Prizefight: Apple iPod touch vs. Samsung P3

by CNET Staff |
Judges: Donald Bell, Jasmine France and Brian Tong

Apple's iPod touch is one of highest-rated MP3 players on CNET, but it's also one of the most expensive, starting at US$230. That's a lot of money to drop on an MP3 player, especially when a touch-screen competitor like the Samsung P3 delivers many of the same features as the touch, for about US$80 less. The price difference is dramatic, but it's unclear whether the iPod touch is suffering from an inflated ego, or the P3's price is too good to be true.

To determine which of these touch-screen, music- and video-playing portable beauties is really worth your time and money, we've subjected each device to five rounds of criticism from three of our toughest judges. So let's stretch those fingers, and break out the good headphones, because the battle of CNET's top touchscreen media players is about to begin.




About the judges

Donald Bell is a CNET senior editor, a Zune user, and the guy who gave the iPod touch an Editors' Choice Award, which makes him an ideal punching bag for opinionated CNET readers.

Jasmine France is a senior associate editor for digital audio at CNET. Of the seemingly endless array of products that pass through her hands, only the strong survive.

Brian Tong is an editor and host of Prizefight on CNET TV. He's currently shifting himself from iTunes to the Amazon Music Store.

This article first appeared on CNET's Prizefight feature.

Round 1: Navigation



In round one, we examine the interface of the MP3 player. Both the iPod touch and the P3 use touch-screen navigation, but they approach the interface very differently. Can the haptic feedback and personalized Emoture interface of the Samsung P3 hold up to the tidy, multitouch navigation of the iPod touch?

Jasmine
5

Touchscreens will never be my thing, but the iPod touch handles it better than any other device I've used. It's pretty accurate with fairly little practice. Oh, and I dig the dedicated volume.
3

I think the menus and interface options are supercute and fun, but the touch-screen implementation isn't the best, and accuracy of navigation can be a challenge.
     
Donald
5

I really want to see a competitor give the iPod touch or iPhone a run for its money when it comes to touch-screen performance, but Apple's multitouch patent must be something really special. No one comes close.
3

This thing is the Pee-Wee's Playhouse of touch-screen interfaces. I could forgive the animated butterflies and psychedelic background images, but there's noticeable reaction latency and the contextual menus are overwhelming.
     
Brian
5

Responsive touchscreen with the best pick up and play interface you'll find. Better volume control placement on side. Smoother scrolling.
4

Very good interface with haptic feedback. Touchscreen is responsive. Volume control on top is awkward. Widgets are cute but unnecessary.
     

Total

5

3.3

Round 2: Sexiness



It's hard to out-sexy Apple when it comes to design, but the sleek metal finish of the Samsung P3 stands a better chance than most. Can the P3's wider screen and personalized interface turn heads or is it just another wannabe?

Jasmine
4

I have to say, as much as I dig on the superslim design and chrometastic backside, the way this thing attracts fingerprints definitely takes away from the sexy factor.
4

I really like the feel of the P3; its solidity and smoothness just appeals to me on some level. Plus, it's a bit more pocket-friendly than the touch.
     
Donald
5

This is the sexiest MP3 player ever made. The look, the feel, the materials, and the graphic interface all add up to a great user experience. It makes me feel cooler than I am.
4

I thought the previous model, the Samsung P2, felt pretty cheap. The P3, by comparison, feels outstanding. It's just not quite the total package that Apple offers.
     
Brian
5

Superslim, classy metal backing great 3.5-inch screen and minimalist design. I want to make babies with it.
4

Great sleek design as well. 3-inch screen. A design with sharper corners and plastic surface that works.
     

Total

4.7

4

Round 3: Compatibility



This is a subjective take on each MP3 player's compatibility with the software and services we like to use. Does the iPod touch's reliance on Apple's iTunes software make you feel comfortable or constricted? The P3 has a beautiful screen, but will it work with your video files?

Jasmine
4

I'm not a huge fan of the iTunes software, but I use the touch mainly for video and that service does have an excellent selection. I don't use this player for music, but its audio support is adequate and podcast integration is great.
4

Works on Mac and PC, like the iPod touch. But it offers support for Amazon Video On Demand, which is also good for video content. Plus, it supports subscription music services and a good array of audio formats. Podcast integration is sucky, though.
     
Donald
4

There was a time when I'd complain about the iPod's lack of WMA, FLAC, or DivX file support, but let's face it--the world goes out of its way now to make things work with the iPod. If it doesn't work with iTunes these days, chances are, I didn't want it anyway.
4

What I love about the P3 is that widescreen aspect ratio. With the right video, the P3 really shines, but the day-to-day video podcasts I enjoy don't all work. Amazon VOD and Rhapsody/Napster support is great for some, but I honestly don't use those services much.
     
Brian
4

It's iTunes and iTunes only. Most of the main audio formats are covered, but there's no WMA or WMV support. Access to tons of media content and easy podcast integration is a plus.
5

The P3 loves all. Extensive file format compatibility for audio and video. Plus its Windows, Mac, and Linux compatible.
     

Total

4

4.3

Round 4: Sound and science



In the fourth round we consider sound quality, construction quality, memory capacity, bonus features, battery life, and any other wonders of science.

