Livin' on a player

Digital audio players used to be for hi-fi geeks only, but can this affordable option be a mainstream daily companion?

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R3 850 /aliexpress.com

At 13mm thick the JM21 is a teensy bit thicker than a modern phone, but it's as pocket-friendly as an old iPod Classic. The rear is plastic, but the aluminium front half adds reassuring rigidity. Both halves held up well after several weeks of daily use.

A 4.7in screen dominates the front of the player, and is sharp enough to make track names easy to read at arm's length. We had to crank the brightness slider, though: it looks pretty dim at anything below 75% and there's no automatic adjustment.