Best MP3 players 2025: Top portable audio players tested by our expert
MP3 players – or digital audio players, to give them their proper title – are also great for the gym and for running with, letting you continue to listen to your music and podcasts while leaving your bulky and expensive smartphone at home.
For audiophiles, dedicated players pack superior digital-to-analogue converters (DACs), higher power outputs and support for lossless audio formats to deliver truly high-resolution sound that your phone simply can't match. With the right player and decent pair of headphones, the songs you love can sound new again.
I'm a tech critic at The Independent, and here, I've rounded up a selection of the best MP3 and digital audio players around, from premium high-res audio players to budget-friendly options perfect for kids. My top pick? The Activo P1, which delivered impeccable sound quality and impressive specs.
Whether you want to rediscover your music library without the nagging distractions of a phone or you simply want the best possible sound quality on the go, keep reading for the MP3 players that will give your playlists a new lease of life.
How I tested
I've spent weeks testing various digital audio players. They've been used at home, in the office, and on walks and runs. When testing with high-end players, I listened using the wireless Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones and the wired Sennheiser IE 100 in-ear monitors. This was my testing criteria:
Sound quality: Listening to content across different genres (Brian Eno, Robyn, Kendrick Lamar, Arcade Fire, and many, many more) I considered sound fidelity (how accurately the players were able to reproduce the sound of what I was listening to), as well as sound detail and presentation across lows, mids and highs.
Usability: I assessed ease of set up, including how easy it was to stream and sync content or manually transfer files. I also noted the battery life, ease of charging, and how I found navigating the interface.
Build quality: I explored quality, size and portability. I also made a note of whether I could use them with wired and wireless earphones.
Value for money: With prices for the MP3 players in this review stretching from £50 to just shy of £400, I made sure to assess to what extent their specs and quality were reflected in their price.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Steve Hogarty is a technology journalist with more than ten years' experience testing and reviewing the latest gadgets, from smartphones and laptops to audio gear, including headphones and digital audio players. After extensive research and real-world testing, from tinkering with settings to building playlists and running with them clipped to his clothes, Steve has done the legwork to bring you his thorough, unbiased and authentic review of the MP3 players he believes are worth your money.
The best MP3 players for 2025 are:
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Best MP3 players 2025: Top portable audio players tested by our expert
You might be surprised to learn that MP3 players still exist. Not only that, but they're popular with people who take their music seriously – the kind that roll their eyes at lossy Spotify streams and keep recommending you try Tidal. MP3 players – or digital audio players, to give them their proper title – are also great for the gym and for running with, letting you continue to listen to your music and podcasts while leaving your bulky and expensive smartphone at home. For audiophiles, dedicated players pack superior digital-to-analogue converters (DACs), higher power outputs and support for lossless audio formats to deliver truly high-resolution sound that your phone simply can't match. With the right player and decent pair of headphones, the songs you love can sound new again. I'm a tech critic at The Independent, and here, I've rounded up a selection of the best MP3 and digital audio players around, from premium high-res audio players to budget-friendly options perfect for kids. My top pick? The Activo P1, which delivered impeccable sound quality and impressive specs. Whether you want to rediscover your music library without the nagging distractions of a phone or you simply want the best possible sound quality on the go, keep reading for the MP3 players that will give your playlists a new lease of life. How I tested I've spent weeks testing various digital audio players. They've been used at home, in the office, and on walks and runs. When testing with high-end players, I listened using the wireless Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones and the wired Sennheiser IE 100 in-ear monitors. This was my testing criteria: Sound quality: Listening to content across different genres (Brian Eno, Robyn, Kendrick Lamar, Arcade Fire, and many, many more) I considered sound fidelity (how accurately the players were able to reproduce the sound of what I was listening to), as well as sound detail and presentation across lows, mids and highs. Usability: I assessed ease of set up, including how easy it was to stream and sync content or manually transfer files. I also noted the battery life, ease of charging, and how I found navigating the interface. Build quality: I explored quality, size and portability. I also made a note of whether I could use them with wired and wireless earphones. Value for money: With prices for the MP3 players in this review stretching from £50 to just shy of £400, I made sure to assess to what extent their specs and quality were reflected in their price. Why you can trust IndyBest reviews Steve Hogarty is a technology journalist with more than ten years' experience testing and reviewing the latest gadgets, from smartphones and laptops to audio gear, including headphones and digital audio players. After extensive research and real-world testing, from tinkering with settings to building playlists and running with them clipped to his clothes, Steve has done the legwork to bring you his thorough, unbiased and authentic review of the MP3 players he believes are worth your money. The best MP3 players for 2025 are:
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For a start, Apple offers 5GB of cloud storage for free through iCloud. You'll have to pay for extra – but it's at least something. 14 Then every Google account comes with 15GB of free storage. You'll be able to use that in Google Drive or Google Photos (but it also pulls from Gmail). So if you want to just store photos and videos, consider setting up a second free Google account to put those there – and keep the storage on your main account for emails. Amazon also hosts a cloud storage service that offers up 5GB of free storage. But if you have Amazon Prime, you can bag unlimited storage for photos. That's a pretty generous offer, so consider taking advantage of it for backing up your pics. Microsoft 's OneDrive also offers 5GB of free storage with a Microsoft account, and Dropbox Basic gives you 2GB of no-cost storage.