Jasmine
4

Wi-Fi and applications...very cool. Excellent audio battery life, and good video battery life, nice big screen for video, 32GB max capacity. Not bad, not bad.
4

A bit different on the features, but the P3 still has a lot going for it: Bluetooth (for free), gorgeous screen, really nice construction, and most importantly: some of the best sound quality my ears have ever come across.
     
Donald
5

What makes the iPod touch worth the extra money, for me, are Wi-Fi features such as e-mail, Internet radio, Web, and wireless podcast and music downloads. Its long battery life and an excellent selection of games seal the deal.
4

For the price of an iPod nano, the P3 delivers a mind-blowing suite of audio enhancement settings and a very well thought out Bluetooth pairing interface. Without Wi-Fi, though, it'll never match the capabilities of the iPod touch.
     
Brian
4

Sound quality is solid, but not on par with the P3. There's Wi-Fi, the iTunes Store, and A2DP Bluetooth coming soon with a software update. VoIP is possible on the iPod touch.
4

The sound quality on the P3 and its versatile equalizer controls beat out the touch. A2DP Bluetooth is here. FM radio and voice recording, too.
     

Total

4.3

4

Round 5: Value



Last, but definitely not least, we consider the price of the MP3 player measured against its features, design, and performance. Is Apple's price inflated, or is Samsung's just too good to be true?

Jasmine
3

The iPod touch ain't cheap, averaging about US$100 more than the P3 and coming with a relatively high dollar-to-gigabyte ratio. Still, its features, video support, and navigation make it not too bad.
4

It's a better value than the iPod touch, comparing just price, but it really depends on what you're after. The Samsung wins out for excellent sound quality and audio format support.
     
Donald
4

The iPod touch is a great device, but the price is hard to swallow. You get you money's worth if you take advantage of all the features, but it may be overkill if you're just looking for music and video playback.
4

While I'm not thrilled with the interface, Samsung made the P3's price hard to resist. With enough customization, I could learn to love this. The sound quality alone is worth the price.
     
Brian
4

A tough round to compare. If it's capacity to price, the iPod touch loses, but the value here is with the growth of the App Store, Safari, and Wi-Fi that lets the iPod touch do so much more than any other media player.
5

You'll pay US$100 less for the P3's 32GB model. Great value, but you should look here if you're just looking for a media player and don't care about Internet features.
     

Total

3.7

4.3

The winner is…




Total points
iPod touch (second generation): 4.3
Samsung P3: 4


Winner: iPod touch


The Samsung P3 fought valiantly against the Apple iPod touch, but its low price turned out to be no match for the iPod's killer combination of design, Wi-Fi, and a bottomless supply of applications in the iTunes App Store. This goes to show we don't hand out Editors' Choice awards to just any ol' touchscreen chump.

That said, with scoring this close, the P3 proved itself as a worthy alternative for those who can't quite stomach the price of the iPod touch, but crave its touchscreen gee-wizardry.

Check out the individual reviews to find out more about the two devices.

Latest comments

Wi-Fi vs Bluetooth. That was my main criteria for choosing the Samsung P3. If our main use for the device is music and video, then having a "wireless" bluetooth connection and it's smaller footprint put the P3 ahead of the Touch. Yes, the Ipod Touch is more "sexy" and the Apple name is a sure-sell; but when it comes to functionality, just what are you expecting from a PMP? I do question the necessity of a Wifi connection, except maybe, the ease of downloading songs/videos over the internet. $ for $, the P3 wins hands-down.

Posted by pc9672
Reply

Since I am a user of samsung yp-k3 2 years ago and until now, I have trust to new a samsung YP-P3, hoping that some improvement about this new product and I want to tell you guys that no need to waste money for leading brand, samsung is there same sound, same quality and almost same features.

Posted by arthemus30
Reply

I disagree with the results with the following reasons: 1) Ipod and its ipod touch nano etc etc family members are very commonly used in the world today. So no doubt to say that the judges could have been pre-exposed to them and have already adapted to its touch-screen feature more so than other mp3 players. 2) To really judge a mp3 player, you might need to LOOK into its fine features plus its overall performance... not just sexiness... and what not. Things like: Easy to use? Good handling? To be honest, the ipod touch has all the right features that only works when you 'TOUCH' them, but the Samsung P3 does have buttons on the side and on the top where you can 'PRESS'. Things like VOLUME is there. I don't see it on the IPOD TOUCH. NO NO How about you try jogging with the IPOD TOUCH, see how 'EASY' it is to CHANGE TRACKS. get what i'm trying to say? IPOD has been around for a long time, but that doesn't mean it's the best. After all those 'generations'... where is the FM radio, Voice recording functions that other crappy mp3 players have had before IPOD was even out. And, bet you didn't know that SAMSUNG p3 features BLUETOOTH, so you can actually pair your mobile phone with it and use it as a HANDSFREE. Or, it can be used for FILE TRANSFER with your COMPUTER. SAMSUNG P3 itself is also a loud speak. bet you didn't look into that, did you judges?? please, judge everything fairly.

Posted by wotamelon
Reply

I'll go for ipod touch because of its eye candy interface. Samsung have to many durability issues to start with and the price difference would only mean that Samsung uses sub standard materials.

Posted by iolo003
Reply

but yes there are several viable alternatives which are cheaper and some which sound a little better. but the ipod touch is a masterpiece. try using one and you'll see.

Posted by gsr5867
Reply

No doubt about it the ipod touch wins this one hands down. It has no equal... too good.

Posted by gsr5867
Reply

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