First, we would like to point out that most of the prices are pre-rebate for new stand-alone satellite radio units. You can often get better deals by purchasing packages including subscription services, by taking part in mail-in rebates, and by purchasing used or refurbished satellite radio receivers. Click Here for some examples.

We agree with Wired Magazine, and give the Delphi XpressRC our Editor's Pick Award because of the great, splitscreen color interface, the TuneSelect feature, the slick look and the affordable price (compared to the runner up below). We disagree with Wired that the ten-song saver is "useless". This is a feature the other units don't have, and even if it only stores ten songs, that's better than none at all. At any given point in time, we probably only have ten favorite songs anyway, and this is a great place to put those feel-good grooves that help you get through a rough traffic jam. Our favorite feature, by far, is the split-screen. This allows you to see what song is playing on the current station, but also shows the song currently on three of your other favorite stations. No more flipping through channels to find the right song!

The Pioneer Inno is the Runner Up and in-fact would be our Editor's Pick for anyone who plans on using their satellite radio as a portable MP3 player as well. For those of us who plan on keeping the unit in our cars, however, the Delphi is cheaper and comes with better features. What sets the Pioneer apart is that it too has a full-color display, but is far more portable than the Delphi Xpress RC. Overall, it is a leap forward in satellite radio receiver technology, but with a price tag to match.

Delphi SKYFi3 Sat Radio is pretty lame for the price, in our opinion. The multi-function buttons are a pin in the a$$ to use; the screen is a boring grey; the menu is less-than-intuitive; it doesn't come with the necessary antenna (sold separately for $50) to use outside of the car; and all of this still costs you about $30 more than the Delphi XpressRC. Its saving grace is portability. The SKYFi 3 is lighter and more compact than its brand-brother, the XpressRC, and is by far more portable - once you buy the $50 antenna - at which point you might as well get the Pioneer Inno for the same price.

Sirius Sportster 4 is branded for the "sports fans" because it comes with GameAlert and Instant Replay features. But BOTH of these features are available in the Delphi Express RC as well. So what would be the point of buying a unit that has a boring (borderline ugly) design, no color display and a clunky car docking system?

If I were going to ask my wife for a Christmas Present (hint hint) it would be the Delphi Xpress RC - which she can BUY HERE. Having an Ipod already, I don't think I'll be using it much out of the car (otherwise I'd ask for the Pioneer Inno, which costs more) and the combo of Mp3 player, full-color split-screen, and ten-song-saver just makes it the best unit out there.