Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB

Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB

500810 - MP3 player - WAV, Protected WMA (DRM), MP3, WMA - 118 g - Battery Lifespan: 17 hour(s) more

Overall user rating Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB 7 reviews | Write a review | Add product to list

The Gmini XS 202s is presented with a very compact design and stylish new black color. As small as a 5 GB player, it yet offers 20 GB hard drive to store an impressive amount of...
more





Please wait ....
Rate this product:  
 

Products you might be interested in
Archos Gmini XS100 4 GBArchos Gmini XS100 4 GB

500790 - MP3 player - MP3, WMA, WAV, Protected WMA (DRM) - 80 g - Battery Lifespan: 14 hour(s)

 4 reviews

Buy now for only £ 99.99

Archos Gmini XS100 3 GBArchos Gmini XS100 3 GB

500712 - MP3 player - MP3, WAV, WMA, Protected WMA (DRM) - 80 g - Battery Lifespan: 14 hour(s)

 3 reviews

Buy now for only £ 75.73

Archos PMA 430Archos PMA 430

MP3 player / Recorder - 280 g - Stereo - No Information - Battery lifespan: 9.5 hour(s)

 2 reviews

Buy now for only £ 223.24

Sony Walkman NWZ-A816 4 GBSony Walkman NWZ-A816 4 GB

NWZA816B.CE7 - MP3 player - AAC, Protected WMA (DRM 10), MP3, PCM, WMA - 53 g - Battery Lifespan: 33 hour(s)

 11 reviews

Buy now for only £ 57.99

Apple iPod classic 160 GBApple iPod classic 160 GB

MB150ZO/A - MP3 player - MP3, Audible, AIFF, AAC, WAV, Apple Lossless - 162 g - Battery Lifespan: 40 hour(s)

 21 reviews

Buy now for only £ 194.00

Apple iPod classic 80 GBApple iPod classic 80 GB

MB147ZO/A - MP3 player - AAC, WAV, MP3, Audible, Apple Lossless, AIFF - 140 g - Battery Lifespan: 30 hour(s)

 44 reviews

Buy now for only £ 0.48


Auctions and Classifieds for Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB

Trader Rating Product description Link
Show all offers
eBay.co.uk
617 Ratings
Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB at eBay.co.uk
Buy Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB at eBay, the world's largest personal online trading community.


1-6 of 6 reviews    
> Display all 6 Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB reviews
No Frills MP3 Player
A review by Mitsudan on Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB
June 16th, 2007


Author's product rating:   

Sound Quality Excellent 
Ease of Use Very Easy 
Look & Design Good 
Range of Features Average 
Value for Money Excellent 

Advantages: Great sound, small, tough, stores loads of music
Disadvantages: Monochrome screen, no album art or photos, few accessories

Recommend to potential buyers: yes 

Full review
What is it?

This is a pocket sized portable music player that can hold up to 10,000 songs.

The Manufacturer

Archos is a French electronics company, founded in 1988, which now specializes in making portable music and video players.


How do you use it?

You load music (or other audio such as language-learning material, audio books and podcasts) onto a computer and then transfer it to the player with the cable supplied. Listen with headphones or you can plug it into some newer car stereo systems. It can also be plugged into a hi-fi system (suitable cable needed, not supplied) and played through speakers, so you can carry your entire music collection in your pocket to other people’s houses and annoy all your friends. Additionally you can use it as a portable hard drive to store files and documents, for example to transfer them from one computer to another.

Construction and Design

The player weighs 118 grams. It has a very solid feel and I have found it be robust, durable and well made. The metal casing is black with a silver strip around it and 3 silver control buttons. The 2 inch monochrome screen is slightly recessed. I have been using mine every day for over a year and it has never let me down or developed any kind of problem; it has been totally reliable. Unlike the iPod, it is not prone to scratches or easily damaged. I have never used a case for it (it just sits in a shirt or jeans pocket) and it still looks like new.

