IC Printers iBuyer's Guide - Mar 2011 by Hypertext Media

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BUYER’S GUIDE 2011 MARCH

ven though every office and most homes have one, the printer is a

piece of technology that is often taken for granted. Over the years, printing technology has changed in almost every way. Printers used to be bulky, heavy, noisy and overpriced machines that only a few could afford. Compare this to the tiny, on-the-go printers (with a built-in touch screen) and Wi-Fi you’ll see on shelf now and you’ll realise just how much printer technology has improved. Printers no longer need to be hidden in the corner, they’re sleek and sturdy, adept of more than you would imagine. Today’s printers are the best personal assistants, capable of multitasking, and printing high-quality photographs, faxing and copying. In the second issue of Incredible

Printer feature 02

Printer reviews

your standard, monochromatic, laser

accommodate all of your requirements, no

HP Laserjet P1102 Samsung ML-1660 Canon iSensys MF4410

HP OfficeJet 4500 Wireless HP OfficeJet Pro 6500A e-All-in-One HP Photosmart Premium Fax e-AIO

HP LaserJet M1132 Samsung SCX-3200 Canon i-Sensys MF4550D HP LaserJet M1212NF

HP OfficeJet Pro 8500A e-All-in-One HP OfficeJet 8500A Wireless Plus Lexmark Interpret S405 Lexmark Prevail Pro705

Samsung SCX-4623F Samsung SCX-4623FN Canon Pixma IP4840 Canon Pixma IP2700

Canon Selphy CP-800 Canon Selphy ES-40 HP Officejet 7000 HP DeskJet 470wbt

Canon Pixma MP250 Canon Pixma MG5140 Canon Pixma MG5240 Canon Pixma MG6140

HP DeskJet 2050 HP Photosmart e-AIO D110a HP Deskjet 3050 HP Photosmart Wireless e-AIO B110a

Canon i-Sensys LBP5050 HP Colour Laserjet Pro CP1025nw HP Colour LaserJet CP1525n

HP Photosmart Plus e-AIO B210 HP Photosmart Premium e-AIO 309g Lexmark Impact S305 Lexmark Interact S605

Canon i-Sensys MF8050Cn Samsung CLP-325 HP LaserJet CM1415FN Samsung CLX-3185

printers to high-end 4-in-1 multifunction machines. There is a printer out there to

Canon Pixma MX320 Canon Pixma MX340 Wireless Canon Pixma MX350 Wireless

Connection’s printer guide, we’re looking at over 40 printers ranging from

Printer Specifications

matter what you are looking for. (And if you’re confused about anything, be sure to read our feature which will decipher any jargon-busting questions you may have when it comes to yield, cartridges, Inkjets, etc.) If you need a printer, now is definitely the time to go get one! Be sure to head over to your nearest Incredible Connection store to fulfil all your modern printing desires.

PUBLISHER Brett Haggard - brett@hypertext.co.za EDITOR Tiana Cline - tiana@hypertext.co.za TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Deon du Plessis - deon@hypertext.co.za ART DIRECTION Colleen Mulrooney - redraven@gonet.co.za

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Published for and on behalf of Incredible Connection by Hypertext Media Communications (011) 023 8001 info@hypertext.co.za

Cover image by iStockphoto®

The Incredible Connection Team

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P r i n t e r S P e c i f i c at i o n S

– By Deon du Plessis

printer specifications:

Answers

you can uSe Buying a printer blind is not a great idea. Even doing research on the Internet doesn’t provide much help. Manufacturers include pages and pages of technical specifications that are so hard to sort through for the average consumer,that they might as well be written in Martian.

nowing what those technical-sounding terms all mean is one of the easiest steps that can be taken to make the next printer purchase an easy one. Well, ‘easy’ relative to going in completely blind, that is. The problem is there is a lot more to a printer’s hardware specifications than meets the eye. For example, it’s frustrating to find a printer that claims to churn out documents at an attractive rate, only to get it home to find the real-world figure is a lot less than the one stated on the box. Or how about discovering that an ink or toner cartridge that claims to print a certain number of documents falls short of the claimed total? Adding fuel to the fire is the way printer manufacturers approach specifications. For example, some measure speed in pages per minute, while others do it in images per minute. What’s up with that? The reasons behind this are a bit complicated, and in this article we will do our best to shed some light on the subject. We’ll also look at some of the other terms that will be encountered in any investigation of a printer’s capabilities, and lay them bare too. Hopefully this will help our readers gain a deeper understanding of consumer printers, putting them in a better position to make an informed printer purchase.

