Samsung YP-Q2 v. Sony E-series deathmatch
Sounding out two top 8GB media players
Improved controls aside, both devices show clear signs of their lineage. Both have 3.5mm headphones jacks at the bottom alongside proprietary USB-compatible dock connectors, and both also have lock sliders on the right side. Yet, only the Sony has an external volume control, in this case just above the lock.
Idiot-proof controls
The screen graphics on the E444 are identical to those on Sony players past but, while Samsung has kept the basic design and layout, it has replaced the black and while icons of the Q1 with colour ones swiped from the P3.
Physically, the Sony measures up at 86.8 x 44 x 9.3mm, while the Samsung enters the ring at 100 x 48 x 9.2mm, making it slimmer than its forebear. The Sony is a bit more rotund than the old E.
The Sony is the more pocketable of the two, but has the smaller screen: a 2in, 240 x 320 panel rather than the 2.4in display of the same resolution used by Samsung. It’s also the lighter – though not by much – at 54g versus the Sammy's 58g.
As well as playing music and video, both devices will let you record either your voice or off-air FM transmissions as MP3 files. Here the Sony ekes out a slight advantage by letting you record at 160kb/s rather than the Samsung's maximum of 128kb/s, and by producing voice recordings that are far less reverberant than those made with the Samsung, which captures more of the room ambiance.
Touch-sensitive control panels are not the best
File support is a matter of plus ça change, the Sony being good for MP3, DRM-free AAC and WMA audio, along with WMV and H.264 video. The Q2 will happily play back MP3, Ogg Vorbis, Flac and WMA audio files, plus WMV and MPEG 4 video. Although MPEG 4 in this case means files converted to Samsung's proprietary .SVI format using its Emodio media suite.
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