Creative NOMAD Jukebox Zen NX 20GB

Reviews: Multimedia

Author:
Editor:
Sponsor:
Published:

Nicholas Hart
Kurtis
TheTechLounge
Feb. 23, 2004

<< Previous

Next >>

First Impressions

While style is always a matter of personal taste, I found the Zen NX to be quite attractive. The controls and connections are place along the edges of the case leaving the front clean and uncluttered. The anodized aluminum finish is very well done and is sure to be very durable. Upon lifting the player I was surprised by its weight. The specified 8oz weight doesn't sound like much, but in such a small package feels very substantial.

Taking a Closer Look

The screen of the Zen NX is a monochrome LCD display. It appears small at first, but is of ample size for navigating the menus. When making selections, the backlight automatically turns on. When a song title, artist or album name is too long to appear in the window it scrolls automatically when highlighted. The screen is actually raised a bit above the level of the case and is easy to read. Out of the package the Zen NX comes with a protective film over the screen. This film is fully transparent and I actually left it on as an added safeguard against a scratched screen.

As mentioned earlier, the controls on the Zen NX are laid out along the sides of the case. The power button, back button and volume controls are on the left side of the case while the play/pause button, menu selector and advance/skip controls are on the right. The USB, power and headphone connectors are on the top of the unit. Conceivably you could use a single hand to control the device, but, perhaps due to a lack of thumb dexterity, I found myself grasping it with both hands and using my forefingers to navigate the menus.

Navigating menus on the Zen NX is a little difficult at first. Creative calls the menu control "Quick Scroller Navigation.' At first glance it appears to be a scroll wheel, but is actually a spring loaded lever that moves up and down for menu navigation and can be pressed in to select. To return to a previous menu, you press the "Back' button on the other side of the device. The problem I had was that often I would scroll past the option I was attempting to choose. The longer I use the Zen the easier it becomes for me to accurately navigate menus, but it may be frustrating for new users.

Included with the Zen NX is a lithium-ion rechargeable battery. This is certainly a welcome addition as any hard drive based player will be battery hungry. Claimed battery life is up to 14hrs but of course depending on usage this will vary. The Creative website also states that the encoded bitrate of the stored mp3s will affect battery life. I noticed an average battery life of about 8 hours with 2/3 volume and playing 192kbps encoded songs. Replacement batteries are available for those long trips and swapping one out is a snap. A quick-release switch on the bottom allows the aluminum face to separate from the unit revealing the battery and the interior of the case.

<< Previous

Page 2 of 5

Next >>

Page 1: Introduction
Page 2: First Impressions & Taking a Closer Look
Page 3: Using the NOMAD Jukebox Zen NX
Page 4: Quality Check & Obligatory iPod Comparison
Page 5: Conclusion

Subscribe to Portable Media Players [more info]

Add Comment

2 User Comments

1 - Posted by Guest on December 25, 2004 - 7:22 pm

I found this review very comprehensive and explanatory. It provided just the kind of information that I (as a newbie and prospective buyer) needed. Great job!

2 - Posted by Guest on June 20, 2005 - 12:27 pm

I'm guessing that the setting for speeding up or down play speed is for audio books.

Add Comment

To add a comment without being a member, you may omit the password field, but you must enter your name (or nickname) along with your comment. * Denotes required fields.