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Pages Per Minute (PPM) Printer speeds have, until recently, been measured in the number of pages a printer can churn out in a minute. The description is misleading, however, as that number is heavily affected by two factors: the quality of the printed document (draft/normal/laser), and whether it’s made up of text only, images only, or a mix of the two. Furthermore, the figure quoted does not take into account the time the first page takes to emerge. When a printer receives a document, it takes some time to warm up before the actual printing begins. This time is further affected by whether the printer is in a `ready’ state, or if it needs to awaken itself from its power-saving `sleep’ mode. When a `pages per minute’ figure is quoted, it’s always the number of pages that can physically be printed in a minute at the given settings, using a standardised document, and assumes the printer is in full swing when the stopwatch is started. This is like saying a sprinter can do the 100m in 7 seconds ﬂat when he hits the Start mark at full tilt. Yes, it’s true, but it’s not an accurate reﬂection and it may lead to unrealistic expectations if the full story is not known. The process of sending the document to the printer is called `spooling’, and the time this takes is also not considered. The document will only start printing once it has been received by the printer, and the time that takes depends on the print job’s file size. Basically, printer makers are trying hard to cast their products in the best possible light. Since this could be construed as `misleading’, work is being done to bring a new standard into common use that will allow for a more accurate and fair explanation of real-world printer speeds. When looking around for a TOP TIP printer, we recommend you investigate all avenues. The Internet is a fantastic place to start your search, as chances are someone already owns the printer you’re looking for and can tell you exactly what their user experience has been with it.

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P r i n t e r S P e c i f i c at i o n S

– By Deon du Plessis

images Per Minute Images per minute (IPM) is a new standard developed by the International Standards Organisation for inkjet printers. Instead of measuring how many pages per minute (PPM) can be printed under very specific conditions, it’s a measure of how fast an inkjet printer can print a standardised selection of documents consisting of 4-page Word, Excel and PDF documents. This test is performed using a printer’s default settings (i.e. how it comes configured straight out the box), and is, therefore, a more realistic figure as it requires no tweaking on the user’s part to achieve the stated speeds. Until all printer manufacturers adopt the IPM standard, it won’t be possible to compare printers using IPM and PPM statistics. So far Canon is one of the only companies that state print speeds using IPM. While `images per minute’ doesn’t sound like it applies to general documents, it does – even more so than pages per minute. Look out for this rating on printers, as it’s sure to become the standard by which all printer speeds are measured.

ink/toner cartridge yield The number of pages you can expect to get from a single ink or toner cartridge – referred to in specification sheets as its `yield’ – is a solid basis for a printer purchase, especially when the cost of each cartridge can be taken into consideration. Unfortunately, cartridge costs ﬂuctuate too much to provide any kind of accurate `cost per page’ in this guide. However, knowing how many pages you can expect from a printer’s cartridges is a known quantity, which we have included in the Printer Review pages. The key to understanding `yield‘ is knowledge of how the figures are calculated. When a manufacturer quotes a certain number of pages from an ink or toner cartridge, that figure is based on the assumption of a certain percentage of `coverage‘, i.e. what percentage of the paper’s surface area is covered with ink. When dealing with general documents, most companies assume 3% to 5% coverage. Of course, this can and does vary greatly from print to print (especially ones that combine text and images), so take that with a pinch of salt. Photos are a different matter entirely, however, and no official ISO standard yet exists to determine photo cartridge yield. As a result, the figures quoted don’t necessarily represent real-world usage scenarios, and they are obtained under specific conditions that, once again, won’t necessarily reﬂect real-world results. They also vary by manufacturer. The best advice when considering yield is to use the quoted figure as a starting point, not to assume that you’ll get exactly that amount of pages or photos from the cartridge. Yield varies considerably based on the content of each individual print as well as the paper it’s printed on, so heading off to the Small Claims court when the quoted figure and your actual results don’t match is a bad idea. Some printers have extra-large cartridges that offer up more pages than the standard ones do. While these `high-yield‘ cartridges have a higher initial cost per cartridge, they will actually save you money in the long run and are thus a wise investment.

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individual inks vs. tri-colour In times past, inkjet printers mainly used only two ink cartridges – black and colour. The colour cartridge contained all the individual inks necessary to print in colour (cyan, magenta and yellow), but it would cease to print completely or just start printing poorly when one of those colours ran out. This led to many cartridges being thrown away with ink still inside, and much wasted money. Using individual inks solved this problem. Instead of just two cartridges, some printers now have space for up to 5 individual ink cartridges (some even have 6).When one colour is used more than the others and it runs out first, only one cartridge has to be replaced. The result is cost savings to the end-user. If given the choice, we strongly advise choosing printers that make use of individual inks, as it will lead to much less frustration and wastage in the long run.

