Video Killed the Radio Star
In addition to pulling its regular music-playing duties, the Samsung S3 also offers a few other entertainment options. Unlike the Apple iPod (but like almost every other MP3 player on the market), the YP-S3JCB comes equipped with a standard FM tuner. This radio makes use of your headphones as the FM antenna, so you’ll get minimal reception if you plug the player into a small set of external speakers, for example. The S3 also comes with an FM recorder, so if you’re listening to a particularly fascinating debate on your local sports radio station or a catchy holiday tune on the top-20 station, you can hop on over and record that sucker for later enjoyment.
Beyond music and radio, the Samsung YP-S3JCB rounds out the package with a text viewer, a picture viewer, and a video player. The 1.8-inch screen isn’t too bad if you’re watching a short sitcom or a brief cartoon, but I’d highly recommend against braving The Godfather, Lord of the Rings, or even something shorter like WALL-E. Squinting is not fun and it doesn’t help that this is only a QCIF (176×220) resolution display.
Final Thoughts and Conclusion
Is the Samsung YP-S3JCB the jaw-dropping MP3 player that will finally knock the Apple iPod off its high horse? Clearly not and I don’t think Samsung had expectations that were anywhere near that ambitious. In comparing the Samsung S3 against comparable competing devices from firms like SanDisk and Creative, however, you will find that it easily holds up and provides a fair bit of value.
This will largely be a matter of personal preference, but I’m not a big fan of touch-sensitive controls, especially on portable media players. If I’m going for a jog around the block (or on my Wii Fit), I want to be able to adjust the volume and change the track without having to look where I’m pressing. With touch-sensitive controls, that’s just not possible. At the same time, the touch controls make for a very sleek and attractive appearance.
Sound quality is about par for the course, outperforming no-name knockoffs but not outshining the better known brands. The additional features, like the FM radio and video playing, are much appreciated and the user interface is very intuitive. I also liked the ability to define my own 9-band EQ (plus download presets).
An 8GB Microsoft Zune, even with the recent price slash, is still $139. An 8GB iPod nano (not available in the United States) goes for about $130 Canadian. Seeing how the 8GB Samsung YP-S3J sells for about $80, you can see how it presents quite the value proposition. If you want to save a few bucks, you’ll still be happy with this player.
Pros
- Great value at just $80 for the 8GB
- Decent set of features, including FM and video
- Very attractive, slim body
- True user-defined nine-band EQ settings
Cons
- Low-resolution display makes video less satisfying
- Lack of good podcast integration
- Touch sensitive controls can be unresponsive in the cold
- No Bluetooth, unlike other Samsung players
Overall Rating: 7.5 / 10.0
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