Top 5 Best Alternatives to iPod Touch in 2025: Ultimate Device Guide

Explore the best alternatives to iPod Touch in 2025, featuring top portable music players and smartphones for high-quality music on the go.

Why Look Beyond the iPod Touch?

The Apple iPod Touch was once an iconic portable music player. However, with the rise of the iPhone smartphone, it gradually lost its spot as the go-to music device, eventually being discontinued after 21 years. So, what now if you want to enjoy high-quality music while on the move?

Fortunately, the market offers some fantastic iPod Touch alternatives—from specialized portable music players supporting hi-res audio files to versatile smartphones that fill the gap left behind. These devices cater both to audiophiles craving premium sound and casual listeners wanting a simple music companion without the bulk of a smartphone.

For example, the Activo P1 launched earlier this year at roughly $560 USD, showing that portable players needn’t break the bank to deliver a solid experience.

In this guide, we've rounded up the top portable players and smartphone alternatives, each tested by experts in different budget categories, offering unique features, designs, and performance to meet diverse listening needs.

Quick Overview

Best Overall

1. Astell & Kern A&norma SR35

All you could want from a high-end portable music player—this device truly shines.

Best Budget Option

2. Sony NW-A306

Despite minor flaws, this affordable player delivers mature, balanced sound for its price.

Best Premium Player

3. Astell & Kern A&ultima SP3000

A top-tier player perfect for those with deep pockets, packing detailed and authoritative sound in a sleek, well-equipped body.

Best iOS Smartphone Alternative

4. Apple iPhone 16 Pro

The versatile 16 Pro is a fantastic choice for fans of Apple's smooth and seamless iOS experience.

Best Budget Smartphone Alternative

5. Sony Xperia 10 V

Proves you don’t need to spend a fortune for a great smartphone alternative to the classic iPod.

1. Astell & Kern A&norma SR35: Best Overall Alternative

This What Hi-Fi? award-winning hi-res player squeezes the absolute best from your music collection.

Price: Approximately $900 USD

Pros:

• Sets a new sound quality standard
• Fully loaded with impressive features
• Smart, compact design

Cons:

• Battery life could improve
• Price not exactly entry-level

The SR35 takes the definition of “entry-level” up a notch, even outpricing the Sony NW-A306 and its predecessor, the SR25 MKII. But the exceptional performance justifies the cost. It boasts three headphone outputs, native MQA playback, DSD256 support, and ample storage expandable to 1TB with microSD.

You can also use it as a DAC to enhance wired headphones connected to your laptop.

The sound is rich and balanced with rhythmic drive that makes you tap your feet on upbeat tracks while capturing intricate details in softer tunes. As summed up in our review:

“SR35 effortlessly flows with any music thrown at it, delivering a remarkable dynamic expression and more detail than we've heard from players in this price range.” – Expert Review

2. Sony NW-A306: Best Budget Alternative

This affordable player offers excellent hi-res support and balanced, mature sound.

Price: Approximately $450 USD

Pros:

• Clear, detailed, and coherent sound
• Pocket-friendly size
• Impressive hi-res audio support
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity

Cons:

• Android OS can be bulky
• Interface may feel clunky
• Internal storage limited

The NW-A306 fits perfectly as an iPod Touch budget alternative. Its textured rear offers great grip without compromising style. Connections are minimal but practical: USB-C for charging and data transfer, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The player supports a wide range of hi-res formats, runs a full Android OS allowing app downloads, and supports LDAC and aptX Bluetooth codecs. Sound is mature and accommodating across genres, though it leans a bit reserved compared to more dynamic players.

3. Astell & Kern A&ultima SP3000: Best High-End Player

A flagship device that delivers an exceptional portable audio experience.

Price: Approximately $6,700 USD

Pros:

• Detailed, authoritative sound
• Well-equipped feature set
• Stunning build quality

Cons:

• Heavy for a portable device
• Controls can sometimes feel awkward

This isn’t your typical iPod Touch style device but a serious audiophile player with an equally serious price tag. If you’re passionate about portable high-quality sound and have impressive headphones to match, the SP3000 is a top contender.

It supports Bluetooth, including aptX HD and LDAC codecs, and handles high-res files up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM, DSD512, plus MQA. Internal noise is minimized through separated analog circuits, optimizing sound fidelity.

Our verdict?

“SP3000 is the best portable music player we’ve heard, and the best rarely comes cheap.” – Expert Review

4. Apple iPhone 16 Pro: Best iOS Smartphone Alternative

A What Hi-Fi? award winner combining performance and delivery for iOS fans.

