Free 3GP Player

The multimedia file format is mostly dictated by the encoders used to bundle up all code and preview options in a single file. However, different formats require dedicated codec packs or applications to enable playback, and if it’s 3GP files you’re interested in, then Free 3GP Player comes as a suitable alternative to whatever you’re using.

It takes only a little before you can take the application for a spin. However, you need to make sure that .NET Framework is installed on the target computer to enable functionality for the application. On the other hand, there’s a chance it’s already there because modern Windows iterations come with it as a default feature.

The visual design is straightforward, with most of the space dedicated to the preview area. There’s a fullscreen view mode you can literally trigger at the press of a button. Sadly, hotkeys are not implemented, unless the main window is in plain sight, and a multimedia keyboard is of little use here.

As the name clearly points out, the main files you can process are those under the 3GP and 3G2 format. This has a considerable impact on overall practicality, but an external converter can help out. Dropping files over the main window has no effect, so you need to rely on the browse dialog to select the file you want to play, and only one can be selected.

What’s more, the main window is only fitted with a progress slider and time values, which means there are no control buttons in plain sight. Subtitles are not supported unless the video comes with it embedded.

Taking everything into consideration, we can say that Free 3GP Player comes with good intentions as a straightforward 3GP file player. However, it’s stripped of most functions which make it suitable in the long run, with no playlist editor, or even playback controls in the main window.