As to the size of it, if you compare it with a standard pack of 20 cigarettes it is the same width but slightly shorter and thinner. It fits easily into a small shirt pocket with room to spare.

The design is simple and unfussy. Some people think it is lacking in style but I don’t agree.

Sound Quality

I have listened to iPods and other types of MP3 players and the sound from all of them is frankly very similar to me. The sound quality of the XS202S is up there with the best of them – solid, tight bass, sweet treble and clear midrange. The stereo separation is excellent too. It amazes me that such superb sound can come from such a tiny object. What does affect the sound quality to a great extent, however, is the choice of headphones you use…

Headphones

The Archos comes supplied with a set of earbud-type headphones in a silver and black finish with a long cable and standard 3.5mm jack plug to connect to the player. The phones supplied with all portable music players tend to be of the cheap and nasty variety and the Archos is no exception to this. They produce a fairly poor sound from the player; thin and over-bright with weak bass and a general “muddiness” and lack of clarity to the sound. Added to that, I found them uncomfortable to wear and infuriatingly, they kept falling out of my ears every few minutes, resulting in my trying to listen without moving my head at all, a near-impossible feat which also served to make me look as though I was suffering from a neck problem.

The answer is to ditch the Archos headphones (or perhaps keep them as an emergency spare set) and replace them with a decent set. I use Sennheiser CX300 headphones (see my separate review on Ciao) and they transform the whole listening experience, showing what this player is really capable of. They improve the sound tremendously, they are comfortable and they don’t keep falling out of my ears. So no more people asking if I have a stiff neck.

In the Box

Archos haven’t pushed the boat out here. You get the player itself, the Archos headphones described above, a mains charger, a USB 2.0 cable and a Quick Start Guide. The full instruction manual is included as a pdf file on the player but it’s just as easy to download the same pdf file from the Archos web site (www.archos.com). There is no case provided.

Synching with the PC

Although the Archos can be used with iTunes and other applications, it is optimized for use with Windows Media player version 10 or 11. There is no special software provided or needed. Media player is included as standard with Windows and is simple to use; most people will already be familiar with it. Transferring music to the player is pretty painless and it supports USB 2.0 so it is fast too. Archos recommend plugging the player into the mains while transferring files so there is no risk of running out of power part way through. It supports WMA and WAV formats as well as MP3, a definite advantage over the iPod. It is also a certified “PlaysForSure” device so it is guaranteed to work with online music stores that use that system.

Controls and Display

There are just 3 buttons on the player, the middle one being a small joystick that you use to scroll through the list of songs and select what to play as well as controlling rewind, fast forward and volume control. It’s quick to learn and easy to use. The display is monochrome with a blue background and backlighting. It shows the artist’s name, album title, track title, next track title, time elapsed and time remaining. There is also a battery indicator and a clock. The display is clear and has all the information you need but it looks a little old-fashioned and unexciting compared with an iPod display. I suppose “functional” is the best way to describe it.

There is an equaliser to change the sound settings to rock, techno, jazz, live, classic or your own custom settings. It’s worth experimenting with different settings as they make quite a big difference to the sound. Strangely, I find it best to use the “techno” setting for most music as it gives a full, rich sound with strong bass. To my ears the “rock” setting is too treble-heavy and over-bright for rock music.

Living with the XS202S

My priorities for an MP3 player are that it has good sound quality, small size, a large capacity and that it is reliable and durable. This player ticks all those boxes. The 20 gigabyte capacity means that for most people you can carry your entire music collection in your pocket – several thousand songs, even when recorded at high quality. The battery life is excellent; Archos claim it will play for 17 hours on a single charge and I have found that to be quite realistic. You can create playlists of your favourite music and there is a “shuffle” setting to play tracks at random as well as a “scan” setting that will play the first 15 seconds of each track. Another feature I like is that after you have switched the player off, the next time you switch it on you get the option to carry on listening from where you left off just by selecting “Resume” on the screen.

