Rockbox General > Rockbox General Discussion
SanDisk Sansa Clip Zip vs Fuze
Serenity:
I own both the Clip Zip and the Fuze (a v1 and v2). First: avoid the Fuze + at all costs.
Second, I love both players, but usually default the the Fuze v2. It is peppy, sounds awesome and, with the properly formatted 64GB micro SDXC, it's my ideal player. The scroll wheel is much quicker and easier than the Zip's buttons, and is easier for me than the standard iPod scroll wheel. The rubberised metal back of the Fuze helps keep it in your hand as you navigate. The screen is bright & clear. I have dropped it a couple times with no problems, and my v1 even went through the wash (and 2 dry cycles)--after spending 3 days in a just-in-case bowl of rice, it's happily playing in the corner with no ill effects.
For size, the Zip is tiny, but thicker. The Fuze is very thin--I call it my graham cracker. It may not be as thin as a cracker, but it's close. I actually keep it in a tiny zippered case that came with a set of Philips ear buds--with plenty of room for the ear buds as well.
The single drawback to the Fuze is its unreliable USB performance in Rockbox. Since they tweaked how USB works, my v2 is incompatible with my Sansa dock and sometimes disconnects from my computer during extended file transfers--but only sometimes. I believe this is since Rockbox version 3.9...? They may have fixed this issue. I need to update. Keep in mind, I don't usually use the internal storage, so transferring files is as easy as pulling the micro SD and using a card reader to copy music. And the dock still charges the Fuze, which was the main reason I bought it.
But this drawback does little if anything to dim my love of the Fuze v2. It's my main player. You can pick them up on eBay or the Amazon Marketplace relatively cheaply. With Rockbox running on the Fuze it's a dream machine for me.
Your mileage may vary.
Vkins:
--- Quote from: TheAlmightyGuru on May 15, 2013, 03:22:50 PM ---Thanks Saratoga, that sums up the capabilities of the device quite well. Can anyone comment on the physical structure? Anyone break there's in a drop?
--- End quote ---
From my experience, the headphone jacks on Sansa devices wear out rather quickly. I'm on the go (walking, office...not jogging or running :P) pretty much all day and I use my Sansa all the time...it usually takes me around 6 months until the headphone jack has some connection issues. Clip+, Clip Zip, Fuze...sooner or later, the headphone jack didn't work properly anymore.
Now, repairing a Clip+ or a Zip isn't an issue...pry it open, resolder the jack and you're good to go in most cases.
The Fuze, on the other hand...when you open it up, you will see that the clickwheel is connected using a very small and fragile ribbon cable. It easily breaks, rendering the device unusable. (Happened with mine.)
I would actually recommend going for a Clip, just because it's rather easy to repair.
@Serenity
I don't know about the Fuze being cheap...last time I checked (yesterday) there was only one around on eBay and the seller wanted 90€ (around 120$) for it...
Serenity:
@Vkins: Holy cow! I guess there's a surge in popularity. I ended up getting one for $25 from an Amazon Marketplace seller (it was a 2GB v1 that was scratched up but operational), but that was a year ago. I just checked eBay here in the States and found a few going for $60, but I'm not sure how much they'll charge to ship across the pond.
I have had issues with the headphone jack on the e200 (two of them), but so far my Fuze(s) have been solid. Wish me luck for the future.
And finally an update: the 2GB v1 went through a second wash/dry cycle last week (it's just so small!) and spent another week in the rice bath--battery discharged, but it charged right up again and plays like a champ once more.
Falco98:
I love my original fuze(v2), but they are downright unavailable and/or scalper-priced these days both on ebay as well as on amazon. It does have cons which have been previously mentioned (buggy USB) as well as the fact that I hate having to lug around a proprietary cable for the damn thing (imagine an ipod connector but backwards, ..sorta).
I got a fuze+ for my girlfriend and it has pros which are outweighed by the cons, especially for a novice user like her. The screen is much larger and beautiful at that, but the controls are mostly done on a tiny touch-only pad with no tactile feedback (and a button which is a button but has no marking - the bottom-left-button). Plus its USB support is WAY buggier. But (another plus) they finally managed to go with a standard microUSB plug instead of their proprietary junk. If they'd just used physical buttons and/or a scroll wheel for the front interface, it would have had the potential to be perfect. As it is, once some of the rockbox bugs are worked out, it'll be a nice player to keep on-hand, though not recommended for use at a time when you can't be looking at the screen constantly (like in the car).
I just ordered her a clip zip to replace the fuze+, but it hasn't arrived yet and i have no experience with it yet. Holding my breath ;-)
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