A portable digital recorder is a great mobile device that allows you to record audio in all kinds of scenarios. With the wide array of options currently available on the market, what features should you be on the look out for when purchasing one?

Mono or stereo?

First of all, decide whether a mono or stereo audio recorder is suitable for you. Stereo recorders are typically more expensive but are much more flexible thanks to their higher quality recordings, compared to mono ones. If you are planning to use your recorder solely for dictation in fairly quiet surroundings, for instance, a cheap mono digital recorder can be perfectly suitable for you. On the other hand, if you require a digital recorder for a wide variety of situations such as recording band performances, interviews in noisy environments, or even to capture various natural sound effects such as a loud gunshot, the splash of a waterfall, or a bird call, then a higher quality stereo recorder is much more suitable and well worth the additional cost.

USB connectivity

The next important feature is USB connectivity. It's always best to get a digital recorder with USB connection that allows you to transfer audio directly from the device to your laptop. A USB connection can even allow you to use the recorder as a microphone directly recording audio into your computer. If you use a MAC, be sure to check that the recorder you want to buy is compatible with it.

Battery life

Next, check the battery life of the recorder under normal usage. Remember that most digital recorders come with the option to switch to lower quality recordings in order to save battery life, which can be very handy when you're out somewhere for an extended period of time with limited battery replacements. Some recorders also come with rechargeable batteries, which can be recharged via USB connection to your laptop.

Storage space

In addition to long battery life, a large internal storage space can prove handy if you are away from your laptop for a long while. Some recorders do not have any form of internal storage and instead depends completely on external memory cards to store recorded audio, so be sure to keep this in mind when shopping around.

Voice activation function

Another nice feature to be on the look out for is an automated start/stop recording function. Many recorders have this automated voice activation function which enables them to automatically start recording when discernible noise is detected, and to automatically stop recording when a period of silence is detected. Unfortunately, the automatic start function on many of these recorders are flawed as the beginning of the audio is usually not detected in time and thus not recorded. If this is an important feature for you, be sure to look for a model that has buffered recording which minimizes or eliminates this issue.

Ease of use

Finally, be sure to get a recorder that is intuitively easy to use, with a large-enough LCD screen that you can read off without having to strain your eyes. Buttons, especially the start and stop buttons, should be large and not flimsy.

Bottom Line

A flexible portable digital recorder can be used to record audio in almost any scenario, from podcasting, to lectures, to conferences, to jamming sessions, to interviews. Be sure to keep the above features in mind when you are considering purchasing one for home, business or leisure use.

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