PictBridge This technology is a lot simpler to define. It is a standard developed by the Camera Imaging and Products Association (CPIA) for connecting a camera to a printer, and printing photos directly off the camera without the need for a PC. Not all printers support the standard; this is more likely to be found on photo printers, although some general-purpose printers also feature it. There is no dedicated PictBridge port. Instead, the camera simply connects to the printer via a USB port. This is a very handy way to print off a camera’s memory card when a printer supports PictBridge, but it has no digital memory card slots.

Duplexing (automatic/ manual) Being able to print on two sides of one sheet of paper is called `duplexing‘. Some printers don’t support it at all; others require you to manually re-insert the page the other way up once the first side has been printed on. The best solution is an automatic duplexing unit that does it for you. Automatic duplexing is generally only present in more expensive printers, as it requires the addition of an automatic document feeder unit.

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P R I N T E R S P E C I F I C AT I O N S

– By Deon du Plessis

HP ePrint

One of HP’s latest innovations is a technology the company calls “ePrint”. With certain models within HP’s consumer printer range it is now possible to send print jobs from any e-mail-capable device without needing to connect to the printer first. This means if your computer, notebook or mobile phone is connected to the Internet and it can send e-mails, all you need is the ePrint-enabled printer’s e-mail address and you can send the documents that need printing through as attachments. HP’s ePrint servers receive the request, process the document into a format the printer recognises and minutes later the document emerges from the printer. No cables or lengthy setup processes are needed, and neither do you need drivers to be downloaded and installed.

Lexmark SmartSolutions

As touchscreens adorn many modern consumer-level inkjet printers, it is good business sense to use them for more than just pretty graphics and touch-based input. This is what Lexmark has done, and every Web-connected Lexmark inkjet printer with an LCD touchscreen can now access Web-based applications that the company calls “SmartSolutions”. These range from shortcuts to performing specific tasks to applications that can help locate stores that sell Lexmark ink cartridges, display stock prices, news headlines and more. The most common SmartSolutions are shortcuts; using them, it’s possible to scan a document in colour at a resolution of your choosing and have it e-mailed to a specific e-mail address, all at the press of a single button, for example. The shortcuts basically string together some of the printer’s functions so that you don’t have to manually choose them every time you want a certain task completed. Depending on your workflow habits, SmartSolutions can be a fantastic way to speed up everyday printing tasks, while also bringing you weather reports, news headlines and other useful information that can be absorbed while waiting for prints.

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Ink vs. Laser

When buying a printer, it helps to have a good idea of what and how much you will be printing. Laser and inkjet printing technologies are different in ways that make them better in some situations and worse in others, and buying an inkjet printer when a laser does a better job would be a waste of money. Here is a breakdown of what the strengths and weaknesses of each are: Strengths Laser: Faster than inkjets, sharpest text and images, more economical to run over time, better for high-volume print needs. Inkjet: Best-quality photo prints, better colour quality, cheaper initial purchase. Weaknesses Laser: Photos don’t look as good, up-front purchase price and the cost per cartridge is higher than inkjet. Inkjet: Relatively expensive per-page cost, print heads can clog up, prints may need time to dry, print speeds are slow in comparison.

Genuine Cartridges vs. Refilled/Refurbished

Laser toner and inkjet cartridges are so expensive that it’s tempting to believe that the companies behind them are in fact ink and toner peddlers, not printer manufacturers. While somewhat true, there is also a lot of hard work and intensive research that goes into making genuine ink and toner worth the cash – big-name vendors go the extra mile to make sure their ink produces high-quality printouts that do not fade over time, that dry quickly and which look fantastic. More importantly, these companies also engineer ink and toner on an individual particle level, making it do what it does while also making it 100% compatible with the toner drums and print heads of their printers. This means that using any old ink to refill an inkjet cartridge may work initially, but it’s more likely to damage the printer’s internal mechanisms over time, causing the entire printer to fail and require replacement. The same is true of laser toner. While it’s easy to argue that this is done on purpose to prevent people from filling up ink and toner cartridges with third-party materials, what consumers get in return for not doing so is guaranteed results and the continued smooth operation of their printers. We strongly advise consumers to stick with genuine products, as it’s the most hassle-free solution in the long term.