Pros:

• Engaging, textured headphone sound
• Dynamic speaker performance
• Smooth iOS platform

Cons:

• Doesn’t break Apple’s mold
• Camera control button feels out of place

If you loved the iPod Touch’s smooth iOS ecosystem, the iPhone 16 Pro is the natural next step. Smartphones are always with us, so playing music on one is convenient, especially if you don't require a dedicated high-res player with headphone jack.

iPhones generally deliver the best smartphone sound, though native hi-res FLAC playback isn’t supported. Using Apple Music’s lossless and hi-res files requires third-party apps and an external DAC with wired headphones.

The 16 Pro shines with music streaming services like Tidal and Qobuz, delivering warm, smooth, and dynamic audio. Paired with AirPods, it offers a seamless ecosystem experience and excellent spatial audio support.

It also provides a solid movie-watching experience with clean, energetic soundtracks.

5. Sony Xperia 10 V: Best Budget Smartphone Alternative

Affordable audiovisual delight with strong hi-res audio support.

Price: Approximately $360 USD

Pros:

• Solid hi-res file support
• Bluetooth LDAC support
• Includes 3.5mm headphone jack

Cons:

• Slightly underpowered
• Vibrations through the body
• Dedicated players offer superior hi-res support

Former What Hi-Fi? winner, the Xperia 10 V, offers excellent sound and versatility for a budget smartphone with genuine hi-res support. It’s one of the few phones still featuring a 3.5mm headphone jack, perfect for wired listening.

Sony's built-in DAC supports up to 24-bit/192kHz PCM files, while LDAC Bluetooth offers high-quality wireless audio. It also supports aptX Adaptive and immersive Sony 360 Reality Audio for platforms like Tidal and Deezer.

The device has improved stereo speakers and a 6.1-inch OLED 21:9 screen, creating a rich and detailed audio-visual experience ideal for budget-conscious users.

Other Considerations

Fiio M23: User-friendly with a spacious and detailed sound at a reasonable price, though outperformed by the Astell & Kern SR35 in musicality and dynamics.

Fiio M11S: Affordable hi-res support with Android integration, offering smooth and open sound but lacking a bit of punch.

iPhone 15 Pro Max: Still a solid choice offering weighty, rhythmically adept sound with great dynamic range.

Sony Xperia 10 VI: A five-star pick for music and movies on a budget, with detailed imagery and engaging headphone sound.

How to Choose Your Ideal iPod Touch Alternative

When selecting, consider storage options—many players allow expansion via microSD cards, perfect for carrying a hi-res library. Smartphones’ internal memory might fill quickly due to apps, photos, and other media, so pick wisely.

Look for support of hi-res audio files like 24-bit/192kHz and above, plus DSD and MQA support if you want the best. Some dedicated players even function as DACs for laptops.

Think about whether you want a device solely for music or a multifunctional gadget offering calendars, alarms, video, and maps like the iPod Touch once did.

Smartphones offer great value and multitasking but dedicated players often deliver superior sound quality focused on music playback.

Testing Process for iPod Touch Alternatives

Our reviewers in professional testing labs put every player through rigorous sound quality evaluations using a variety of audiophile headphones—wired and wireless. Products are compared within their price and category to ensure honest recommendations.

Special features like battery life, removable DAC modules, and full MQA decoding are thoroughly examined. Verdicts are team-approved to eliminate bias, and there's no influence from PR or sales teams.

FAQs

• Why do people still use MP3 players? Are MP3 or hi-res players worth buying?
  Whether you're an audiophile or just want to save your phone’s memory and battery, dedicated music players offer superior sound quality and storage options. They support hi-res audio formats smartphones can't handle and some allow streaming apps with day-long battery life.
• Is MP3 quality as good as CD?
  No. MP3 is a compressed, lossy format losing much audio data, unlike uncompressed CD-quality WAV files at 16-bit/44.1kHz. CDs offer a richer, more accurate sound experience.
• What are the benefits of dedicated hi-res players over smartphones?
  Dedicated players typically have better DACs and amplifiers, support a wider range of high-quality audio formats, and offer longer battery life focused on music playback without smartphone distractions.
• Do all alternatives support headphone jacks?
  Not all smartphones do, but many dedicated players and some budget models like Sony Xperia 10 V retain the 3.5mm jack for wired listening.
• Can I stream music on these devices?
  Yes, many run Android or have app support allowing streaming from platforms like Tidal, Qobuz, and Apple Music, especially smartphones and newer dedicated players.

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