Worth it to upgrade to 2g ipod touch over 1g?

[btm]

I have the 16 gb iPod Touch gen. 1 and was wondering if its worth it to spend the money to get the new one? i would like to get the 32 gb because I may need it soon.

[kornchild2002]

You must ask this question to yourself. I would say no if you were looking to get a 16GB 2G iPod touch. The upgrades offered in the 2G iPod touch are slim as the 1G iPod touch runs the same OS. The main difference is that the 2G iPod touch has physical volume buttons, the Nike+ system, and is compatible with Apple's newer headphones.

However, since you say that you will need a 32GB model, I say yes. It is worth the upgrade as you want a higher capacity player. You might be able to find a new 1G 32GB iPod touch for a much cheaper price though. I don't think that the differences between a 1G and 2G iPod touch are significant enough to justify that large of a price increase. So do some shopping around and see what deals you can get. I would purchase the 1G 32GB unit if you can find it for $100-$150 cheaper (new) than the 2G 32GB unit. Otherwise, just get the 2G.

[trevpimp]

Yeah I would say to get the older 32 gb because the 2g doesnt really have any "Major" new features, and plus you can get it for a cheaper price. but if you want the new 32gb then go for it, either way you got a good deal ;)

[fynebawdee]

I would upgrade to the 2G. It has a better chip with improved audio quality, external speaker, physical volume control, better quality screen and better design. I had the 1G but sold it to get the 2g version.

[Mwolverines]

Hey fynebawdee, I too upgraded to the 2G 16GB touch from a 1G. Say, do you notice the audio is louder than the previous model? I swear it sounds louder; I'm pretty sure it has do with the change to the chip, as you mentioned. If I may add two more things to your reasons for upgrading, I have to admit it is more responsive and battery life is much better. At first I felt a little guilty about upgrading, but now that I had a chance to play with it more, I think I made the right choice.

[kornchild2002]

The 2G iPod touch has yet to really be torn down and analyzed so no one knows what audio chip is in it. That being said, it has the EXACT SAME screen as the 1G iPod touch. Jobs even said this when introducing the 2G iPod touch. Now the iPod touch may produce a louder signal but that doesn't mean that the signal is of better quality. For all we know the 2G iPod touch could be running the same audio chip as the 1G iPod touch with some type of volume amplification via software or via some type of on-board controller.

So no one has said anything about improved sound quality or Apple changing out chips and Apple themselves said that the 2G uses the same screen as the 1G.

[goobel]

Actually, it's been confirmed that the 2G iPod Touch has better audio quality than previously. This is because it replaces the 1G Touch's Wolfson Audio chip with the Cirrus Logic audio chip as used in the iPod Classic.

So not only do you get your music louder, you get it in better quality. I don't think the Nike + feature will be appreciated by all, but the external volume control and the in-built speaker are certainly a plus.

Also, the screen in the new Touch is NOT EXACTLY the same as the 1G one although it is similar. The new screen has more in common with the iPhone 3G's one with slightly better viewing angles plus richer colour.

Don't forget that the new prices cut off $100 from the 16 GB and 32 GB versions of the 2G iPod Touch. It is certainly more bang for your buck compared to one year ago. However, if you can find a first-gen 32 GB model at a much cheaper price and audio quality doesn't matter to you that much (you still need quality earphones) then go for the cheaper one.

But then at the end of the day, you need to weigh up the added features of paying for the 2G model. While the improvements may be subtle, simple things such as external volume control can improve your music listening experience with this device.

[fynebawdee]

Hey fynebawdee, I too upgraded to the 2G 16GB touch from a 1G. Say, do you notice the audio is louder than the previous model? I swear it sounds louder; I'm pretty sure it has do with the change to the chip, as you mentioned. If I may add two more things to your reasons for upgrading, I have to admit it is more responsive and battery life is much better. At first I felt a little guilty about upgrading, but now that I had a chance to play with it more, I think I made the right choice.

I noticed the audio quality is louder and crisper and without the subtle audio hum you hear when the unit is completely silent. This is before I read the iLounge full review of the iPod Touch 2G:

"There is one big audio change, and that’s the iPod touch’s sound chip. Months ago, long-time iPod audio chip supplier Wolfson Micro made clear—with minimal discretion—that its chips were not going to be included in either the upcoming iPod nano or iPod touch refreshes, which were then unknown. Lo and behold, the new devices arrived, and both of them sound like the Wolfson-chipless 2007 iPod classic—they’re cleaner, with a nearly non-existent static noise floor that’s as well-suited to audiophile-grade earphones as free pack-ins. That’s really good news for those who hope to use the iPod touch with better headphones; to our ears, this version is a big step up over the prior touch."