Total Cost Of Ownership

While the up-front cost of printers may differ greatly, consumers should be looking at the overall costs associated with owning them. This takes into consideration the cost of ink cartridges and paper and how many pages each cartridge can print before needing replacement. When working this figure out, a “cost per page” emerges, and since toner cartridges can print thousands of pages before needing replacement compared to ink cartridges which manage only a few hundred, their associated running costs are considerably lower.

While there is still a lot more to the average printer than what we’ve covered here, knowledge of these important areas will go a long way toward helping you choose the printer that’s right for you. Happy hunting! WWW.INCREDIBLE.CO.ZA | 7

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INKJET PRINTERS

Canon Pixma MP250

Canon Pixma MG5140

Canon Pixma MG5240

Canon Pixma MG6140

CATEGORY

3-in-1 multifunction photo printer – print, copy, scan

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Inkjet, Individual Inks with Grey

Inkjet, Individual Inks

BEST USED AT

Office/home

Office

ABOUT

A feature-packed all-in-one that lets a small work group (or a family) with versatile high demands connect wirelessly to the device. Perfect for professional-looking business documents, crisp clean photo prints and high print speeds will appeal to all users. In addition to being able to copy and scan, you can print just about anything as this device has a PictBridge port and memory card slots, making it perfect for (aspiring) photographers, as it’s capable of cleverly optimising and applying basic fixes to photos before they’re printed.

Capable of printing directly from disc, this device is perfect for the office environment. It’s intended for document handling and management, and because it has a separate ink intended especially for grayscale prints, it’s economical and practical for printing large volumes of text. Auto-duplexing and flexible paper handling are indispensible in the work environment. The print, scan and copy functionality MG6140 can be shared by multiple users on a wired or wireless network, and anyone will find this device a breeze to operate as Canon’s new Intelligent Touch System makes use of a light-guided touch panel that assists in its use.

3-in-1 multifunction photo printer – print, copy, scan

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Inkjet

Inkjet, Individual Inks

BEST USED AT

Home

ABOUT

This slick, compact device is perfect for entry-level users or students. The MP250 offers high-quality image printing and copying at an affordable price and it comes with everything you’ll need, straight out of the box. Able to print, scan and copy, it will handle all your documentation and photo requirements, simply and effortlessly. Easy-WebPrint EX software allows you to print directly from the Internet by clipping multiple frames and collating them into a single page. Auto Photo Fix II, offers automatic correction of underexposed images, helping you get the most out of your photos.

Everything about this MFP is geared toward versatility, making it the perfect family–centric device. The Pixma MG5140 produces photo-quality prints whilst still being ink-efficient and has two paper inputs and an auto-duplexing feature for added convenience. Scanning and copying is made easier by accessing these features on the colour touch display and because this machine is capable of handling a wide variety of print media, it will be the ultimate home/school project assistant. Capable also of being a research assistant, Easy-WebPrint EX software enables you to clip combine information from multiple webpages to print.

SPECIFICATIONS

Print Speed: Black 7ipm, colour 4.8ipm LCD Screen: No Touch Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0, no networking capabilities PictBridge: Yes Standard Ink Cartridge Models: PG-210 (black), CL-211 (Colour) XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 220 pages standard, 400 pages XL Colour Ink Yield: 250 pages standard, 350 pages XL Warranty: 1 year

Print Speed: Black – 9.7ipm, colour 6.1ipm LCD Screen: Yes Touch Screen: No Connectivity: Ethernet, USB 2.0 PictBridge: Yes Standard Ink Cartridge Models: PGI-425PGBK (black), CLI-426C/M/Y CyanMagenta/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: Yes , black only (CLI-426BK) Black Ink Yield: 323 pages, 2 330 photos (Standard), 4 335 pages, 770 photos (XL) Cyan Ink Yield: 520 pages, 207 photos (Standard) Magenta Ink Yield: 500 pages, 204 photos (Standard) Yellow Ink Yield: 515 pages, 202 photos (Standard) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Black 11ipm, Colour 9.3ipm LCD Screen: TFT Display, touch-sensitive Connectivity: Wireless b/g, Ethernet 10/100, USB 2.0 PictBridge: Yes Memory Card Reader: Yes Standard Ink Cartridge Models: PGI425PGBK (Black), CLI-426C/M/Y/GY (Cyan/Magenta/Yellow/Grey) XL Cartridges Available: Yes, black only (PGI-426BK) Black Ink Yield: 328 pages, 4170 photos (Standard) Cyan Ink Yield: 462 pages, 345 photos (Standard) Magenta Ink Yield: 437 pages, 345 photos (Standard) Yellow Ink Yield: 450 pages, 290 photos (Standard) Grey Ink Yield: 1515 pages, 171 photos (Standard) Special: CD/DVD printing Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Black 12.5ipm, Colour 9.3ipm LCD Screen: TFT Display Connectivity: Wireless b/g only, USB 2.0 PictBridge: Yes Standard Ink Cartridge Models: PGI425PGBK (Black), CLI-426C/M/Y/GY (Cyan/Magenta/Yellow/Grey) XL Cartridges Available: Yes, black only (CLI-426BK) Black Ink Yield: 341 pages, 3 800 photos (Standard), 3 005 pages, 660 photos (XL) Cyan Ink Yield: 520 pages, 207 photos (Standard) Magenta Ink Yield: 500 pages, 204 photos (Standard) Yellow Ink Yield: 515 pages, 202 photos (Standard) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

