Creative Zen Vision:M 30 GB MP3 and Video Player (White)

by: Thug Radio Smurf (California)
on: Thursday, 28-October-2010

Ive had my Creative Zen M for at least 5 years. I love it like nothing else. It goes everywhere with me. Granted, newer versions have more features & memory, but for the time period, this was THE best purchase I could have made. I did tons of research & Im so happy I didnt cave & get a damn ipod! The only negatives about it are, it over heats if I leave it in the car on a hot day, and sometimes it doesnt turn off & has to be reset. Not really a big deal. I recommend Creative Zen to anyone who wants an excellent, durable product!

by: Tom Arazachi (United States)
on: Tuesday, 19-October-2010

I cant remember just how many times Ive dropped this player. Five years later, its still going strong. Sometimes it freezes up and needs to be rescued with a paper clip or so, but otherwise, its a good buy. It could have done with a few handy features, like a volume limiter (also cant remember how many times Ive jumped in fright due to a no-touch) but otherwise, still very happy after all this time and all this damage.

by: Sarah Bojorquez (United States)
on: Tuesday, 10-August-2010

i owned one of these for about 4 years (until i dropped it on a treadmill recently :P) and it was the best mp3 device ive ever used. i had owned an ipod before that and this is a great alternative, especially if you use subscription music like rhapsody like i do. videos and pictures look great, the screen is nice and bright, and the sound quality kicks ipods ass. you can even record radio which i thought was pretty cool. im so sad i dropped it but it was getting on in years for a music player, they just dont build things like this to last cuz they want you to keep going out and buying new ones. id dropped it plenty of times before but i guess this time was the worst.

a few drawbacks...its kind of big and the interface is a little hard to get used to at first especially if youre used to an ipod, and the buttons take a lot of force to press.

but other than that, amazing player, it looks great too, my friends would always compliment it and ask to play with it. im going to have a hard time finding a replacement :(

by: Haley Streetman (United States)
on: Wednesday, 19-May-2010

This MP3 player is a good alternative if you cant afford an ipod. It has a good battery life and good sound quality but thats about it. Not a lot of features.

(The reviewer was compensated for posting this review. However, the opinion stated in the review is that of the reviewer and the reviewer alone. Further, the reviewer independently selected this product to review and has no affiliation with the product maker/distributor, your site or the review requester.)

by: B. Shields (Ohio, USA)
on: Tuesday, 18-May-2010

This product doesnt stand up to an iPod Touch but it is a great player for the mp3 space. The navigation is something to get used to but it is okay as well.


The reviewer was compensated for posting this review. However, the opinion stated in the review is that of the reviewer and the reviewer alone. Further, the reviewer independently selected this product to review and has no affiliation with the product maker/distributor, your site or the review requester.

by: L. Reid (CA)
on: Wednesday, 17-March-2010

So, Ive had my creative zen: vision for several years now - since they first came out, and I have never stopped loving it. I had started out with an ipod as it was the thing to have at the time (and still is, sadly) and I was not at all impressed. My ipod died every three months like clockwork, so I gave up on it and went out and bought this. Best choice I ever made.

This thing has been dropped in water, hurled across a room(quite by accident), and dropped on every surface imaginable more times than I can count. (I do try to take care of my expensive electronics, but mp3 players have a way of finding their way out of my pocket when Im running/exorcising) Because of this abuse, the face has come off and has to be kept on by duct tape... but the thing still works beautifully! And when it does freeze (which isnt often) it has a handy little reset button that fixes everything.(my ipod was forever freezing and its hold-the-buttons-down reset method usually didnt work) It has scratches, dings, scrapes but I love the thing and Ill be very sad when I do have to replace it.

I would recommend this mp3 player to anyone, its quite the gem.

by: John Biasi (new jersey)
on: Sunday, 14-February-2010

More than happy with this purchase, came in excellent condition arrived on time and works great

by: S. Hatcher (United States)
on: Saturday, 23-January-2010

This is one of the best MP3 players on the market. Ive had mine for about 2 years now and would never use another player. The battery life is long and the software easy to use. The player itself is also pretty sturdy. Ive dropped mine a few times, and other than the occasional scratch, it is in fine working order. If you want an easy to use MP3 player with a lot od storage space and a great battery life this one is for you.

by: Antonia M, PhD (New York, NY)
on: Monday, 18-January-2010

I probably bought this for myself as a Christmas gift. Ive dropped it dozens of times (I highly recommend you get a protective case) chipping and cracking it and busting the radio. But otherwise, still runs great. Aside from playing my music and audio books, I use it to record interviews, notes, ideas, dreams, reminders and stuff like that. Also, when I go on trips, I use it to store backup copies of photos. I can keep this thing in my pocket or a bag - super portable, although not as thin as other, more recent device. The only things I wish it had (and maybe new models have this) is that when you make a recording, I would like to be able to each a file its own name directly on the devices (like you can with playlists) rather than having to use the software. Sometimes I record so many things in a day, its a pain to have to listen back to tell whats what. And I wish that in addition to the on-board mic, there was also a mic jack I could plug into. Recording quality is comparable to what you might get with a digital camera.

Also, if you already have one and your computer does not recognize your Zen player anymore but it still charges, you may just need to replace the usb cable. Thats what I had to do. (Its a usb a to mini b cable, by the way). Other people who have had that problem have solved it by upgrading their firmware and some other technical solutions (thank you Universe for keeping it simple for me). You can search for those details on the Internet.

by: Marion Barker (Los Angeles)
on: Tuesday, 5-January-2010

I needed a new mp3 player and got this based on a sale email which came through. A bit hesitant about it, since I previously had an iPod and loved it, but the price was good though that I decided to take a chance on it. Glad I did. This is a nice little (well, not so little) mp3 player, about the size of the original iPod. Good color display. Also love that it has an FM radio, which you can record. Works with Audible, which is nice for people who use that service.

by: Marijo Puleo (Belmar, NJ)
on: Tuesday, 1-December-2009

I have had my Creative Zen Vision M for 2 years and still love it. I originally bought a Sansa e player (being an anti-iPod music lover) and enjoyed the Sansa. I was traveling internationally and wanted a second player because the battery would not last through the plane ride. This back up quickly became my primary mp3 device.

It is large by todays standards - jogging with this is like jogging with a brick - but it is sturdy, reliable, high quality and has survived the test of time. I now catch up on TV shows and movies on the road, by using TiVo and the Zen Converter program. Easy to use, easy to set up, great music and video - its a great little package all around. My only other nit is that the menu navigation can be a bit touchy.

I thought the 30 Meg size would be a limitation. I have yet to fill this puppy past the 85% mark. I use Napster and am constantly filling it / exchanging music. I also have at least 15 audio books and 20 1 hour recorded seminars. At least 10 hours of movies / videos. Still cant fill the dang thing.

I was initially concerned about battery life, especially with the funky exchange program with the iPod. With constant use (at least 10 hours a week) the battery is still going strong. I bought a power supply with international adapters, so I can recharge it from anywhere in the world. I use a set of portable speakers (my favorite is the $10 HMDX set from Bed, Bath and Beyond) and am never bored where ever I am.

My husband now enjoys the Sansa e for his own use. At first, it was a challenge to synchronize it with Rhapsody but that settled down once I started using Media Player. I recently purchased a Sansa Clip, but that is for exercise only because I am tired of running with a brick.

Net, net - If you are thinking about buying a Vision M used, or buying another Creative product, I highly recommend it. I also highly recommend Napster and Media Player. Both have been extremely reliable for managing all of my music needs.