Xclef HD-800

It's easy to be fooled by the density and blocky exterior that the Xclef is a hulk of a player. Not so. It's not long before you realise that it offers the best navigation on show. The large display combined with directional button, jog dial and function buttons make navigating through folders and menus a pleasant experience.

All transfers are via Windows Explorer and navigation by Windows folders. There's a decent feature set including optical port, FM radio and voice recorder. Sound is rich; battery life excellent and file transfer speeds over USB 2 outstanding. It's less polished than the iRiver but it's £26 cheaper.