Apple iPod classic (80GB/160GB)

Whether you call it the sixth-generation iPod or by its new name, iPod classic, the concept behind Apple’s latest hard disk-based iPod is the same as its predecessor, the “iPod (with video)”—offer a pocket-sized audio, video, and game player with large storage capacity options at industry-leading prices. In fact, iterative tweaks aside, iPod classic is an almost identical product to the enhanced fifth-generation iPod it replaces; the changes are supposed to make it even more appealing to last year’s holdouts.
Consequently, there is a lot to like about the iPod classic. More power efficient than its predecessors and equipped with an 80GB ($249) or 160GB ($349) hard disk, it unquestionably delivers markedly superior value for the dollar than what it replaces. The scratch-attractive black and white plastic of prior full-sized iPods has now given way to a mostly metal silver and white or black front shell. And there’s even a new user interface that takes cues from several other Apple products.
But is the iPod classic a smarter purchase today than its predecessors were in 2005 and 2006? And what about its incompatibility with a number of past accessories released for iPods, most notably including video devices? We’ll answer these questions and many more in our full review, below.