| | | | | the new Konica Minolta Magicolor 2530DL now |
| I have taken the cheapest current model from | | | | offers several advantages. With an ethernet 10 |
| the following manufacturers for comparison, | | | | 100 base TX interface for networking and |
| Canon, Epson, HP, Konica Minolta, Lexmark and | | | | Pictbridge via a special USB on the front for |
| Samsung. | | | | downloading direct from a digital camera this has |
| Let's get the technical bit out of the way first; | | | | moved the goalposts and it tries to replicate ink |
| colour laser printers come in two distinct engine | | | | printer facilities closer than seen before on colour |
| types. The carousel type printer uses for | | | | laser printers. The standard 64mb Ram is also |
| different colour toner cartridges that rotate over | | | | twice that on offer from the Epson and should |
| a central drum unit, laying down each colour of | | | | ensure capable handling of even the most |
| toner in turn and making a total of four passes | | | | complex colour work. Whilst print quality is above |
| over the drum or imaging unit. Epson, Konica | | | | average, the printer speed, especially for colour |
| Minolta, Lexmark and Samsung all use a variation | | | | disappoints and is this printer’s major flaw. Be |
| of this technique. Canon and HP cartridges come | | | | aware also that both these printers are delivered |
| in one complete unit per colour that contains both | | | | with low capacity cartridges offering only 1,500 |
| the toner and drum giving each colour its own | | | | colour prints, these will require replacing all too |
| drum as opposed to sharing a central unit. | | | | soon. The upside is that high capacity cartridges |
| So which system is best? There is no correct | | | | are readily available and offer better value with a |
| answer to this question although I personally | | | | capacity at around 4,500pages. |
| favour the option used by the Canon, HP duo. | | | | That just leaves the HP Color Laserjet 1600 and |
| With this system there is no uncertainty as to | | | | the Canon i-Sensys LBP5000 to be considered. |
| how long the drum will last, it is replaced with | | | | Both of these printers use the same Canon |
| every new cartridge. With the carousel system | | | | engine so it comes as no surprise that the |
| the life of the drum can be dramatically reduced | | | | specifications match with a print speed of 8ppm |
| from quoted figures if the colour content of your | | | | and a print quality of 600x600dpi. Neither of these |
| output rises over the standard 5%. The more | | | | printers has an abundance of memory with the |
| colour printing you do the more passes over the | | | | HP the most generous at 16mb, the Canon's 8mb |
| central drum unit, the greater the wear on the | | | | is particularly stingy and may struggle to cope |
| unit and the more often it will need to be | | | | with very complex colour work. The other main |
| replaced. | | | | difference is in the price, the HP printer can easily |
| If you are replacing an ink printer it is worth | | | | be found online at a price under the magical |
| bearing in mind that these colour laser printers are | | | | £100 mark whereas the Canon at £50 more is |
| somewhat larger, heavier and noisier, so if | | | | competing with the HP's big brother, the Color |
| desktop space is tight check out the dimensions | | | | LaserJet 2600. As is the norm the printers are |
| before committing to a purchase. | | | | shipped with starter cartridges which give a |
| The smallest, lightest and quietest colour laser | | | | maximum yield of 1,000 pages and will need to be |
| printer is the Samsung CLP300, when it was | | | | replaced fairly quickly, fortunately both HP original |
| originally introduced this was probably the | | | | cartridges and compatible cartridges are readily |
| cheapest colour laser printer on the market and | | | | available from around £120 for a full set of |
| thus an argument could be made for its purchase. | | | | cartridges yielding 2,000 pages. |
| Times change very quickly in this market and a | | | | We have used HP laser printers in our own |
| sub £90 price is no longer bargain basement | | | | offices for many years and have always found |
| territory. If you only intend to print colour text | | | | them to be both reliable and economical, especially |
| and charts then it will perform well enough but the | | | | if compatible cartridges are used. We have |
| quality of any colour output beyond this will I fear | | | | noticed some criticism online of a problem with |
| disappoint. | | | | colour bleed with the HP Color LaserJet 1600, we |
| Moving to the dearest will give us the Lexmark | | | | have not been able to substantiate these claims |
| C500N. This printer is almost twice the price of | | | | and only a small number of users seem to |
| the tiny Samsung and in true Lexmark style is | | | | experience it, I am beginning to wonder if the |
| also the most expensive to run, in its favour it is | | | | quality of the paper may be at fault and not the |
| network ready and has the fastest mono speed | | | | printer. We have tried using some fairly low |
| but this does nothing to compensate for its high | | | | quality paper in an attempt to replicate the fault |
| costs. | | | | but so far have not experienced any degree of |
| The Epson AcuLaser C1100 has been one of my | | | | colour bleed. |
| favourite colour printers since its introduction, it is | | | | So, if you are looking for your first Colour Laser |
| still one of the fastest printers of its type and | | | | Printer, and do not want to spend a fortune, look |
| print quality is still above average, I feel however | | | | no further than the HP Color LaserJet 1600 - a |
| that it is now getting a little long in the tooth and | | | | fine buy at less than £100. |