Ultra Compact MP3 players are tiny inconspicuous digital jukeboxes that can hold hundreds of songs and most are barley larger than a quarter. They aren’t bogged down with fancy features or large hard drives; these players have one sole purpose, to bring you music.
Ultra Compact MP3 players are perfect for working out, traveling and those just looking to keep a few tunes close by.
In this site, you'll find articles related to Flash mp3 Players, as well as comprehensive reviews and a side-by-side comparison to help you make an informed decision on which player is right for you. At TopTenREVIEWS – We do the research so you don't have to.™
What to Look for in an Ultra Compact MP3 PlayerUltra Compact MP3 players don’t have many features and are designed simply for playing music. These miniature devices are small in size, but they still need to pack a big punch to make it into our TopTen. When looking for an Ultra Compact player consider the device’s physical size, storage size and battery life.
Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate Flash MP3 Players:
Storage Capacity- Most Ultra Compact players’ storage size hovers in the 1GB to 2GB range. This equals about 250 to 500 songs respectively. As flash technology becomes more affordable don’t be surprised to see an iPod Shuffle or Creative Zen Stone with 4GB or 6GB of storage in the future.
Battery Life- The fact is MP3 players, no matter what their classification, need a substantial battery life. Having the battery die in the middle of a workout is not acceptable. Look for an Ultra Compact MP3 with a battery life of 12 to 15 hours of continual use.
MP3 Weight- An Ultra Compact MP3 player wouldn’t be “ultra compact” if it wasn’t tiny. An MP3 player’s weight usually indicates its overall size, in this case smaller is better.
Display Type- Having a display is a matter of convenience. Although the best selling Ultra Compact MP3 player on the market, iPod Shuffle, doesn’t include a display it is a feature to consider before deciding on a particular model.
FM Radio- Having an FM radio integrated into the MP3 player isn’t exactly a deal breaker, but sometimes 500 songs just isn’t enough, having the ability to switch over to the radio on a whim is handy.

| Rank | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | #7 | #8 | #9 | #10 |
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Sandisk Sansa Clip 2GB | Creative Zen Stone Plus 2GB | Sony NW-E005 2GB | Sandisk Sansa Clip 1GB | Samsung U5 | Apple IPod Shuffle 3rd Generation | Sandisk Sansa M250 2GB | Centon Craze 4GB | IRiver T30 1GB | Sandisk Sansa Express 1GB |
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| Lowest Price |
$37.95 |
$79.99 |
$69.99 |
$39.99 |
$34.99 |
$149.00 |
$29.99 |
$27.99 |
$148.95 |
$18.35 |
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| View Specifications | Go! | Go! | Go! | Go! | Go! | Go! | Go! | Go! | Go! | Go! |
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| Storage Capacity | 2 GB | None | 2 GB | 1 GB | 2 GB | 2 GB | 2 GB | 4 GB | 1 GB | |
| Battery Life | 15 hrs. | 9.5 hour(s) | ATRAC3 playback 28 hour(s), MP3 playback 27 hour(s) | 15 hrs. | 15 hour(s) | 12 hour(s) | 19 hrs. | 20 hour(s) | 20 hour(s) | 15 hrs. |
| MP3 Weight | 0.9 oz | 0.7 oz | 0.9 oz | 0.9 oz | 1.8 oz | 0.55 oz. | 1 oz | 3.2 oz | 1 oz | 1 oz |
| Display Type | OLED | OLED | OLED | OLED | OLED | LCD | LCD | LCD | OLED | |
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| Battery Type | Rechargeable Player batteryInternal | Lithium ion | Lithium ion | Rechargeable Player batteryInternal | Lithium ion | Lithium ion | AA | Lithium ion | AAA type Standard battery | Lithium ion |
| Display Resolution | 64 x 64 | 128 x 64 | ||||||||
| Frequency Response | 320 Kbps | 32 - 320 | 8 - 320 | 20 - 20000 Hz | ||||||
| MP3 Depth | 0.5 in | 0.6 in | 1.5 in | 0.41 in. | 0.92 in. | 1.5 in | 1.2 in. | 0.65 in. | ||
| MP3 Height | 1.4 in | 3.11 in. | 4.4 in | 1.07 in. | 3.09 in. | 6.5 in | 2.4 in. | 1 in. | ||
| MP3 Width | 2.2 in | 1 in | 2.6 in | 1.6 in | 1.38 in. | 4.4 in | 2.5 in | 3.1 in. | ||
| Warranty | 1 Year | 1 Year | 1 Year | 1 Year | 1 Year | 1 Year | ||||
| Reviewer Comments |
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| Lowest Price |
$37.95 |
$79.99 |
$69.99 |
$39.99 |
$34.99 |
$149.00 |
$29.99 |
$27.99 |
$148.95 |
$18.35 |
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