neat 300 bucks where i can get 10 gb more for just 30 bucks more
this is cool man
thnaks a million to ur friend anuj who led me here…
Ani

hey dude its all fine when things are hunky dory the trouble comes when u have to replace the battery ,buy new charger or earphones and other accessories ipod accessories are everywhere where are the creative service centers in mumbai?

Here’s the link to Creative India’s support page: http://in.creative.com/support/custsup/welcomets.asp

Creative might not have a significant presence as of now but the situation should improve. Initially, it was hard to buy Apple products or get support for them but the situation gradually improved to what you have right now.

@Anirudh: I’m not sure what you meant by 10GB more for $30. Both the iPod Video and Zen Vision: M come in 30GB flavors. The additional cost on the Zen is for the AC Adapter which is an optional accessory for the iPod.

[...] Everyone has their own opinion including myself. Im not sure which will i go for if i have a choice to choose between iPod Video and Creative Zen Vision:M. Probably some of the iPod lovers would not like this review written by SinghVivek. You can read the review here. [...]

Hi,

I own this fabulous product, bought it in Germany for 349 euros on which I got a VAT rebate of 36 euros.

It was difficult decision between iPod and Zen:M as I own an iBook but still went for it as I have a PC too and hoping that some intelligent mind would come out with a codec for mac.

In any case, a superb product. Kudos to Creatiev for it!

I like your page layout by the way
Thanks for the review. Been wanting an mp3 player for a while now but it has always come under the ‘do i really need one’.. it is time. Waiting any longer and Im never going to get one
X-fi never heard of it? then again if thats the case. i probably dont need it yet. Still deciding but this baby seems to be able to do what i want except the camera to player unlike this other one ive seen.

Thanks a lot!

I’ve often decided against buying an MP3 for the very same reason - Do I need it? I tell myself that if I wait, something better will come along soon. In the meantime, I invested in a 256MB MultiMediaCard for my cellphone which lets me store and listen to about 60 songs. Good for short trips and everyday usage. Of course, quality isn’t the best, but acceptable.

X-Fi is Creative’s new sound technology that produces extraordinary sound. Currently, it is available only for Desktop PCs on the X-Fi sound cards. But Creative did say that they were interested in making an MP3 player that uses this technology. For more on what X-Fi is, you could go here:

http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/08/18/creative_x/

For anyone who has a mac i just found this site http://www.wentnet.com/projects/xnjb/

should let you at least transfer music to the player. i was looking into getting one, but since i primarily use a mac it doesn’t seem worth it.

Dear vivek,

Nice review, Please tell me how it functions to copy the files from computer to zen and whether the recording made through FM or voice etc. can be transferred to the computer.

You can use the drag-and-drop method from Windows Explorer or the Creative software that comes with the Zen. And yes, you can transfer all your recorded audio to your computer.

Hi nice review man!!!!!!! and cool layout of the website!!!! can you help me with the following dilema

I am cofused between buying a Creative Zen Vision:M 30GB and IPOD 30GB video.
My decision is slighlty biased towards Zen because it supports DivX and AVI.

But i read the foll on this site http://www.everythingusb.com/creative_zen_vision:m_30gb.html

“Cons: Video hiccups every 10-15 minutes due to buffering”

Did anybody face the same problem?If yes then does it make more sense in buying an IPOD video and converting my existing movies in in MPEG 4 format which is supported by IPOD?Does IPOD also suffer with the buffering problem while playing video on a TV?The reason i am asking is I dont have a graphics card on my PC and my laptop does not have a S video out pin, so i guess this is solution for playing movies on a big screen of TV or projector?If this is a generic problem faced by the video players then does it make sense in buying a Divx player and old 20Gb video ipod as a portable MP3 player?

I personally haven’t seen any buffering problems. Neither have I seen it being mentioned in any other review. For example, check out CNET’s review:
Zen Vision: M

It might be that the reviewer @everythingusb used a bitrate higher than what the Zen can deal with. I think it tops out at 800kbps which is more than enough. If you use bitrates much higher than this, then the player will give you problems since it’s processor is being stressed. If you want to play back DivX files then I would recommend the Zen over the iPod Video. Just make sure you can get some sort of support for the player before you buy it.

Really thanks man ….this was the only thing i was concerned about….i guess now i will go ahead with Creative……Thanks again

Hi Vivek.

Nice article. IÂ´m seriusly thinking of buying one of these. But I was wondering if it is possible to connect the player to your TV straight out of the box? Or do you have to buy the cables for that separately?

