Sony SRF-S84 FM/AM Radio Walkman Review

Disclaimer: Best Radios UK is audience supported. If you buy via links on here we may get a small commission. This doesn’t impact the price you pay & lets us keep the site free.

The Sony SRF-S84N is a pocket AM/FM radio that comes with stereo earphones and features an ‘Extra Bass’ feature as well as a belt clip. Let’s take a closer look…

Features

AM (MW) and FM radio
Mega Bass
Takes one AAA battery (not included)
Belt clip

Dimensions: 3.95 cm wide x 7.85 cm high x 16.5 cm deep
Weight: 61.2 g (including earphones and battery)
Model number: SRFS84N

Performance and use

The Sony SRF-S84N is very small and light, so you’ll hardly notice it in your pocket. One of the most impressive things about this portable radio is its battery life, which is very long especially when compared to pocket DAB radios. It takes one AAA battery which can either be a regular battery or a rechargeable one.

Another strong point with this pocket radio is its AM and FM reception, which is impressive even if you live in the countryside. It doesn’t offer DAB radio, but given digital radio’s unreliability, many people prefer to stick to older analogue tech.

The radio comes with a pair of earphones included. The earphones provided have average sound quality, so if you already have a high-quality pair of earphones or headphones you might prefer to use those. The radio sounds good, and has a ‘Bass Boost’ feature for increasing the level of bass.

Pros

Good battery life
Good sound quality provided you have decent earphones
Good radio reception even when using while out walking
Small, light and easy to keep in your pocket
Simple and easy to tune
Durable and reliable—built to last

Cons

Belt clip doesn’t feel very sturdy
Plastic feels cheaper than old Sony products used to

Verdict

The Sony SRF-S84N is one of the best pocket AM/FM radios you can get in 2017. It offers very good reception and battery life and should last you at least a year of regular use, possibly a lot longer.

Similar radios

Another popular pocket AM/FM radio is the Roberts Sports 995. Like the Sony SRF-S84N, it takes one AAA battery, and while the radio looks a bit dated, it will offer better battery life than an equivalent pocket DAB radio like the Roberts Radio Sports DAB5.

You can also check out our roundup of the best pocket AM/FM radios here.

If you want to make sure your radio is ‘future-proof’, you should consider getting a pocket digital radio rather than an AM/FM radio. Read our roundup of the top pocket DAB radios here.