After an entire year of fighting with the Microsoft Zune, I decided to revert back to my Apple ways and pick up an iPod Classic. In good tradition, a week after I do so the Zune gets an update and becomes useful. I’m sure that in a month, the price on the iPod classic will probably drop by one third and I’ll shake my fist at Apple once more. The iPod Classic boasts two high-capacity versions. The 80 and 160 gigabyte capacities are a welcome offering to anyone that has a large collection of music and video files. These versions are available at $249.00 and $349.00 USD, which makes the iPod a very reasonably priced media player heading into the holiday season.

The iPod Classic is an elegant looking device with many improvements made to the frame. An all-metal construction gives the otherwise scratch-prone iPod a smooth and lasting look. The back is still a scratch and blemish magnet, so you might want to pick up a proper case before going on any adventures with music in-tow.

The Classic comes sporting a new UI with cover flow and artwork preview while in the standard menu. This is an interesting addition to the iPod, however even with the new updates the cover flow mode is choppy and doesn’t seem ready for this particular form factor. It’s easier to see what you’re selecting and browsing in standard mode.

Syncing the iPod Classic has a tendency to lock up iTunes and interrupt any video you may have playing. The locking up is occurring in both Windows XP and Windows Vista systems, and lasts from the initial plug-in to sometimes thirty seconds after the device has finished sync. Apple has recognized the problem and with each update they say they have solved it, however updating the device doesn’t appear to solve the problem.
Sound quality is exactly what you’d expect from an iPod. It isn’t an audiophile’s dream, but it does have a pretty clean sound that does well enough considering the lossy and imperfect audio formats it handles. The included ear buds are the same as any Apple ear buds from previous versions. They’re more fashion than function, and your listening experience will no doubt improve if you replace them with a higher quality set of ear buds or headphones. Playback is very smooth and uninterrupted which is a delightful change from the Zune’s video lag.

If you’re looking for a lot of dramatic changes, aside from the greatly increased storage capacity, then the iPod Classic might be your second choice behind the iPod Touch or iPhone. The iPod Classic is just what the name intends, a classic version of the iPod. The UI has been revamped and a few browsing features have been modified, but the latency and syncing issues spoil what might otherwise be a very pleasant experience.

Tags: ipod, classic, apple, review, matt ryan, frugal geek