You will need an optional accessory for that. I don’t think generic AV cables work but you could give it a try. The AV cable for the Vision: M is available at Creative.com for $19 and I say it’s a good deal if you think you’ll be hooking up your Zen fairly often.

Hi Vivek..
I am in UK and I have bought a creative zen vision M
works awesome as u had said ;-))
my cousin wants to buy the same piece in india..
is there any online shopping site like amazon where u can get that?
and how much is that priced in India?

I apologize for not replying earlier. I am not aware of the current price in India but I can try and find out. There’s no Amazon but the closest you can get are rediff.com and indiatime.com

Zen vsion M. After about 2 weeks of use it started giving problems. creative recommended firm ware up grade down load which was done but it still does hang any one experiencing the same?

Superb review dude.
Can you tell me if the CZV:M is good at recording classroom lectures?
Especially ones where the Engineering professor is going superb and the
blokes in the background are discussing last night’s football matches?
( Background noise elimination of some sort )
Also, how many hours can I record at a stretch ?
Is it a students dream ? Can I also have an E-Book reader or store text formats(Please mention a few sites which provide the necessary software)?

Tell me something about partitioning the HDD on the CZV:M
And added memory using USB thumbdrives.

Does the HDD on the CZV:M withstand actiVTs such as mountain biking?

Thanks a lot dude.

Whoa those are a Lot of questions!! Let me see what I can answer.

Recording capabilities are good but I haven’t tried recording in a noisy situation. If I can, I’ll try and let you know what the results were. It does not have any background noise elimination however.

Recording length is limited by the amount of free space on the player so I think you can get in plenty of hours on the 30GB capacity. A small issue is that it records in WAV format which eats up a lot more space than MP3. So, a way out of it is to record, then convert the files to MP3 using your computer and retransfer them to conserve space.

I haven’t looked at software that could let you store text but I’m guessing there might be something. Again, if I find something, I’ll post back here.

You cannot add any more memory/capacity to the Zen. 30GB is it. You might be able to partition it but why would you want to do that?

Like with all HDD based MP3 players, you need to be careful. Since the player has moving parts, subjecting it to frequent and/or harsh bumps can damage the hard drive.

Thanks dude,
Now, another favour ,
Please recommend an mp3 player which would be a students dream.

( Recorder , text, loadsofmemory, inexpensive ,expandable memory , display size which doesnt hurt the eyes, etc. )

What do you think of the Cowon iAudio6 , iAudio U3,
I’ve read a few reviews ( CZV:M , etc. ) before but none seemed as lively and as well explained as yours , hence , I humbly request you to help me out.

Please also ask your friends about their players, pros , cons of each and suggest the better one accordingly. ( Although this search might include players launched about 6 months back or so , please include it.It would be helpful)

Dude you ROCK.
Thankin ya,

An old friend from the winding memory lane,
Apacer

Just one more,
Should I buy an mp3 player , a cell phone or a PDA ?
Now this does vary from person to person , But , what would you recommend an 18 year old who wishes to pursue his MTech someplace else.
I am an Engineering student and am planning to keep the gizmo for more than 3 years . Yeah, Budget is close to 30,000Rs.

“”Should be a students dream.”"

Love,
Apacer,and the rest of India which hopes a lot from you.
Mumbai,India,
2345hours local time.19-07-2006

Over Here In America it is $299.99 but that’s in america see if you can get one from here

You can get the black Zen for $270 on Amazon.

Now see, it’s hard to find something that’s a student’s dream. I can offer suggestions, but ultimately it will be your final decision.

Cowon players are good but most suffer from small flaws that prevent them from being really good. In terms of memory, you will not get memory expansion on HDD based players. You could look for cheap players that let you use a memory card but these have small memory capacity as they are limited by the size of the memory card you use. Furthermore, they don’t offer as many features as the Zen or even the iPod. The new Toshiba Gigabeat S is a good player but I think it falls a little short and that the Zen is still a better all round player. Inexpensive players are plenty but offer few features. The text thing I’ll try to find out if there’s a hack/plugin for it. I’d recommend you search the internet and Creative’s forums as well.

The choice between an MP3 player, cell phone, and PDA should be easy for you. Do you want loads of memory and a dedicated media device? If yes, then get an MP3 player. But if you want a device that does a lot more than just play media files, at the cost of losing the expansive memory, then choose between a cellphone and PDA. In such a situation, IÂ say go for a high-end cellphone with Symbian/Windows Mobile OS. It will do almost everything that a PDA can do and as an added bonus will make calls too.Â New phones such as the Nokia N91 etc., also feature WiFi to let you hook up to hotspots and browse the internet.