What You Don’t Get

This is a no-frills music player. There is no radio built in, no flashy colour screen, no video or photo viewer and no iPod-style touch controls. There isn’t the plethora of accessories and add-ons available that there are with the iPod. If you insist on a colour screen, there is a newer model available, the XS204, which is similar in all other respects but can store and display colour photos and album art. If you really want to use iTunes this player probably isn’t for you – get an iPod instead.

Do you get style? Well, that’s down to individual opinion: it doesn’t have the immediate “must have” looks of an iPod Nano but it is small and cute with its black and silver finish and it feels solidly made even though it fits in the palm of your hand. I think it does have style but does it really matter? After all it will spend most of the time out of sight in your pocket.

Tips

From my experience with this player I would offer the following bits of advice:

1. It really is worth downloading the instruction manual pdf from the Archos site (www.archos.com) and reading it before you lay your hands on the machine. It contains some important in formation and useful tips that will save you a lot of frustration that you might experience if you just dive in and start using the player.
2. Use the latest firmware. This is the player’s operating system (like Windows on a PC) and it needs to be up to date to ensure there are no bugs in it and it functions properly. The latest version at the time of writing this (June 2007) is v.2.2.02 and it can be downloaded from the Archos web site (www.archos.com). Make this one of your first jobs when you get the player.
3. To get the best from the built-in lithium ion battery make sure you charge it fully as per the instruction manual before you use the player for the first time. It really will help the battery to live longer.
4. This is a 20GB player but don’t be alarmed when you see only about 18.7GB available before you have even loaded your first song. The Archos uses a hard disk for storage, just like a PC. The disk has to be formatted to receive data and has the operating system (or firmware) pre-loaded – that is what is taking up the first 1.3 GB or so of space. This applies to all MP3 players that use hard disk storage.

Price

I believe the full retail price is £169.99 but this player has been on the market for quite a while and has recently been replaced by the XS204 colour model. I paid £119 over a year ago and it should be possible to find it for less than that now. I think this makes it excellent value for money and I doubt that there is another 20GB player available so cheaply. 

More Reviews
An MP3 player NOT a fashion accessory
Review of Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB by sirvaze

Advantages: Ease of use and value for money
Disadvantages: Basic functionality

...recommend you to buy the Archos XS202. Archos have an established reputation for their hard discs. I had one of the early Archos Jukebox MP3 players before I bought an XS202. The early jukebox may have suffered from flimsy buttons and below power AA Ni-Mh batteries, but despite all the use and abuse it took, I never had a single disc problem. I am confident that my XS202 will last similarly. When a single product is as dominant in its market sector ...
...buy it. Compared to the Archos I can instantly think of two good reasons. Firstly the Archos is about half the price as a similar spec Ipod. Secondly, the Archos does not rely on iTunes ! I have used this software with a relative's Ipod and it drives me up the wall ! iTunes will automatically synchronise your ipod with your music library on your computer - great if you have all your music organised in one place on one computer but useless otherwise. ... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Sound Quality
Ease of Use
Look & Design
Range of Features
Value for Money
very helpful

05.12.2006
Fantastic MP3 Player, if that's all you want.
Review of Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB by janevok

Advantages: Small, Lightweight, Reliable, Does what it says on the box
Disadvantages: Monochrome screen

...player is only available from archos which is annoying as this means there is no competition on the price of accessories. I wish archos had made a sports carry case - like an arm band to hold the player in. Advantages It is one of the smallest 20gb players on the market which makes it very light and good for sporty people to use. Easy to use the basic functions Price is very good/cheap for a 20gb mp3 player Very simple and quick to transfer ...
...easily fixed Monochrome screen - not a disadvantage to me though Playlists aren't easy to create on the player itself Not enough accessories - what is available is provided by archos only No video supported - but then if you want video buy a different player ... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Sound Quality
Ease of Use
Look & Design
Range of Features
Value for Money
helpful

08.12.2006
Music's important - and Archie knows it.
Review of Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB by LetsPretend

Advantages: Many easy to use options, small with large capacity, memory stick tendencies.
Disadvantages: Monochrome screen, possible weak screen, rubbishy headphones come with it.

