The Archos AV500 portable media player impressed many with its compact size, LCD display, and audio quality. Does the updated Archos 604 continue to impress or will it fall short?
Reviews:
PC Magazine: (4 out of 5) “The Archos 604 is a very good portable media player, but it doesn’t quite live up to its predecessor’s high standard of sound quality. Also, many of the features that were standard on the AV500 are now optional extras, particularly the ability to record video from analog sources.”
Mobile Magazine: (86%) “Archos is known for being a leader in the portable media player market, and one of their latest offerings — the Archos 604 — is no exception. Being accompanied to the market by the 404, 504, and 604 WiFi, the Archos 604 is a widescreen dream of sorts, boasting an ample-sized 4.3-inch color display, support for a wide range of picture, music, and video files.”
CNET: (8.3 out of 10)“The do-it-all Archos 604 with its improved design and a low base price is an amazing PVP. Just make sure to figure in the cost of some essential extras.”
Product Information:
Price: Around $350 – but the extras are going to cost you (Take the $100 DVR station for example)
Website: Archos.com
Bottom Line: Overall, the Archos 604 is a quality product, but some will be turned off by Archos’ decision to make once standard features optional extras this time around. The small 30GB hard drive configuration may also be a sticking point, especially when you consider that its predecessor the AV500 is available in both 30GB and 100GB models.
In other words, the 604 is definitely an upgrade over the AV500, but some may choose to stick with the older version because of the value and the list of standard features.
You may want to check out the new 604 with added WiFi if you are looking for web browsing capability ($450). Click here to read the CNET review.
