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Sandisk Sansa E260
Price: £149.99 inc VAT (£119 for 2GB/£185 for 6GB)

Features
Performance
Ease of use
Value for money
Overall

Reviewed By: Andy Shaw

This review updated: 06/07/2006
Featured in magazine:
Issue 139
Manufacturer Contacts:
Supplier: Sandisk
Web Address: www.sandisk.co.uk


If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Apple clearly got something right with the iPod nano. A couple of issues ago we looked at the Samsung YP-Z5, which aimed to emulate the nano in terms of size, shape and price in a more Windows-friendly environment. Now Sandisk has also brought out a Windows-based clone, the Sansa e260, but with the added advantage of a nano-busting price.

Features
The e260 is a 4GB model, but you can also get 2GB (e250) and 6GB (e270) flavours. All have a microSD slot for holding up to 1GB of extra memory. The device itself hooks up nicely with Windows Media Player, or you can use it like an external hard disk and simply drag and drop music files directly onto it. It will also show pictures and play video files, both of which you have to convert into a smaller format through special software. The biggest draw, however, is bound to be its ability to carry around your music collection.

Performance
The quality of the casing, particularly the solid metal back, feels good enough to allow you to slip the device into your pocket without damaging it. However, the e260 is thicker and heavier (34.5g more) than an iPod nano, and we didn't think much of the supplied headphones, which are a bit basic. The unit itself handled our files well, though.

Ease of use
The e260's flexibility makes it very simple to use. The easiest option is to use Windows Media Player to organise your music both on your computer and on the player. Alternatively, you can simply go to the folders where your music is stored and drag the albums you want directly onto the device, which appears on your computer as an extra drive. The Media Converter for video and pictures introduces a small element of extra bother into proceedings, but it's easy to use and far simpler than having to worry about how big your photos and video are.

Value for money
The Sandisk gives Apple's prices quite a pummeling: a 2GB e260 costs £119, while a 2GB nano costs £139; a 4GB Sansa is £149 compared to Apple's £179; or you can get a 6GB Sandisk model for £185 – Apple doesn't have a 6GB nano on the market (yet). Those basic headphones have probably helped keep the cost down, but then Apple's aren't much better.

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