Comparing iPod Touch (3G 4G)and Zune HD Features
| Zune HD |
iPod Touch 3G |
iPod Touch 4G new ! | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image |  |
 |
| |
| Date Released | May 2009 |
September 2009 | September 2010 | |
| Capacity | 16Gb 32Gb 64Gb | 8Gb 32Gb 64Gb | 8Gb 32Gb 64Gb | |
| Processor /CPU | Nvidia Tegra /ARM 800MHz | ARM 833 MHZ@600MHz | Apple A4 /ARMv7 1GHz | |
| Touchscreen Interface |  |
|
| |
|
Screen Size |
3.3" | 3.5" | 3.5" | |
| Camera | | |||
| Resolution |
480 x 272 OLED |
480 x 320 no OLED | 960 x 640 Retina Display | |
| Operating System | Zune Firmware 3.0 | iPhone OS 3.1 |
iPhone OS 4.0 | |
| Wi-Fi | |
|
| |
| External Volume Control | |
| ||
| Built In speakers | |
| ||
| HD Radio |
|
|
| |
| 720p HDTV out |
|
|
| |
| Music Store | Zune Marketplce | iTunes | iTunes | |
| App Store |
|
| ||
| Rated Battery Life hours | Audio: 33 Video: 8.5 |
Audio: 30 Video: 6 |
Audio: 40 Video: 7 | |
| MSRP (Manufaturer's Suggested Retail Price) |
8Gb | NA |
$199 | $229 |
| 16Gb | $219.99 | NA |
NA | |
| 32Gb | $289.99 | $299 | $299 | |
| 64Gb | $350 |
$399 | $399 | |
For the purpose of this matchup of the third generation iPod Touch 3G vs the Zune Hd , we will compare the two devices in a number of categories.Note 4th generation Zune comparison added .
Look and Feel
So the first thing that hits you when you unpack a new device is of course , the general sense you get when you first look at it and pick it up , that 'first impression' factor. So how do these two matchup? Well straight away the Zune appears more square while the iPod touch retains that sleek rounded look it's famous for. The 3.5 inch screen seems to be larger and wider against the 3.3 inch Zune screen , while the Zune appears more long and thin. On picking up the two , you immediately notice the Zune is noticeably lighter at 74 grams vs the 3G's 115 grams of heft. Also the 3G has external volume controls and a built in speaker , while the Zune has neither. As far as the crispness of the touchscreen interface , users find the iPod's to be slightly superior in terms of feel .The summary: Aesthetics is subjective and either can look better or worse depending on the observer's preference for square or rounded profiles. Anyone disliking the feeling of large heavy objects in their pocket feeling like its dragging your pants down should expect to have to tighten the belt a little if they wish to carry around the 3G. If this does bother you the Zune wins out here. External volume controls and an external speakers are handy to have , though argueably , not absolutely necessary. For those who need such features , the iPod Touch is for you. The feel of the screen should also not be a deciding factor as both are great , unless you particularly want one or the other as a personal preference.
Update: iPod Touch 4G released!
With the release of the new iPod Touch fourth generation (4G) Apple has dropped bout 14 g off of the weight of the Pod while making it extremely slim and sleek compared to previous versions.Still 105g is heavier than the 74g of the Zune Hd.
Hardware
The Zune HD and iTouch are currently the leaders in pocket multimedia entertainment devices and both are pretty packing under the hood.
The Zune HD screen is The Zune HD screen may be 0.2 inches smaller than the iPod touch , however the brilliance of the OLED technology on the Zune and the HD 720P capability more than makes up for this mild deficiency . Colors appear brighter and more vibrant , with better contrast on the Zune HD . While the iPod Touch can only decode up to 576P the Zune HD can decode up to HDTV 720P . Both allow HDMI output to an external monitor which is the only condition under which the ZuneHD superiority will be apparent. While the iPod maxes out at 30frame per second ,640 x 480 pixels at 2.5MBPs for MPEG4 video , the Zune HD does 30 fps,720 x 480 ,4MBPs .The one thing the Zune does have that the Pod doesn't is an HD radio.
The Zune HD runs the Nvidi Negra with ARM 800MHZ CPU which gives it an edge over the underclocked ARM 833 MHZ CPU running at 600MHz. This means that if theoretically the Zune could run better more demanding apps and games than the iTouch , however there just are'nt that many games and apps around for the Zune HD as we'll come to in minute. Meaning ... the Zune HD may well be like having a race car with only bumpy roads to drive on. Never the less as the name of this category is 'hardware , the Zune tops it.