...I am on my second Archos Gmini XS 202s because the screen bled on my first one, and I do not know why. Possibly to do with excessive pressure or heat. Nevertheless, my second one has been fine. I also occasionally find the bright blue 'On' light really irritating! But this can be solved with a well-placed thumb. My only other complaint is that the joystick is the only way to move through artists, and this can take a while compared to a scroller. ... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Sound Quality
Ease of Use
Look & Design
Range of Features
Value for Money
helpful

24.02.2008
Archos Gmini xs 202s 20GB - crackin wee player!
Review of Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB by bannyboo

Advantages: easy to use, quick to find music on, durable
Disadvantages: no neck starp

...it any longer! The archos Gmini has more than enough storage for music and also any documents etc u might want to store. It is incredibly easy to use, so much so that i never had any need to look at the instructions! music is sorted into folders by artist and album so any song is easy to find at any time! The battery lasts really well on it and even when it goes down to 1 or 2 bars of charge there is generally still another few hours playback on ...
...also an attractive bit of machinery and although not the smallest mp3 player you can get its very durable and has put up with being left at the bottom of a post bag during my work! i use the mp3 player during anything and it doesn't skip or jump if i take it out running! My only critisism is that there is no neck strap which i find useful if i dont have pockets, but if you were inclined you can pick up a cover with a belt clip for £5 from ebay or ... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Sound Quality
Ease of Use
Look & Design
Range of Features
Value for Money
helpful

30.04.2007
Recommended
Review of Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB by brekk

Advantages: Small, easy to use, long lasting, good battery life
Disadvantages: Making playlists slightly trickier

The Archos Gmini XS 202s is a excellent MP3 player, its simple with only two buttons and a joystick which control everything, the only thing that could be a problem is if you don't understand how to use it. Making sure you read through the manual properly is essential, as otherwise you could get a little stuck, especially with making playlists, and one thing I've not quite grasped yet is moving files using the MP3 player itself, which shouldn't actually ...
...on the computer before you transfer them on. Its probably not as easy to use as a Ipod is, but it is easy once you get the hang of it. I would recommend this product, but people who have difficulty with these little gadgets and "modern technology" might want to have a play with one before you buy, because otherwise you might end up with one and not fully understanding how it works. ... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Sound Quality
Ease of Use
Look & Design
Range of Features
Value for Money
helpful

04.10.2007


Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB

General

MPN: 500810

Product Type: Digital player

Digital Player Type: Hard drive based

Width: 5.9 cm

Depth: 1.9 cm

Height: 7.6 cm

Weight: 118 g

PC Interface Supported: USB 2.0

Audio system

Capacity: 20 GB

Digital Storage Media: Hard disc drive - built-in

Sound Output Mode: Stereo

Equaliser: Yes

Features: Upgradeable firmware

Built-in display

Built-in Display: LCD - monochrome

Resolution: 128 x 128

Diagonal Size: 2"

Display Menu Language: English, German, French, Russian, Spanish

Equaliser

Equalizer Type: Digital graphic

Equalizer: 5-band

Ciao

Listed on Ciao since : 15/05/2006

Equaliser

Equaliser Factory Presets: Live, Techno, Custom, Rock, Jazz, Classic

Manufacturer's product description

The Gmini XS 202s is presented with a very compact design and stylish new black color. As small as a 5 GB player, it yet offers 20 GB hard drive to store an impressive amount of your favorite songs. Its extremely small size allows you to slip it into your pocket or hold it in the palm of your hand and take with you all you CD collection.

