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Archos 404

review DATE:09.19.06

Archos 404
On Stand With Pouch and Earphones Front

Ratings

EditorVery Good

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review

By Mike Kobrin

The Archos 404 is the baby of Archos's new Generation 4 line of players; it has similar features to the Archos 604, but in a smaller package. Based around a 30GB hard drive, the 404's bright 3.5-inch LCD, smooth video playback, and broad video file-format support make it a very desirable portable video player. Add the optional docking station ($99), and you've got yourself a nice little portable digital video recorder as well. One real drawback, though, is that unlike the 604, the 404's battery is not removable. In addition, the device's video battery life isn't what it should be.

red arrow Read the Archos 404 full review

Company

Archos

http://www.archos.com

Spec Data
  • Price as Tested: $299.99 Direct
  • Player Type: Hard Disk MP3 Player, Portable Media Player
  • Radio: No
  • Recording, Voice: Yes
  • Recording, Line In: Optional
  • Video Recording: Optional
  • Music Playback Formats: MP3, WAV, WMA, Protected WMA
  • Photo formats: BMP, JPEG, PNG
  • Video Formats: AVI, DivX, MPEG4, ASF
  • Audio Battery Life: 12 Hr
  • Video Battery Life: 3.17 Hr
  • Screen Resolution: 320 x 240 pixels
  • Screen Size: 3.5 inches
  • Storage Capacity: 30 GB
  • Dimensions: 3.9 x 3 x 0.6 inches
  • Weight: 6.8 oz

Bottom Line

The Archos 404 is a very good pocket-size media player, and it can record video via the optional docking station, but I wish the battery were removable.

Pros

Screen looks very bright and clear. Good video format support. Video playback is smooth. Video recording quality (with optional dock) is excellent. Can load content via drag-and-drop or WMP.

Cons

Battery is not removable. Battery life is shorter than expected. Hold button doesn't lock the volume buttons. Video recording requires optional dock.

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