I think a blog is not the most convenient place to discuss such matters. Also, you are only getting one person’s opinion here. I would recommed that you register on a technology forum and ask your questions there. Shameless advertizing, but I also run a humble tech forum with a few friends. You can find it here:

http://forum.techspot.in

hi,
i have been reading regarding Lpst sereis looks smashing on this player….i have just purchased zen m ..can someone tell where to get the vcd/dvd..
i searched on bittorent..file size 8 gb…will take ever to download

Hey thanks again dude !
Okay , the partition thing .
Is the synchronisation software an absolute necessity, okay, let me elaborate…:I partition its hard disk . And then use one part 4 music , videos,photos etc. . While in the other I carry other types of data , which although unrecognized by the player can be needed elsewhere eg: a ‘ P.C. Game ‘ OR some other similar application.

And then suppose I am carrying the game in my CZV:M and I wish to load it on to my laptop which is 5000Kms from my P.C. Can it be done without the sync. software ?

Do you recommend carrying the sync software IN the CZV:M ?

Well, I guess you could do that.Â Since the player shows up as an external storage drive and you can pretty much drag and drop files.Â As for games, I wouldn’t recommend doing that.Â The microdrives that constitute the storage for these players are usually slow and you might stress them too much if you run games off them.Â They were meant for applications that don’t place a lot of stress on them.Â Music and Videos are more CPU intensive so they run just fine.

Hello Vivek,

excellent review , you just made my task easier!!!
bought a VISION M in UK for 180 pounds, after debating a lot between ipod and vision M.
Your review helped me a lot!!!
Any idea where we can get the AV cable and a silicon cover for vision M in India ?

Thanks for taking time to write the superb review.
Chaitra

Well, you can try looking up the official dealers in India from the Creative website and ask them about the AV cable. Not sure about the cover though.

Hey dude,
Your new site feels as classy as the earlier one .

Vivek ,
Just to keep the score,
I purchased the CZV:M
Its been shipped today.
Its charging right now.
But unfortunately , a few accessories which you mentioned were not found in the box.
1> A.C. Adapter.
2>Extra earplug ( fabric)
Bought it from Amazon

Anyways, I am Happy.

Dude, my player hanged.
SHould I wait for the battery to drain?

What were you doing when it froze? Does it not start up at all? Were you using the latest firmware? I remember the first version of the firmware had problems which were fixed in the the updated version.

I tried the trick on anythingbutipod.com
it worked.
I suppose overloading it does make it freeze.
I was playing an mp3 and was browsing thru photos

What do you think?
Does multitasking make it freeze ?

Hello ,

I am using Creative Zen for more than a year in India, its the best! Audio and video are the best when compared with ipod. If you go to a ipod shop after seeing Creative Zen, you will know the stories told by the ipod guy! I use it during my bus/train/air travel!!

Best Regards,
Vivekanandan M

Glad to know you like your Zen! I think people are just not informed enough to compare all the different players on the market. They hear about the iPod on the TV or through friends or the internet and they want one too.

Anyone know when the next-gen X-Fi models will become available?

Just purchased the creative zen vision m 30 gb. Unfortunatley it does not comunicate with the imac which i use, it looks like a great player but despite dowloading the relevant software suggested on creatives own website (XNJB & Nomad) the device will not communicated with the imac running on mac os x version 10.3.9 Personaly i am extreamly disapointed with this, and on the verge of returning the creative for a sony 20gb walkman. I find it unusual as all other digital products i have used with my mac communicate fine and work well, is a shame because this looks like a great player and beats the pants off the i-pod and others on the market. If anyone knows how i can get it working wit the mac my e-mail is aye_lukey@yahoo.co.uk.

This was a nice review, if you would like to check mine out http://fractalenlightenment.blogspot.com/2006/08/zen-vision-m-squashing-video-i-pod.html

I used to write for 2 tech websites now i do this

RE: PARTITIONING

I’ve read that it is a good idea, even if you never intend using the zen for data storage to partition a nominal amout of the harddisk for data.

The reason for this is that the player has to be recognised by a pc before it can be charged from it’s USB hub. So, while not every PC will have Mediaplayer 10 and the wpdusb.sys driver files, every XP PC will be able to recognise the data partition, (which is a seen as a Universal Mass Storage device), and thus the player can be charged from any XP PC.

