Samsung Q1 Diamond DAP Released [BBC iPlayer, OGG & FLAC for Lossless Audio Support As Standard]

When it comes to DAPs one sure way to gain favour from us here at TFTS is to offer OGG file format support and, if you really want to ensure that you get on our radar, add in FLAC for lossless audio support for good measure and, just like this new DAP from Samsung, namely the Samsung Q1 Diamond, you’re certain to gain our undivided attention. Slip in support for BBC’s iPlayer and, well…

Samsung’s new Q1 Diamond DAP appears, on the face of it, to be a winner from the outset and, if any DAP deserved to reap the rewards of commercial success we firmly believe that (along with the vast majority of iRiver’s DAPs) Samsung’s new Q1 Diamond is wholly deserving of a mighty slice of the highly lucrative DAP market’s pie.

Measuring in at 49.9×97.8×10.9mm, the Samsung Q1 Diamond’s dimensions ensures its highly pocket friendly and, apart from OGG and FLAC for lossless audio support as well as full compatibility with the BBC’s much hyped (and deservingly so) iPlayer the Q1 Diamond also offers MP3 / WMA WMV / SVI (MPEG4) JPG / BMP / PNG / GIF TXT file format support as well as an integrated FM tuner (notably with recording abilities) and voice memo capabilities.

Display-wise, we’re talking a 2.4” QVGA (320×240) resolution TFT LCD which, whilst hardly expansive in terms of size is, one has to remember, limited by the overt pocket-friendly nature of the Q1 so it would be somewhat trivial to pull up the Q1’s display as being otherwise somewhat less than exciting – this is, after all, not a fully fledged PMP but, rather, a DAP with video functionality.

That said, whilst the flash memory based storage capacities on offer (4GB , 8GB and 16GB) are more an adequate for a DAP it would have been nice to see support of at least a microSD card to allow for a little ‘bolt-on’ additional capacity for those that need it but, alas, this is not the case.

As far as battery endurance is concerned, whilst not staggeringly impressive, the Samsung Q1 Diamond is by no means sub-par in terms of a device of this size in offering up to 4 hours video playback and up to 30 hours audio playback based on a full 2.5 hour charge.

Then there’s the price – and this certainly puts the Q1’s specifications into stark perspective – as the 4GB version of Samsung’s Q1 Diamond will set a mere £50 in the UK (that’s circa $74 for our US readers or €59 for those reading in Europe – allowing for the silly exchange rates presently in force) which, let’s be honest here, really puts the capabilities offered by many other DAPs set at this price point to shame.

If you’re looking for a non-Apple flavoured DAP that can hold its own against the competition and positively packs it in as far as sheer ‘bang for buck’ is concerned we suggest that Samsung’s Q1 Diamond will prove hard to ignore.

On initial inspection we like the Q1. But you had probably already gathered that.

Samsung