The screen is intentionally tinted to a yellow color than the previous blue. This makes the screen easier to see in direct sunlight. You either love it, hate it or don't even notice it. I notice it and I prefer it over the 1G.

The body of the casing is soo nice. The 1G was so non-ergonomic that I would feel uncomfortable holding it while watching video for a long period of time. Battery life seems to be much improved. I haven't tried the Nike+ yet but will soon after I pick up a pair of Nike Shox. I've been running for a while (~18 miles a week, not much) and I've never done the Nike + thing. I like the idea of it and maybe this would motivate me to run even longer. Who knows.

Speaker is such a nice and needed addition. But it's only a benefit in a very quiet room. Plus you wouldn't want to use it outdoors anyway as other people around you would probably be annoyed. I know I would be. But it's nice if you want to show a YouTube video to a friend, etc. without having to give them your crusty old earbuds.

[ipodlover29]

Keep in mind both the 1st gen and 2nd gen ipod touchs are running the exact same software. The new 2.1 software has also made 1st gen ipod touch louder.

[Mwolverines]

Ah, then that's the reaon my 2G sounds loud (my previous 1G touch only had the 1.1.4 software). So my ears weren't deceiving me; there is a noticeable difference. Good to know.

[Mwolverines]

fynebawdee, yeah, I agree with your point that there is no trace of audio hum or hissing background noise with the 2G. Regarding the improvement to the audio, the poster below says both share the same software and that the 2.1 software update has caused the audio to get louder.

[y2kgtp]

I have a 8GB & 16GB for the wife and I, and I'm not going to upgrade. It's a good deal for people who held out for prices to drop.

Also killed the resale value of the 1st generation, so I will be keeping mine for a while....

[Randy_M]

Thank to Costco for their 90 day return policy....I returned my 32GB 1G and bought a 2G from Apple for $90 less, and got the speaker I wanted to play games without needing headphones.

[Fedorov]

I picked up a 16gb 2nd gen last night - my 16gb 1st gen will become my daughters xmas present (any excuse to upgrade!) :)

Must admit on first trying it last night I was blown away by how good the audio was with my Denon in-ear phones, beautiful sounds.

I also think the addition of the external speaker is worth it, there are so many occasions where I am using it somewhere but don't have my headphones plugged in but I want or need to hear something. With the fantastic App Store and all the games it now makes much more sense to have the external speaker also.

[IJBrekke]

Keep in mind the battery life has improved considerably for audio. We're talking 22 hours vs. 36 hours here.

[ipodlover29]

Keep in mind the battery life has improved considerably for audio. We're talking 22 hours vs. 36 hours here.

Yeah but video has only improved by one from 5 hours to 6 hours. I was hoping for 7 hours for video. Also I wonder how much the wifi battery life has improved with the second gen. I think the first gen was some where around 2-3 hours for wifi.

[kyussmondo]

Keep in mind the battery life has improved considerably for audio. We're talking 22 hours vs. 36 hours here.
Is this due to the firmware update or a better battery in the new Touch. I know they promised improved battery life on the iPhone with 2.1...it could be the same with the iPod Touch?

[FirstDeadlySin]

I barely found out they had 32GB iPod Touch like 2 weeks before these new iPods were announced. I was so tempted to get one, but glad I waited. I'm upgrading from an 8GB Nano (2nd gen) as my main and only iPod, and I notice the improved sound quality while I'm driving to school on this 32GB Touch! The bass is just more defined and ahhh I love it! It definitely blows away my nano!

[sjonke]

I'm thinking about upgrading from my 16 GB 1st gen. Prices on ebay for the 1g are decent, so I'll get a good price for my 1g, and I can upgrade to 32 GB (from 16 GB) for, effectively, around $150 or so, or sidegrade to the 2nd gen 16 for less. I use my iPod Touch as a PDA, replacing my Palm, and one area the 1g is really lacking is alarms due to it only being capable of quiet little chirps. The speaker in the 2g will make it a much better PDA for me (I need loud alarms!) And of course good for games and spoken-word podcasts. Mind you, I haven't heard the speaker yet, but I figure it will at least work well for alarms. Haven't pulled the trigger yet, but definitely getting to be on the verge of doing so.

Incidentally, the best prices are currently at pcconnection.com, although they don't have the touch in stock. Still, $379.95 for the 32 GB, with no tax and free shiipping is a great deal if you're willing to wait. It's better than buying at federal employee pricing from Apple which I could do ($375, but have to add taxes). In fact I ordered a new 8 GB nano for my wife from there for $139.95, which is also the best deal around, and they do have those in stock.) I might opt to buy from an Apple Store anyway, though, just to get it right away. Do the brick-and-mortar Apple stores have these in stock in quantity, particularly the 32 GB model?