Update:
With the new ipod touch 4G 4G Apple has found an answer to the vibrancy of the Zune's OLED screen with their own Retina Display which takes the capability of the human eye into account. At 960x640 its more than TWICE the resolution of the Zune HD and 3G. Apple also has launched the new A4 chip which runs runs at 1GHz now topping the processing power of the Zune Hd's 800MHz. RAM has also been doubled from the 3rd generation model to 512Mb and the new iTouch has three sensors , and accelerometer , three axis gyro and ambient light sensor.So all round the performance of the new iPod Touch is more than double what it was before and well ahead of the Zune Hd ,setting the stage for even better Apple Apps and Games to come. The new iPod Touch now matches the Zune 's ability to stream HD (720p) output to an HDMI external device .The pod still has no HD radio however, or any for that matter.
Also (I kept this surprise for later) , prayers of the enthusiasts have been answered at last..after a long wait the Pod now has 2 CAMERAS! one of which records HD video and the other is used for Facetime chats etc ! ..
Apps
This one is perhaps the single most influencial thing in deciding between the two devices. Heres the catch , sure the Zune is more powerful and can run more demanding apps than the IPod BUT ' are there any apps or games that are made for the Zune? ' Outside of the 16 games and 6 apps it ships with the answer is no! Zune has no app store and no third party programmers writing apps for it. Compare this to the over 200,000 apps and games at the Apple app Store that Apple users enjoy which make full use of the touchscreen and accelerometer and in my opinion , is the biggest part of the whole entertainment experience.The apps are programs (everything from the Compass to Maps to Need for speed) which run on the 3rd Gen and transform it from an ordinary pocket multimedia device to a pocket computer. For persons interested in purchasing one or the other this is THE pivot point I think. To put it simply , if you want only a multimedia device that allows you to play music , videos and surf the web and you will be content with the apps and games that the Zune come with , then the Zune HD is for you. For anyone who wants games and apps in addition to being able to surf the web , watch movies and listen to music , and doesn't mind paying extra for it ...the iPod Touch is for you.See below for an example of the top 5 apps (in the author's opinion anyway) for the iPod touch / iPhone.
Update:
With the upgrade in hardware the iPod Touch 4th gen can now run more demanding cooler apps than either the earlier generation or the Zune Hd.
Battery Life
The Zune HD kicks ass in this department managing 3 hours more audio and 2.5 hours more video time on a single charge than the iPod Touch .The 33 hours of audio vs 30 and 8.5 hours of video vs just 6 hours with the Zune vs the 3rd Gen respectively , is significant and could mean a whole extra movie for the Zune Hd guys.Consider the fact also that all rechargeable devices usually loose capacity over time and the Zune gives more headroom for this as well. Also the Zune is quicker to charge taking only two hours using the ac adapter compared to the 4 hours needed to fully charge the Pod . Again ...significant!
Update: !
The 4th generation ipod touch now adds 1 hour to the video playback time while adding 10 hours to the music playback time of the previous 3rd Generation model. The Zun's 8.5 hr video playback still bets the Apple's 7 hours while the Zune falls 7 hours short of the new iPod Touch in music playback.
Cost
There's reason I left the cost for last and that's because , people will tend to pay the extra to get the features they want especially when the margin is relatively low as in this case.To get a sense of comparison we can compare the 32gb models of both Zune HD and third generation iPod Touch 3G . At $290 , the Zune HD is only $10 cheaper than the $300 3rd Gen 32gB. With such a low margin , cost should not be a deciding factor.If it is though , the Zune HD wins.
Update:
The 4th generation ipod touch now adds 1 hour to the video playback time while adding 10 hours to the music playback time of the previous 3rd Generation model. The Zune's 8.5 hr video playback still bets the Apple's 7 hours while the Zune falls 7 hours short of the new Pod in music playback.
Summary (Vs)
To sum everything up , on hardware specs , the Zune HD beats the iPod Touch hands down . It has better video and graphics , battery life , Radio and costs less. If all you need is a specialized pocket multimedia device which will allow you to watch movies , listen to music and surf the web and you rate HD video over games and apps, the Zune HD is for you.
The iTouch has great video and graphic capabilities though not as good as the Zune HD . Also the third generation 3G has vast possibilities in terms of apps and games ,making it a better all round pocket entertainment device as opposed to just a multimedia (video music) device. If you are looking for entertainment in general the iPod has much more to offer in the way of keeping you distracted and engrossed.
Update
Okay ,The iPod Touch now surpasses the Zune HD i'm afraid (in my vs opinion anyway). The Zune is still cheaper , but the 4G (fourth generation) now offers much better value for money as it now has:
- 2 cameras (for picture taking and High def recording and Facetime chatting)
- more processing power and RAM
- more than double the resolution ,
- better touch interface
- better and more games and apps
- longer music playback time
- external speakers and volume control