Digital player (recorder)

Supported Digital Audio Standards: WAV, WMA, MP3, protected WMA (DRM)

ID3 Tags Support: Yes

Supported Bit Rate: 30 - 320Kbps

External Hard Drive Function: Yes

Features: Variable bit-rate compatible

Headphones

Headphones Type: Headphones - binaural

Connectivity Technology: Wired

Sound Output Mode: Stereo

Connections

Connector Type:

  • 1 x headphones ( mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )
  • 1 x USB

Miscellaneous

Carrying Case: - black

Cables Included: 1 x USB cable

Battery

Battery: Player - rechargeable - Lithium Ion

Run Time (Up To): 17 hour(s)

System requirements

OS Required: Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, Microsoft Windows 2000 / XP, Apple MacOS X 10.2.4

Peripheral / Interface Devices: USB port


Products similar to Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB  
archos gmini xs100 3 gb ice grey

CIAO Review on the Archos Gmini XS 100 - (light grey model)07/11/2007 Archos Gmini XS100 3GB of Storage* Available RRP - 02/2005 - Archos Introduction - > A short insight into Archos. Archos was an established company in 1988. A storage data... more

gmini xs100 4gb

*Archos Gmini XS100 4GB of Storage* 4,000 MP3 storage on your portable player BLACK. - Archos Introduction - > In the beginning. Archos was an established company in 1988. A storage data 'niche' was found in the market; by which they explored with more

archos gmini 500 40gb

Overivew What can I say about this machine - it's a cracker! Like a lot of people, I waited for some time to buy a real "heavy duty" multimedia player. I didn't necessarily want to go down the Ipod route as clearly there are issues there around... more

gmini xs200

I have long wanted an mp3 player. I could envisage so many scenarios that I could use it for: gardening, the gym, the admin part of my job, cleaning out the owls etc, etc. I read the reviews with envy and heeded their words for the time when I would be... more

archos minihd 20gb usb 2.0

External hard drive - 2.5" - 4200 rpm - USB 2.0

archos 605 wifi 160 gb

Yet again Archos pulls out all the stops and brings us a fully featured portable device, only this time a few previous issues have been addressed... The Archos 605 Wifi comes in different capacities, the 40GB model being the one I am now a proud owner more

Related tags for Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB
20 gb archos gmini archos gmini 402 archos gmini xs archos gmini xs 100 archos gmini xs 202 archos wifi gb 605 archos xs100 archos xs202 gmini xs100

Compare Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB to other similar MP3 Players

similar by Manufacturer
(Archos)
similar by Storage Capacity
(16 GB to 32 GB)
  • Sony Network Walkman NW-HD5 20 GB
    (-) low resolution screen, softwares a bit iffy at times (+) Small, massive battery life, decent buttons, looks great and great sound (*)
  • Sony Network Walkman NW-HD3 20 GB
    (-) Cases unavailabe, Sonic Stage Software, (+) Light, Long Battery Life, slim (*)
  • Philips HDD120 20 GB
    (-) So much room that you start to forget which albums you have on it. (+) Easy-to-use aesthetically pleasing mass storage device. (*)
  • Sony Walkman NW-A3000 20 GB
    (-) The abysmal almost unusable software. (+) 'Better than iPod' design. 'Better than iPod' look. Battery life (20-25 hours). The entire piece of hardware! (*)
  • Sony Walkman NWZ-A829 16 GB
    NWZA829B.CE7 - MP3 player - MP3, PCM, AAC, WMA, Protected WMA (DRM) - 58 g - Battery Lifespan: 36 hour(s)
similar by Battery Run Time
(10 to 20 hours)
(*) Reviews by Ciao members

Gift ideas

Similar products and search queries by other users


Archos GB, Archos Gmini GB, Archos XS GB, Archos 202s GB, Archos 20 GB, Archos Gmini XS GB, Archos Gmini 202s GB, Archos Gmini 20 GB, Archos XS 202s GB, Archos XS 20 GB, Archos 202s 20 GB, Archos Gmini XS 202s GB, Archos Gmini XS 20 GB, Archos Gmini 202s 20 GB, Archos XS 202s 20 GB



Are you the manufacturer / provider of Archos Gmini XS 202s 20 GB? Click here