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INKJET PRINTERS

HP DeskJet 2050

HP Photosmart e-AIO D110a

HP Deskjet 3050

HP Photosmart Wireless e-AIO B110a

CATEGORY

3-in-1 multifunction device – scan, copy, print

3-in-1 multifunction photo printer – print, copy, scan, web, ePrint

3-in-1 multifunction print device – print, scan, copy

3-in-1 multifunction photo printer – print, copy, scan, web, ePrint

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Inkjet, Tricolour Cartridges

HP Thermal Inkjet, Individual Cartridges

Inkjet, Tri-colour Cartridges

HP Thermal Inkjet, Individual Inks

BEST USED AT

Home

ABOUT

Intended for the individual user, the 2050 makes use of a USB connection and is capable of handling 60 pages at a time, with the option of manual duplex printing. It’s a fuss-free multifunction that’s capable of pretty impressive print speeds, decent scan resolutions and simple copying. With an affordable price tag, this device will fit comfortably into any home environment without denting the budget too significantly, and with some careful print practices it shouldn’t be too expensive to run, either.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that the best thing about this printer is its price tag. More than just another 3-in-1, this is one of the first printers to be classified as web-connected. This device is HP ePrint-enabled which allows you to email messages with attachments (documents, PDFs, photos and the like) to your printer from any device and have them print without having to install drivers or print apps. Imagine the convenience of being able to print using your own printer, from anywhere. It’s Wi-Fi enabled, and is suitable for everyone being Mac OS X and Windows compatible.

If you’re looking for something reliable, affordable and effortless to set up, look no further than the 3050. With onebutton setup and wireless connectivity, it doesn’t get easier than this. It’s also compact, making it perfect for a small home office or study. The 3050 can copy without the need for a PC and the scanning process is a breeze using the flatbed scanner. Low ink level indicators make for peace of mind and in case the Wi-Fi network falls over there’s also the option to connect via USB instead, so you’ll never be without your 3050.

SPECIFICATIONS

Print Speed (Black): Up to 20ppm (draft), up to 5.5ppm (laser quality) Print Speed (Colour): Up to 16ppm (draft), up to 4ppm (laser quality) LCD Screen: No Connectivity: Wireless b/g/n, USB 2.0 Duplexing: None Standard Ink Cartridges: HP122 Black, HP122 Tri-Colour XL Cartridges available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 190 pages (standard), 600 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 165 pages (standard), 440 pages (XL) Warranty: 1 year

The HP Photosmart Wireless e-AIO not only reduces desktop cable clutter but it also faciliates printer-sharing with its convenient Wi-Fi connection, allowing several desktop and notebook users to utilise its laser quality text prints and gorgeous photos. Use HP TouchSmart technology to access the scanning and copying functionality via the TFT touchscreen and connect to the Internet to print without a PC. When you’re at your PC HP SmartWeb makes printing web pages a breeze, and with a one-button setup, you’ll be spending less time setting up and troubleshooting your printer and more time enjoying it.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Black 20ppm, Colour 16ppm LCD Screen: No Touch Screen: No Connectivity: Ethernet, USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Standard Ink Cartridge Models: HP122 Black, HP122 Colour XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 190 pages (standard), 600 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 165 pages (standard), 440 pages (XL) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

Print Speed (Black): Up to 29 (draft), up to 6ppm (laser quality) Print Speed (Colour): Up to 23ppm (draft), up to 4ppm (laser quality) LCD Screen: Yes, touch-sensitive Connectivity: Wireless b/g/n, USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Standard Ink Cartridges: HP178 XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 250 pages (standard), 800 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 300 pages (standard), 750 pages (XL) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

