The Creative Zen X-Fi2 describes itself as an MP3 player, and whilst it certainly ticks that box very well, especially with the advantage of X-Fi technology, there is far more to the device than music playing alone – when you dig a little deeper you’ll soon discover it’s more of a mini tablet.

I recently got hold of one and have been giving it a closer look – the model I am using for this article is the base 8GB model although versions are available up to a whopping 64GB.

In the nicely presented box you get the Creative Zen X-Fi2, a set of Premium EP-630 in-ear earphones with various sized ear lugs, and the instructions. It really does make a change to have a decent pair of earphones shipped with the device. Everything is neatly provided in a clear plastic case so getting to the device can be done quickly. Once out of the box the first thing that strikes you is the screen on the Zen X-Fi2 which is a 3” 400×240 TFT LCD display which is surprisingly usable – even in bright light conditions. In terms of size and weight the X-Fi2 is only 75g so it feels light in the hand and its dimensions of 102mmx57mmx11.6mm puts it smaller than many smart phones and other media players – in fact it’s only a little wider than your typical store or credit card.

The input mechanism for the Zen X-Fi2 is the resistive touch screen which worked fine for accessing the menus and scrolling through music tracks. Externally the X-Fi2 only has two main buttons – a central menu button and a power button (there is also a very small recessed reset button) which enhances the style and prevents any accidental pressing when in the pocket. On the side of the device is a microSD slot and a small space for the microphone. The base of the device has the microUSB connector and the earphone/AV out socket which is the standard jack size. It’s good to see the microSD memory card available for external access on the outside of the device so you don’t have to disassemble the thing as you often have to do with other devices.

After the initial charge and once the device has started up the home screen will appear which consists of a familiar top task bar and a bank of coloured application icons. The top task bar offers the date and time (these need to be activated), a toggle for X-Fi enhancements on/off, and volume and battery indicators. The icons panel includes Music, Videos, Photos, FM Radio, Mic, RSS, X-Fi, Date, System, Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, microSD, and Applications – these are split across two screens (swipe your finger left or right to navigate). Accessing an application is achieved by simply tapping the appropriate icon.

One of the first things to do is to connect the device to your computer, using the USB port, then head into the Starter Pack folder on the device and launch the setup program for Creative Centrale which manages the device and any media you have on your computer. Creative Centrale uses watch folders, for music, pictures and videos, which keep an eye on your media – which can then be transferred to your device – and transfer seems quite quick too.

Music playback is very good, and the X-Fi technology makes a huge difference – toggle between switching it on and off and you’ll see exactly how much difference it makes. Essentially, the X-Fi technology enhances the sound of sound files which have previously been compressed. An equaliser allows you to select from a range of presets, as well as a custom option for you to balance the sound as you like it.

Whilst the primary driver behind the device is for listening to music on the move, there are a number of other useful features, together with the benefit of downloadable applications to extend its functionality, which we’ll explore further in the next article.

In the mean time, to read more about the X-Fi2 visit Creative Zen X-Fi2.