Sony’s sharp sound and clear video may give Apple a run for its money

Sony's X series is a very slick, very well designed gadget, and is without doubt the most impressive player Sony has produced (and it has had several attempts).

The 3 inch touchscreen is very clear, and video looks absolutely superb on it, with sharp, crisp colours and motion.

However, whereas Apple's menu system has been designed with simplicity in mind, Sony seems to have briefed its designers to fit as many things on screen at once. Everything is reasonably obvious, but often there is just too much going on.

The web browser is also a little fiddly to use, although there is a seperate youtube application which works well. However, you can't view other video sites such as the BBC's iPlayer (although you can download iPlayer files via a PC).

What saves the Sony is the sound quality, which is superb. Bass is rich, and vocals clear and sharp. Sony, unlike Apple, have also decided to bundle some very good quality headphones with the X series. The noise cancelling also works brilliantly, and this could be what tempts people away from the iPod - on a packed commuter train, it can make a real difference.

Will it beat the iPod? In reality, probably not. The iPod is just too slick, and the ability to download extra applications gives it a real edge. But for those who really care about audio quality, and who might otherwise buy a seperate pair of noise cancelling headphones, The X series is definitely the first MP3 player to give Apple a run for its money.

Sony's Walkman - how it compares

Sony
£210 for 16gb, £270 for 32gb storage
Screen - 3inch OLED touchscreen
Noise cancelling system
No ability to download extra software

Apple
£165, 8gb, £214 16gb, or £283 for 32gb storage
Screen 3.5inch LCD touchscreen
No noise cancelling
Online application store with thousands of applications