SPECIFICATIONS

OVERALL SCORE

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed (Black): Up to 32ppm (draft), up to 9ppm (laser quality) Print Speed (Colour): Up to 30ppm (draft), up to 8ppm (laser quality) LCD Screen: Yes, with a touch-sensitive TouchSmart frame Connectivity: Wireless b/g, USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Standard Ink Cartridges: HP178 Black/ Cyan/Magenta/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: Yes Standard Ink Cartridges: HP178 XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 250 pages (standard), 800 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 300 pages (standard), 750 pages (XL) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

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INKJET PRINTERS

HP Photosmart Plus e-AIO B210

HP Photosmart Premium e-AIO 309g

Lexmark Impact S305

Lexmark Interact S605

CATEGORY

3-in-1 multifunction device – print, copy, scan

3-in-1 multifunction device – print, copy, scan, web

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Thermal Inkjet, Individual Inks

BEST USED AT

Home/office

Home/small office

ABOUT

Consumers looking for a solid entrylevel general-purpose document printer would do well to consider Lexmark’s Impact S305. It’s a basic model, but it produces good-quality documents, and can even handle a photo or two (just don’t expect lab-quality results). It also scans and copies in colour, or black and white if you prefer, so it’s a well-rounded little office device. Print without the need for a PC, direct from camera, memory card or flash drive or connect wirelessly to the device. You’ll get highlighter-resistant monochrome text prints and good colour photo quality, making this a worthwhile purchase.

The S605 offers Web-connected convenience, a 4.3” LCD touch screen that guides users with vivid icons and allows for direct web printing and access to Lexmark SmartSolutions. A 5000 page monthly duty cycle and intense print, scan and copy resolutions combined with WiFi N gives you and others in your workspace the freedom of wireless technology with 3x the coverage and transfer speeds. Integrated duplex printing and an energy-saving EcoMode, along with individual colour cartridges that can be replaced separately ensure minimal impact on both on your pocket and the environment. Print directly from memory cards, cameras or other external devices for added convenience.

3-in-1 multifunction photo printer – print, copy, scan, web, ePrint

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

3-in-1 multifunction photo printer – print, copy, scan, web, ePrint

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

HP Thermal Inkjet, Individual Inks

BEST USED AT

Home/office

ABOUT

You wont be able to keep your hands off the Photosmart Plus’ 3.45-inch colour TouchSmart screen and once you discover that you can print documents and lab-quality photos, make copies and scan photos-all without turning on your PC, you’ll wonder how you survived without this kind of convenience in your life. The HP Photosmart Plus e-All-in-One has integrated wireless connectivity so you can print from multiple PCs in your home. You can also print from any device, outside of the home. HP ePrint makes it easy to send photos, documents and more from any mobile device directly to your printer.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed (Black): Up to 32ppm (draft), up to 8.4ppm (laser quality) Print Speed (Colour): Up to 30ppm (draft), up to 7.5ppm (laser quality) LCD Screen: Yes, touch-sensitive Connectivity: Wireless b/g, USB 2.0 Standard Ink Cartridges: HP178 Black/ Cyan/Magenta/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: Yes Standard Ink Cartridges: HP178 XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 250 pages (standard), 800 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 300 pages (standard), 750 pages (XL) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

Flexibility and usability is what this printer is all about. Customise your TouchSmart screen by choosing from a wide range of web-connected apps. Print from anywhere, any device using HP ePrint by mailing attachments to the Photosmart Premium. Print directly from PictBridge cameras or memory sticks/ cards. Share this device between multiple users and cut consumable expenses by utilising the auto duplexing print option and ink-saving settings. This device is capable of handling a wide variety of print sizes and media, making it perfect for office requirements. With a maximum 9600 x 2400 dpi, you’ll be getting excellent quality results that won't disappoint.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed (Black): Up to 33ppm (draft), up to 11ppm (laser quality) Print Speed (Colour): Up to 32ppm (draft), up to 8ppm (laser quality) LCD Screen: Yes, touch-sensitive Connectivity: Wireless b/g/n, USB 2.0 Standard Ink Cartridges: HP178 Black/ Cyan/Magenta/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: Yes Standard Ink Cartridges: HP178 Black/ Colour XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 250 pages (standard), 800 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 300 pages (standard), 750 pages (XL) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed (Black): Up to 33ppm (draft), up to 18ppm (normal quality) Print Speed (Colour): Up to 30ppm (draft), up to 11ppm (normal quality) LCD Screen: Yes Touch Screen: No Connectivity: Wireless b/g, USB 2.0 PictBridge: Yes Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes Standard Ink Cartridges: Lexmark 100 Black/Cyan/Magenta/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 200 pages (standard), 510 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 200 pages (standard), 600 pages (XL) Warranty: 1 year, 3 years on registration

