I was debating between a 15gb ipod and a 20gb iriver. My conclusion was to go with the iriver. It has a lot more functions and support for more audio codecs. The remote is something that I can't live without now. It is very useful, and also something the iPod have. Also another thing I like about it is that you can browse music by using folders and files instead of by using ID3 tags (it is still supported if you like it better), which is really nice because all my id3 tags are all horribly screwed up. On the other hand, its harder to use than the iPod. (each button has more than one function), and it is twice the thickness of the iPod.