At least, that’s how I understand it.

What is the cost of A/V cable in india?

I have a Creative Zen Micro 6GB which was bought in US and was gifted to me. Of late I am having trouble with the power/lock key. I tried everything but cant get rid of it. Can nyone tell me how can I contact Creative India? Or any service center in India preferable in Hyderabad? Its a little urgent so plz help me… would be thankful if someone can mail me the details.

how do i change the main computer i do my uploading and everything from?

hi,

Can we browse internet using ZEN:M? If it there readily available in the device it is really a fantastic music player.

@raghav: Unfortunately, the ZVM does not support internet browsing. It has no networking hardware - wireless or wired.

thanks vivek for the review , cud u please tell me its cost in india .

i loved ur review shows those ipod freaks that ipod isnt evrything i cant stand them and i would chose the creative zen

Dude!….The Creative Zen is the best player EVER….I have a 30 GB vision W…. And NOTHING compares!!!!…………….I had so many problems with my fucking Ipod and this is one beautiful machine………. Its the perfect size for me.. and it has the best video and sound quality… Do not think twice about buying one!! And screw Apple…. Apples the most overrated fucked up company existing!!

thanx vivek for this gr8 review…..but still i have confusion about ipod and creative 30gb, its too bulky n its extra usb connector(external)is still not handy…..Now apple introduce his 8O,160GB ipod classic video,now whats d comparison?…what should i do now?plzz help me out from this issues….

thanx
Prashant

Love the Zen Vision 60gb!
The best portable entertainment device Ive used.
With the voice recording feature, Ive failed to change the recording quality (96kbps) to a higher level; say 128-192kbps!
DOes anyone know the solution?

Hi! That’s a nice review. I just bought a zen vison-m and would like to know if the recording clarity is really good. How does it work in noisy surroundings ?

Hello Aditi! Glad you liked the review! This is post is almost two years old but it remains one of the most popular posts on my blog.

To answer your question, the recording quality is decent. I haven’t tried it in any particularly noisy environment, but it works very well when you are close to the source. Even in quiet areas, if you are too far away from the sound source, the recording will come out sounding weak.

Hi,
I recently bought a Creative Zen Vision M 30Gb ipod. Since i stay outdoors most of the time, I find it difficult to charge the ipod(which needs a system’s USB, with Zen software installed in the system).Where do I get a charger which can be used to charge the ipod directly.

Where in Banglore,India can I get the Creative Zen accessories like the charger,ipod skin to protect it from scratches,….

Can you please tell me how are the music folders organised in the ipod.I had loaded many mp3 film songs folders in a hierarchy, But its all messed up here in the ipod and some mp3 folders are not been shown.

Amanda Movie Downloads…

Kinda brings back some memories of some free movie downloads. I don’t know about you folks, but that tickled me a bit. Haha. How…

Hi Dude.
I am confused as to weather i should buy a Creative Zen Multimedia Player or a Creative Zen Vision:W . Please help. Please Reply.

Hey Ananya. I think it would come down to size - the Zen Vision: W is a lot larger than the regular Zens. If you want that large screen and are comfortable with the size, by all means go for it. Otherwise, you might want to consider one of the more compact Zens. By the way, there’s a new Zen on its way: http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/14/creative-finally-gets-really-official-with-zen-x-fi-as-it-appear/

Hey Vivek,
Love the review.
As a confirmed i-tunes hater, the creative zen vision m was pretty much my only choice when i upgraded from cds.
but its pretty much broken my heart too.
i bought it in singapore, and obviously the warranty is dead here. a mistake i will never make again.
the zen had a hardware problem two weeks after it came home. after much heartburn and walletburn, it got fixed. since then, its been freezing quite frequently, reset button notwithstanding. it freezes during database rebuilding too. crashed once, had to reload everything. and just froze/crashed again today.
do you know anyone who’s gone thru the same and solved it?
is there any hope?
also, can you recommend a non ipod 10-15 GB player that would be available in India? any idea?
a million thanks.

Akhila: You could try installing the latest firmware and see if that fixes the problem. The freezing and crashing sound like a faulty hard drive - did you accidentally drop it at any point? A friend of mine dropped his and it stopped working. I can’t speak for the Indian market since I haven’t been in touch with it, but I would suggest going for a flash-based player to avoid hard disk problems.

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