iPod touch touch or classic?

[ChadwickNA]

I was hoping for the iPod classic to get an update at the recent iPod event, since it didn't happen, I'm having a hard time deciding what I should do.

I currently have an 3rd gen 8GB ipod nano, and I definitely need more space.

Here are some of my personal pros and cons for the classic and touch, it would help a lot if you guys would give me your opinions on which one I should buy.

iPod Classic 160GB
Pros (for me): click wheel, interface, price, space
Cons: hard drive based, outdated

iPod touch 64GB
Pros: more features, bigger screen, longer battery, etc.
Cons: price, getting used to the UI, not being able to see song ratings without clicking through a menu (that's one of my biggest problems)

Please let me know what you think I should do. Thanks in advance.

 

[Aero26]

250GB? How long have I been out of the loop? Doesn't the buck stop at 160?

 

[spblat]

iPod Classic 250GB
Pros (for me): click wheel, interface, price, space
Cons: hard drive based, outdated

iPod touch 64GB
Pros: more features, bigger screen, longer battery, etc.
Cons: price, getting used to the UI, not being able to see song ratings without clicking through a menu (that's one of my biggest problems)

Please let me know what you think I should do. Thanks in advance.

I think the Classic is on its way out. You left out a couple of Touch pros:

• App store
• Gateway drug to iPhone

Oh wait, those are from Apple's perspective.

I think going to flash memory from a hard drive is a big big plus. I think you'll be fine with the new interface. I think you'll really enjoy the other things you'll be able to do with it, especially if games, mobile browsing or e-books interest you at all. And if I recall correctly, you have to click somewhere to access song ratings on the classic. It's also one tap away from the default iPod display on the touch.

Jump in!

 

[Ivan P]

In my perspective, go with the 64GB touch. Yes it may seem expensive, but compare it's features compared to the classic. With the classic you are literally getting a music and video player, nothing more. With the touch you get music, videos, as well as internet, productivity tools, apps, FaceTime, a built in speaker, two cameras, frequent software updates with the addition of new features. I have both a touch (2nd gen) and the 160GB classic, and honestly the lagging on the classic's hard drive can become incredible annoying at times compared to the flash memory in the touch. My iPhone 3GS just flies, and the 4th gen touch is supposedly even faster.

250GB? How long have I been out of the loop? Doesn't the buck stop at 160?

That's right, a single 160GB model, nothing more and nothing less.

And if I recall correctly, you have to click somewhere to access song ratings on the classic.

On the classic, all you have to do is view the Now Playing screen and hit the center button a few times - it'll flip through a track scrubber, lyrics, etc, and also has the song ratings; you then use the click wheel to adjust the rating.

 

[mofunk]

I don't think the Classic is outdated. I still use my iPod Video which has a longer battery life than my 1st Gen iTOuch. I like having a Mass Storage type device vs Flash. I'm using my iPod as HD & backup to my iTouch.

If you are only going to need a music/video player then get the Classic.

If you have a Mac, then the iTouch is very easy to navigate. IMO it uses the same Apps. Search is like Spotlight. You have Mail/Address/iCal. Folders is a watered down version of Finder.


Or you can get another Nano and a refurb Ipod Touch 32GB.

 

[SlamJam12]

Classic or iPod Touch?

This is an interesting decision. Apple, being secret, could discontinue the iPod Classic anytime. You never know what Apple is willing to do in their business. You've listed the pros and cons of the two iPods. I like the iPod Touch with the nice screen estate and the variety it has.

 

[ChadwickNA]

250GB? How long have I been out of the loop? Doesn't the buck stop at 160?

My bad, haha. Who knows why I put that?

I think the Classic is on its way out. You left out a couple of Touch pros:

• App store
• Gateway drug to iPhone

Oh wait, those are from Apple's perspective.

I think going to flash memory from a hard drive is a big big plus. I think you'll be fine with the new interface. I think you'll really enjoy the other things you'll be able to do with it, especially if games, mobile browsing or e-books interest you at all. And if I recall correctly, you have to click somewhere to access song ratings on the classic. It's also one tap away from the default iPod display on the touch.

Jump in!

Thanks for your reply! I'm afraid you're right, the classic has, at most, one more year to live in my opinion. I agree that the touch has many advantages, so I'm leaning towards it right now. I could be wrong, but I think song ratings aren't viewable on the touch unless you tap the screen. But on the classic, the rating is shown under the song title and you can change it by clicking the center button.

