The latest SanDisk Sansa C-series of portable music players look ordinary at a glance.

But what they lack in visual pizzazz, they more than make up for in value for money.

The Sansa C250 ($179) comes with 2GB of inbuilt memory as well as an expansion slot for microSD memory cards.

Although the LCD screen's resolution is too low for proper photo viewing, the rather retro-themed (think '80s Miami palettes) colours go well with the screen menus.

Music sounds very good on default settings (punchy and tight bass, strong midtones with my own Sony EX-71 earphones). But don't bother with the other equaliser settings, which somehow never seem to match up.

There's no software to install, as it works directly with Windows Media Player 11 for syncing of photos and audio.

There's also FM radio (as well as the ability to record broadcasts) and a replaceable battery. All the buttons are arranged in a dummy-proof layout.

The Sansa also uses Sandisk's proprietary USB connector, which has its pros and cons.

It's good, because there are more audio accessories (like speakers) coming out to support this new standard.

But one does wish you could share the same universal mini-USB cable with your other USB-enabled gizmos.

Overall, the C250 is a no-fuss player that will please those getting into portable music for the first time.