OVERALL SCORE

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed (Black): Up to 33ppm (draft), up to 18ppm (normal quality) Print Speed (Colour): Up to 30ppm (draft), up to 11ppm (normal quality) LCD Screen: Yes, touch-sensitive Connectivity: Wireless b/g/n, USB 2.0 PictBridge: Yes Duplexing: Automatic Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes Standard Ink Cartridges: Lexmark 100 Black/Cyan/Magenta/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 200 pages (standard), 510 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 200 pages (standard), 600 pages (XL) Warranty: 1 year, 3 years on registration

OVERALL SCORE

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INKJET PRINTERS

Canon Pixma MX320

Canon Pixma MX340 Wireless

Canon Pixma MX350 Wireless

CATEGORY

4-in-1 multifunction device – print, copy, scan, fax, photo

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Inkjet, Tri-colour Cartridges

BEST USED AT Home office

ABOUT Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X, this is a rare office device that delivers on all it promises: performance, speed and reliability. All functions, including fax, copying and scanning are done in full colour and USB as well as Bluetooth connectivity and the ability to plug in a PictBridge-enabled device make this suited to the discerning individual home or business user. A variety of print media is supported, including photo stickers and t-shirt transfers.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: 7.5ipm (black), 4ipm (Colour) LCD Screen: Yes Touch Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0 only – No network functionality PictBridge: Yes Duplexing: No Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Ink Cartridge Models: PG-510 (Black), CL-511 (Colour) XL Cartridges Available: Yes – PG512 (Black), CL-513 (Colour) Black Ink Yield: 220 pages (Standard), 401 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 244 pages (Standard), 349 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield (photos): 97 (Standard), 144 (XL) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY BEST USED AT Home office

ABOUT Functionality in this MFP leans toward the small business user and offers a variety of connectivity options, including USB, Ethernet and wireless. Print speed is nowhere near as amazing as the quality of the print results, and with a 30page automatic document feeder, this device is ideal for minor office admin tasks. Copy, scan and print happen with the touch of one button. Faxing is an additional convenience and Canon throws in a good software bundle, including OCR software and document management to sweeten the deal.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: 8.4ipm (Black), and 4ipm (Colour) LCD Screen: Yes Touch Screen: No Connectivity: Wireless b/g, USB 2.0 PictBridge: Yes Duplexing: Automatic Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Ink Cartridge Models: PG-510 (Black), CL-511 (Colour) XL Cartridges Available: Yes – PG512 (Black), CL-513 (Colour) Black Ink Yield: 220 pages (Standard), 401 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 244 pages (Standard), 349 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield (photos): 97 (Standard), 144 (XL) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY Inkjet, Tri-colour Cartridges

BEST USED AT Home office

ABOUT The Pixma MX350 is one of those rare devices that offers a decent amount of functionality along with its price tag. In addition to being easy to install and use, you can connect via USB, ethernet, or Wi-Fi, and the scanning and printing apps bundled along with this device can be selectively installed or completely ignored. All of the major features can be accessed through the control panel on the device and there’s a colour display panel that previews photos before you print them, which you can do directly from a PictBridge-enabled camera, a memory card or stick.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: 8.4ipm (Black), 4ipm (Colour) LCD Screen: Yes Touch Screen: No Connectivity: Wireless b/g, Ethernet, USB 2.0 PictBridge: Yes Duplexing: Automatic Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes Standard Ink Cartridge Models: PG-510 (Black), CL-511 (Colour) XL Cartridges Available: Yes – PG512 (Black), CL513 (Colour) Black Ink Yield: 220 pages (Standard), 401 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 244 pages (Standard), 349 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield (photos): 83 (Standard), 122 (XL) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

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INKJET PRINTERS

HP OfficeJet 4500 Wireless

HP OfficeJet 6500A e-All-in-One

HP Photosmart Premium Fax e-AIO

CATEGORY

4-in-1 multifunction device – print, copy, scan, fax

4-in-1 multifuntion device – print, copy, scan, fax, Web

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

HP Thermal Inkjet, Tri-colour cartridges

HP Thermal Inkjet, Individual Ink Cartridges

BEST USED AT

Home/office

Home/small office

ABOUT

While not exactly a multi-tasking speed demon, the OfficeJet 4500 Wireless is all about streamlining your tasks. There’s a 20-page automatic document feeder and most functionality can be accessed through clearly-labeled buttons on the device and there’s a 2-line LCD display for troubleshooting and navigating your way around the device. Speaking of navigational tasks, there’s also HP SmartWeb printing functionality, which allows you to grab anything from the web and print all your clippings in one collated document. An affordable price tag makes this a very attractive device to consider.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed (Black): Up to 28ppm (draft), up to 6ppm (laser quality) Print Speed (Colour): Up to 22ppm (draft), up to 4ppm (laser quality) LCD Screen: Yes Touch Screen: No Connectivity: Wireless b/g, USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: None Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Ink Cartridge Models: HP901 Black, HP901 Tri-Colour XL Cartridges Available: Yes, Black Only Black Ink Yield: 200 pages (standard), 700 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 360 pages (standard) Warranty: 3 years

