Image Courtesy: Rio

Rio isn’t quite done with its Carbon line of MP3 players; it’s understandable to have two variants of the same player, but Rio went a step further with its special edition MP3 player with 6GB of onboard storage. The last time we had evaluated Rio’s Pearl edition, it was only equipped with 5GB, but definitely not this time. Rio has added another GB to the portable audio player, and now retails it as a separate product.

As you would expect, there’s no distinction in features or specifications from all three Rio Carbon branded MP3 players. They all perform exactly the same, carry the exact same features and are packed with identical accessories. Despite the additional GB, color scheme and price variance, there’s nothing that sets the three Carbons apart from each other.

We’ve already evaluated both the original Carbon as well as the special edition Pearl Carbon previously. If you are interested in finding more about either one of those MP3 players, we recommend you read our evaluations on both of those players from an earlier date.

Rio has priced the Pearl with 6GB for $229.99, which depicts a price increase of 15 percent just for an additional GB of storage. Undoubtedly, the price is rather steep on this one. Moreover, Rio’s Carbon series are designed to compete against Apple’s iPod Mini and with a price tag of $199.99 for the 5GB edition – they are a much better option than the one with additional storage. Unless you really need the supplementary GB, we recommend you opt for the 5GB versions for more value.