MP3 players ... there are so many choices! How do you know which one is best for you?

1) Find out what your needs are.

It sounds obvious, but choosing the right MP3 player for you starts right here. You should ask yourself "What kind of MP3 player do I want?" along with "What I will be using the MP3 player for?" Make the decision about price range now, can you afford an expensive MP3 player or should you get a cheaper one and stick to your budget.  Will you use it while driving to and from work, working around the house or exercising? Do you want it to strap to your arm or attach to your body in some way? Does it need to play video files and to show pictures as well? Or, maybe you need it to have a FM radio tuner or digital voice recording features. Think about what you want from an MP3 player and how much you want to spend ahead of time so you don’t end up confused or buy something in the emotional heat of the moment.

2) There are two types of MP3 players: flash MP3 players and hard drive MP3 players.

The advantage of the flash MP3 players is that they have no moving parts (they have an embedded memory chip) and are ideal to use while running or exercising. Another advantage is that they are cheaper than hard disk MP3 players.

The disadvantage is that flash MP3 players have relatively low memory, but on the other hand they can be upgraded by choosing a larger memory card.

The other type of MP3 players are ones that are similar to computers, considering the fact that they hold the memory on a hard disk. They are also known as "jukeboxes" and have hard drives of 20 GB or more. This is their main advantage, because you can store much more content. You can play music and audio books and lately display pictures and play video files as well.

However, you need to know that the hard disk is not upgradeable, so you should decide right from the start how much storage space you really need. Another disadvantage is that they are expensive compared to the flash MP3 players.

3) Decide on a price range.

If price is important to you, then you need to know that you can have a flash MP3 player for $100 or less. The most expensive hard drive MP3 players can cost in the $500 range.

However, as new models appear all the time, older quality models are now available at cheaper prices, even for the hard drive MP3 players. Check out current eBay listings for great discounts on MP3 players.

4) Research before you buy.

We often tend to buy on impulse, but please do not do this. It is very easy to get on the Internet and check the websites with reviews from other users or comparison websites. This way you can find "insider" information that you would otherwise not have access to.

You can even find websites that will show you web sites with various prices for the same MP3 player, and the differences can be quite large. You never know when you can find a really good deal.

Bottom line is define what features you think you want in an MP3 player, check review websites for inside user information, decide on a price range you can afford, then find the best deal.