Portable video players have evolved from early, clunky models into much more attractive devices for those who want to be entertained on the move.

In addition to being smaller, lighter and cheaper, the larger screens make them much more attractive, and the Archos 605 is a good example of the trend.

Its sleek and small metal case, which can easily fit in a pocket, couldn't be more different from the slabs of dull plastic we've seen in the past, but still houses a large 30GB of storage space.

A column of buttons on the right-hand side of the device provides an alternative to using the supplied stylus to navigate the touch-screen menus. The buttons allow adjustment of the volume and scrolling up and down. We would have liked to have had a slot to stow the stylus when it's not in use, though.

The Archos 605 has a vibrant 4.3in screen with a resolution of 800x480 pixels, which makes viewing video and photos a pleasure. The screen also makes for practical web browsing using the device's built-in wireless network connection, albeit subject to an additional £20 software upgrade.

Once added, we found the supplied Opera web browser fast and compatible with all the sites we tried, including complex ones such as Youtube. Without having to pay for the browser, the Content Portal allows users to download video content from certain companies such as EuroNews and a service called CinemaNow, to buy or rent films to view on the device.

The MP3 player works well with Windows Media Player, although using the buttons to navigate through a large music library requires some patience. One of Archos's good ideas is to sell the basic player cheaply and then offer everything else as accessories: for instance, watching TV programmes on the device requires the optional TV dock, which also allows the device to record directly from a video input.

However, to watch DVD files or some others, another paid-for upgrade is required - the Archos website explains which formats can be played without this.

Even with the cost of the additional upgrades the Archos 605 is still less expensive than many of its rivals. It's an accomplished product and is a good-value player.

Vista compatible: Yes