Sony ICD-TX800 vs Zoom H1essential
Sony ICD-TX800 ($150) vs Zoom H1essential ($100) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right digital recorder.
Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Sony ICD-TX800 | Zoom H1essential |
|---|
| Price | $150 | $100 |
| Weight | 34g | 59g |
| Mics | 3-capsule directional | 90° XY stereo pair |
| Format | MP3 / LPCM | — |
| Storage | 16GB internal | — |
| Battery | 23h | 10h (2×AA) |
| Dimensions | 9.9mm thin | — |
| Connection | USB-A direct | — |
| Recording | — | 32-bit float WAV |
| Media | — | microSD (up to 1TB) |
| Interface | — | USB-C audio |
| WR | — | Splash resistant |
Pros & Cons
Sony ICD-TX800
- No subscription required
- 23h battery life
- 3-mic voice isolation
- Ultra-slim 9.9mm
- USB-A direct transfer
- No AI transcription built-in
- USB-A (no USB-C)
- No wireless sync
Zoom H1essential
- 32-bit float = never clip
- Broadcast quality XY stereo
- 1TB microSD support
- USB-C audio interface mode
- AA batteries (universal)
- No AI transcription
- 59g heavier than chip recorders
- AA batteries (not rechargeable built-in)
Zoom H1essential is the better value at $100. If weight matters most, Sony ICD-TX800 carries lighter at 34g. Both are part of our curated digital recorder index — tap through to check current pricing.