In my perspective, go with the 64GB touch. Yes it may seem expensive, but compare it's features compared to the classic. With the classic you are literally getting a music and video player, nothing more. With the touch you get music, videos, as well as internet, productivity tools, apps, FaceTime, a built in speaker, two cameras, frequent software updates with the addition of new features. I have both a touch (2nd gen) and the 160GB classic, and honestly the lagging on the classic's hard drive can become incredible annoying at times compared to the flash memory in the touch. My iPhone 3GS just flies, and the 4th gen touch is supposedly even faster.

Since I don't have those extra features that the touch has, I thought I wouldn't need/use them; but if I get the touch I think I will appreciate them. And I agree with you about the lag on the classic being a problem, that's something that would really annoy me. If it was flash based I'd buy one right away.

I don't think the Classic is outdated. I still use my iPod Video which has a longer battery life than my 1st Gen iTOuch. I like having a Mass Storage type device vs Flash. I'm using my iPod as HD & backup to my iTouch.

If you are only going to need a music/video player then get the Classic.

If you have a Mac, then the iTouch is very easy to navigate. IMO it uses the same Apps. Search is like Spotlight. You have Mail/Address/iCal. Folders is a watered down version of Finder.


Or you can get another Nano and a refurb Ipod Touch 32GB.

I think the classic is very easy to use, but it should have been updated this year like all the other iPods. It would be nice if it had a bigger screen and flash memory, but if want those features I might as well get the touch.

I'd get another 3rd gen nano any day if it had more than 8GB. I'm not a fan of any other iPod nano generation for various reasons.

This is an interesting decision. Apple, being secret, could discontinue the iPod Classic anytime. You never know what Apple is willing to do in their business. You've listed the pros and cons of the two iPods. I like the iPod Touch with the nice screen estate and the variety it has.

Apple is definitively a secretive company. I could get a classic now, deal with the hard drive lag, and keep it until it breaks; or simply buy the new ipod touch.

Or wait until September 2011.

I'm usually not this indecisive, I just want to make the right purchase.

 

[kepner]

Another advantage to the Touch: aside from activating and updating firmware, you never really have to use iTunes for anything. I actually use the Rhapsody app right on my iPhone to stream and download music.

 

[SlovakApple]

...I currently have an 3rd gen 8GB ipod nano, and I definitely need more space.

How much additional space more do you need? As others have stated, the 64GB iPod touch could be a good choice. Otherwise, if you have a really big library (let's say 150GB) and want to have it always with you then a Classic may be the right choice.

I'm usually not this indecisive, I just want to make the right purchase.

A right purchase is that one which suits best your needs. So think about your needs and decide accordingly.

 

[FearNo1]

Other than drive space, Touch > ipod classic in every way. The Touch is more like a mini computer, esp when you are on wifi. If you only have an 8GB nano, 64GB should be plenty of space.

 

[skiltrip]

They are two totally different devices in my opinion. I have both.

I got the classic because, I wanted a music device to hold everything I have. I love the clickwheel for driving in the car, walking my dog, and any other time I don't want to have to look at my screen to manipulate it. Also, when I'm listening to music. I want to listen to it thru my stereo, or thru some set of speakers, and I don't want to be distracted by Facebook and my email and Angry Birds, etc.

I got the touch because I want a mini computer and PDA. Also to play movies, games, etc. And it happens to have a really nice music interface in it too.

But 9 times out of 10, when I want to listen to music and just listen to music, I'm firing up the classic. It's no frills. I don't think of hard drive storage as out of date at all. It's just a different type. It's a little slower than flash memory, but who cares. It doesn't affect the playing of the music.

The other huge PRO to the classic is battery life. Since it plays music and only plays music, the battery life is incredible. I go days and days without charging it. The touch on the other hand, because it does so many things, will burn thru your battery easily each day. Sometimes I top up the battery at lunch time, and still need to charge it overnight to get it full up again.

If you want a mini-computer/PDA/do-it-all machine, get a touch.

If you want a no frills music machine, the classic is still a badass unit. I'll use mine as long as it lets me.

 

[jamied95]

My advice, get the 64GB Touch, because the Classic is on it's way out, and so Apple aren't really supporting it still (I'm pretty sure they've forgotten they still make it!), they're far more focussed on iOS, and so it would be the most economical decision to get the Touch, as it will be supported for many years to come, and you have an ecosystem of 250,000 apps! How could you say no!? If you can't shell out for the new ones, why not look on the refurb store and look for a last gen iPod Touch 64GB?

 

[Abscissa]

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/ipod/ipod_touch

64GB 3RD gen, $319...pretty good. On craigslist you'll find them for like $300.


