There aren't that many MP3 players that beat the iPod Touch in terms of features. The Archos 605 is one of the rare ones that has more features than the iPod Touch. That is also its Achilles Heel. Archos is a pretty small company, and so when they invest time and money into features, what falls apart is the build quality (pun not intended).
For example, it has a 4.3" touch screen, wifi, a hard drive, and speakers, and yet it is cheaper than the ipod touch. An 30GB Archos is cheaper than a 8GB iPod Touch. An 80GB Archos is cheaper than the 16GB iPod Touch, and the 160GB (yes 160GB your eyes are not failing you), is cheaper than the 32GB iPod Touch.
All those features means that it is hard for them to work together. The archos runs a Opera Web Browser ($30), which is fully featured, which means flash support. But when you are surfing the web, you are most likely going to crash the PMP once every 5 hours.
Another downside of the Archos 605 is that lots of the features cost extra. The Web Browser ($30), MP2 + VOB + AC3 ($20), MP4 + AAC ($20), Web Radio + Web TV ($20). Archos's explanation is: We can give all those feature, and have the Archos 605 cost $400, or we can give you the basic player for $300, and you can pay for what you want. I agree with archos, because i only need the Web Browser, i do not need any other plugin. Therfore i am saving $70.
My verdict: 7/10
Pros: Lots of features
Cons: Crashes when web browsing. You have to pay extra for some features
Bottom Line: If you want an iPod Touch, but you watch a lot of movies, and need that hard drive space, the Archos is Perfect for you.
2 comments:
I have the 604, and I've used the 605, and I have to say that the 604 is better. I own the standard 604 (non-wireless), and the screen on the 604 is a lot brighter and crisper, as is the audio (to my ear, anyway). The only downside is a lack of a touch screen, which doesn't really bother me. Plus, I was able to buy it for around $200 at my local store. I also agree that the build quality is much better on the 604, as the 605 feels plasticky and cheap compared to the solid 604.
Yes, i also own the Archos 604, the metal button feels way more sturdier than the Archos 605. Also i have never had the Archos 604 crash on me. The reason why the Archos 604's screen is crispy compared to the Archos 605 is because the 605 is touch screen so therefore the screen has an extra thin filament on it.
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