Conclusion

Archos has produced a brilliant product that has all the advantages of its predecessors while correcting their main defects. The design is good and the 3.8" screen is practical.

The AV320 can also be directly connected to a PC via a USB 2.0 interface. There is also an optional FireWire adaptor. Once linked - no drivers are needed with Windows Me or subsequent Windows versions - a new, portable storage unit is created at the workstation.

The AV320 uses a Lithium-ion battery with 3 1/2 hours playing time. This increases to six hours if you disconnect the integrated screen and watch videos on a TV monitor.

Finally, the only fly in the ointment is the price. The AV320 costs $898, while the l4AV340 (the 40Gb version) is $1,111. However, that is the price you must pay for such a convergence of multi-media functions in a handheld box.