But to provide some thoughts, how big is you music library? My brother has a 160GB classic, and he has like 30GBs of music. He only go tit because someone was selling it for mad cheap. He like my touch (He likes the jailbroken side of it, having emulators) He has a Droid X though. But, the UI is NOTHING to get used to. It's a touch screen, it becomes natural to you. But you get wi-fi web browsing, mail, everything. Tons of apps. With all the reasons, I guess that's why the classic is going to go out. Not too many people have more than 5000 songs...

 

[netdog]

The iPod touch is so much more than an iPod.

Do you really regularly listen to more than 64 GB of music?

Get the Touch. It's a lovely device.

 

[Synaesthesia242]

There's a great app called StreamtoMe which gives you access to your entire iTunes library when you're in wifi range. Audio and Video, even any arbitrary directory with any type of video. It makes the 8gb model pretty awesome in my opinion.

 

[Aero26]

There's a great app called StreamtoMe which gives you access to your entire iTunes library when you're in wifi range. Audio and Video, even any arbitrary directory with any type of video. It makes the 8gb model pretty awesome in my opinion.

Thats very interesting. I'm also running on an 8GB. I haven't run into trouble yet as I've only got about 2gigs in music. This might help though.
Edit: Works like a charm. I can stream my entire 68 episode video library to my iPod at anytime and just bring the ones I want with me. Thanks a lot for the information.

 

[ChadwickNA]

How much additional space more do you need? As others have stated, the 64GB iPod touch could be a good choice. Otherwise, if you have a really big library (let's say 150GB) and want to have it always with you then a Classic may be the right choice.

A right purchase is that one which suits best your needs. So think about your needs and decide accordingly.

I only have about 25GB in music right now, but I'm constantly expanding my library. I don't doubt that 64GB would be more than enough for me though.

The thing is, I could live without the extra stuff on the touch, but they would be nice to have. I just don't want to get the classic and regret it because of lag.

Thanks for your input everyone, I've read all your replies and taken your advice into consideration.

 

[Abscissa]

I only have about 25GB in music right now, but I'm constantly expanding my library. I don't doubt that 64GB would be more than enough for me though.

Well, since you have 25GB of music, go for the 64. Because, the 32GB is actually like a 29GB (I think mine was...could be wrong, had a bunch of random jailbroken stuff on it). But yeah, 64 for you so you can have all your music, apps (even if you say you won't use them, you will. Doesn't have to be games but checking facebook is easy, etc, etc.)

 

[ChadwickNA]

Made My Decision

I've decided to go with the 64GB iPod touch. I'm going to wait until Case-Mate releases a signature leather case for the 4th generation, then buy one so I can put it in the case right out of the box.

Thanks for your input everyone, I'm looking forward to it.

 

[kepner]

I've decided to go with the 64GB iPod touch.

Congratulations! You won't be disappointed. The Touch is so much more useful than the Classic.

I'm going to wait until Case-Mate releases a signature leather case for the 4th generation, then buy one so I can put it in the case right out of the box.

Yuck. I hate cases.

I can't blame you though, I kept my iPhone 4 in a Case-Mate leather case for its first few days.

 

[ChadwickNA]

Congratulations! You won't be disappointed. The Touch is so much more useful than the Classic.

Thanks!

Yuck. I hate cases.

I can't blame you though, I kept my iPhone 4 in a Case-Mate leather case for its first few days.

Did you have a problem with that case?

 

[Cat-toy]

For home/docking system use I will prob get a Classic sometime this winter. My portable media player will continue to be a Touch.

Lots of high end home amps/receivers come iPod ready now so I see that as a market Apple would like to continue.

EDIT: Not to mention the many bars I go to. Most use an iPod Classic for their music selections on non DJ nights

 

[kepner]

Did you have a problem with that case?

Well, it added quite a bit of width (and thickness) to the device. Also, the leather frame around the front made it difficult to touch keys on the keyboard near the edge of the screen. Again, that was with an iPhone 4, so you might have a better experience. I'm actually not using any case at all now. It's not worth it.

(Sometimes I wish Apple would ship iPods already scratched to hell on the back, to save us from obsessing to prevent that first scratch.)

 

[ChadwickNA]

Well, it added quite a bit of width (and thickness) to the device. Also, the leather frame around the front made it difficult to touch keys on the keyboard near the edge of the screen. Again, that was with an iPhone 4, so you might have a better experience. I'm actually not using any case at all now. It's not worth it.

(Sometimes I wish Apple would ship iPods already scratched to hell on the back, to save us from obsessing to prevent that first scratch.)

I'm okay with adding to the size of the iPod. I haven't used a touch with that case on yet, so I don't know if that will be a problem for me.

I just feel better using a case instead of going without.