Sony Network Walkman NW-HD5R

637 reviews

Nov, 2024

Positive
usability (554)
sound (278)
design (256)
battery (203)
performance (180)

Negative

General overview
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alaTest has collected and analyzed 637 reviews of Sony Network Walkman NW-HD5R. The average rating for this product is 4.1/5, compared to an average rating of 3.9/5 for other products in the same category for all reviews. People are impressed by the battery and performance. The design and sound also get good opinions.

usability, sound, design, performance, battery

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other products in the same category the Sony Network Walkman NW-HD5R is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 88/100 = Very good quality.

Review analysis

(Based on 637 reviews)

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Review Ratings

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sound
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design
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performance
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Showing 1 - 509 of 543 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (94)

Consumer review (amazon.co.uk)

Amazon.co.uk review summary for Sony Network Walkman NW-HD5R

alaTest has collected and analyzed 290 user reviews of Sony Network Walkman NW-HD5R from Amazon.co.uk. The average user rating for this product is 4.4/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.0/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.co.uk. Comments about the performance and battery are on the whole positive. The design and sound also get good feedback, but there are some mixed comments about the reliability.

usability, sound, design, battery, performance

90% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

Nov, 2024

Consumer review (amazon.com)

Amazon.com review summary for Sony Network Walkman NW-HD5R

alaTest has collected and analyzed 209 user reviews of Sony Network Walkman NW-HD5R from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 4.0/5, compared to an average user rating of 3.8/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.com. People really like the durability and design. The performance and sound also get good feedback.

usability, sound, performance, design, durability

84% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

Nov, 2024

Expert review by : Trusted Reviews (trustedreviews.com)

Sony NW-HD5 Walkman

After holding out for years on hard disk walkmans Sony has now released its third player in less than a year. Is the NW-HD5 the one that puts Sony back on the top of the portable audio market?

Feb, 2011

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Expert review by : David Price (techadvisor.co.uk)

Sony NW-HD5

Rejoice. Sony has finally relented and included MP3 playback on its Network Walkmans. This makes the NW-HD5 much more consumer-friendly, as it doesn't tie the user to Sony's proprietary Atrac format. It's also a tempting proposition because of its...

We really like the way the Sony NW-HD5 looks; we're less impressed by the performance of the software we were press-ganged into using in order to listen to music. Swings and roundabouts, perhaps, but it seems like a hard sacrifice to make for pure vanity.

Sep, 2005

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Expert review by (lordpercy.com)

Sony NW-HD5

Yet another in the Network walkman range, Sony's new NW-HD5 is even smaller then their HD3 and it supports native MP3 too. With a new interface and a bigger battery it looks like some serious Ipod competition.

Oct, 2005

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Expert review by : Nathan Taylor (goodgearguide.com.au)

Sony Walkman NWHD5

A little more squat than the iPod, with retro square control buttons, the NWHD5 a good job of stealing the cool from the iPod. The Walkman is solid, l...

Looks good, easy to use, good PC software, very light

No voice recording or FM tuner, must use SonicStage for file transfer

A stylish alternative to the iPod, the Sony Walkman doesn't break new ground, but it's very light and works well.

Aug, 2005

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Expert review by : Mike Kobrin (pcmag.com)

Sony Network Walkman NW-HD5

If you can handle Sony's strict DRM and clunky software—and live without frills like recording or a color screen—this is a solid player.

Small and sleek. Removable battery. Impressive battery life. Very good sound quality. Easy to navigate and browse.

Must install the software to transfer music. No native WMA support. Device requires "authorization" to be used with more than one computer. Lacks extra features like FM radio or recording. Most of the sound enhancement settings work only with ATRAC...

More digital music player reviews: Apple iPod touch (2015) Apple iPod touch (2014) Apple iPod touch (2013) PlayMG MG Iriver Astell & Kern AK100 more

Aug, 2005

Partner Source

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Expert review by : James Kim (cnet.com)

Performance

Sony Network Walkman NW-HD5

Supercompact and durable design; excellent sound quality; intuitive tactile interface; removable battery; stellar battery life.

No extra features, such as FM radio or recording; ATRAC3 is the only DRM option; must use SonicStage software for music transfer.

If you want a slick alternative to the iPod and you're into Sony's Connect music store, then the NW-HD5 is a stellar choice.

Jul, 2005

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Expert review by : James Kim (cnet.com.au)

Sony NW-HD5

Sony's 20GB NW-HD5 and the iPod are both dead simple to use, but the HD5 is smaller, and its removable battery lasts much longer.

Supercompact and durable design ; Excellent sound quality ; Intuitive tactile interface ; Removable battery ; Stellar battery life

No extra features, such as FM radio or recording ; ATRAC3 is the only DRM option ; Must use SonicStage software for music transfer

Perhaps the Sony Network Walkman HD5's most intriguing attribute is its amazingly long battery life. While Sony has rated battery life up to 40 hours using 48Kbps ATRAC3plus tracks, CNET Labs was able to get a consistent 28 hours per charge playing a...

Jul, 2005

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Expert review by : Grahm Skee (anythingbutipod.com)

Sony Network Walkman NW-HD5 Review

The Sony Network Walkman NW-HD5 is the successor to the NW-HD1, NW-HD2, and NW-HD3. (Sony skipped the NW-HD4 because in Japanese the number four sounds like the word for "death".) This particular model is a 20GB, and they have yet to release the 30GB...

I love this player except for the restrictions that Sony employs with its proprietary formats and software. My opinion is that these restrictions are almost not worth it. I want the freedom to share music, with the capability to transfer music on and...

Jun, 2005

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Expert review by : The Register & Trusted Reviews (smarthouse.com.au)

Sony NW-HD5 A Worthy Ipod Competitor

Sony is mounting a major assault on the MP3 market in an effort to topple the crown of Apple and the now famous iPod.

What the HD5 doesn't have is extra features such as an FM tuner or a microphone, which will probably put off those who want their MP3 player to offer kitchen sink functionality. SonicStage may put off even more people. The look and the interface of the...

Jan, 2005

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Consumer review (reevoo.com)