The Archos 5 is the sexiest device yet from the French PMP pioneer. It has a sleeker body than its predecessors, and eschews physical controls for an entirely touch-based interface. Available in 60, 120, and 250GB hard drive capacities, it’s even priced reasonably, though you’ll need to buy some add-ons to access some features.

Design

Measuring 5.0 x 3.1 x 0.5 inches, the Archos 5’s heft (8.8 ounces) makes it feel expensive. We tested the 60GB model ($349), but 120GB ($399) and 250GB ($449) versions are also available. The finish is gunmetal-colored plastic, framing a 4.8-inch touchscreen. The only buttons on the device are along the top for power and volume, giving the front a clean look—except for being covered in fingerprints, which it picks up easily. A monaural speaker on the right side and a kickstand on the back make it easier to watch videos with friends, especially because the 800 x 480-pixel screen has wide viewing angles, with color shift only at extreme angles and no dimming.

The interface is well organized using brightly colored icons with easily readable text labels for the main and sub-menus. It’s easy to navigate with taps and swipes of a finger, and you can use your fingernail for more precision. The roomy virtual keyboard is a joy to use as well. During our early testing using beta firmware (Version 1.0.54), we encountered some lags and freezes in the interface, which were mitigated after we upgraded to Version 1.0.76. Make sure you update to the latest firmware (Version 1.0.87) upon purchasing by going into Settings > Firmware and selecting Online Firmware Update.