Cowon iAudio A3 (30GB)

Cowon & on

Don't let the exterior fool you. This might be the spitting image of the old iAudio A2, but there's fresh tech lurking within, including an all-new processing chip, which ensures that menus are zippy to navigate and videos start up instantly.

Sadly, the joystick-powered interface remains as clunky as it was on the A2, with the tiny thumbstick meaning you often move the cursor down when you're actually trying to press 'OK', or invade Poland when you're trying to select the next scene of Finding Nemo.

There's no Wi-Fi or touchscreen, but unlike Archos' latest efforts you aren't forced to shell out extra to record from your TV box, or the ability to play back DVD rips. The one optional extra is a digital TV tuner module for £25-£30. The hi-res widescreen provides vibrant, detailed video, and sound quality is similarly impressive if you plug in a decent pair of 'phones, although the built-in speakers are a bit weedy. Just about every format of video and non-DRM audio under the sun is supported.

The big question is, would we buy an A3 over an Archos 605 Wi-Fi? Well... no. That's not to say the A3 isn't a good PMP, it just can't match the best.

Posted by T3 Magazine on 2008-01-11

User Comments

By Amberlodge1

14|10|2008 20:37

I have the Archos 605 80gb WiFi but the battery flatens whilst switched off so I have to charge it before I can turn it on... My worst buy ever.

Wish I had got the Cowon now.

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