OVERALL SCORE

An economical solution to a need for an all-in-one without too many frills. The OfficeJet 6500 Pro is designed for a hard-working individual user or multiple users on a wired network. An automatic document feeder and automatic duplex printing, as well as fairly substantial paper handling capacity make this a hard-working device. Easy to install, use and troubleshoot, this MFP offers all the functionality a small office will need – copying, scanning, printing and faxing and is incredibly attractive because of its low initial cost and efficient running costs.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed (Black): Up to 32ppm (draft), up to 10ppm (laser quality) Print Speed (Colour): Up to 31ppm (draft), up to 7ppm (laser quality) LCD Screen: Yes, touch-sensitive screen Connectivity: Ethernet, USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: None Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes Standard Ink Cartridge Models: HP920 Black, HP920 Cyan/Magenta/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 420 pages (standard), 1200 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 300 pages (standard), 700 pages (XL) Also available: Wireless option Warranty: 3 years

OVERALL SCORE

4-in-1 multifunction device – print, copy, scan, fax, Web

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY HP Thermal Inkjet, Individual Ink Cartridges

BEST USED AT Home/ office

ABOUT The ultimate home all-in-one perfect for the family or hardworking office group. Send and receive monochrome or colour faxes, with or without a PC. Fax, scan, and copy up to 50 pages unattended using the automatic document feeder. View, edit and print photos without a PC, using the colour display and built-in memory card slots. Connect in a variety of ways: print from Wi-Fi enabled computers, Bluetooth phones or via a secure Ethernet port. The duty cycles on this device are impressive: Printer: up to 2500 pages; copier: up to 1250 pages; ADF: up to 2500 pages.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed (Black): Up to 33ppm (draft), up to 10.5ppm (laser quality) Print Speed (Colour): Up to 32ppm (draft), up to 7.5ppm (laser quality) LCD Screen: Yes Touch Screen: No Connectivity: Wireless b/g, Ethernet, USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: Automatic Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes Standard Ink Cartridges: HP178 Black, HP178 Cyan/ Magenta/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 250 pages (standard), 800 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 300 pages (standard), 750 pages (XL)

OVERALL SCORE

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INKJET PRINTERS

HP OfficeJet Pro 8500A e-All-in-One

HP OfficeJet 8500A Wireless Plus

Lexmark Interpret S405

Lexmark Prevail Pro705

CATEGORY

4-in-1 multifunction device – print, copy, scan, fax, web, ePrint

4-in-1 multifunction device – print, copy, scan, fax

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

HP Thermal Inkjet, Individual Ink Cartridges

Thermal Inkjet, Individual Ink Cartridges

BEST USED AT

Home/small office

Small/medium office

ABOUT

The big-brother version of the HP 6500, the Pro 8500 offers more connectivity options, higher-resolution, laser-quality prints and a higher paper-handling capacity. Scan individual documents using the flatbed scanner, or documents with multiple pages using the ADF and make up to 99 copies at a time. A respectable monthly duty cycle makes this device a workhorse that’s ideal for a secure wired network, as it has Ethernet connectivity. The 8500A also offers direct photo printing from memory cards and PictBridge cameras and has an additional USB port to plug in any other USB device.

The OfficeJet 8500 Wireless will suit the needs of a SME with its integrated wireless connectivity, higher print cycle and paper-handling capacity as multiple users on a network can utilise high-performance scanning, copying and faxing functionalities. Direct photoprinting from USB, memory cards or PictBridge-enabled cameras will make this device attractive to creative work environments that require the ability to print as well as copy, scan and fax a wide variety of materials in high-quality resolutions. The 3.4” touch screen display allows you to be in control, even if you’re away from your PC.

The spectacular S405 offers highresolution printing, scanning and quick fax and copy facilities. It is convenient and offers connectivity options that make it very attractive for the home or small office. A USB 2.0 port, a USB pass-through PictBridge port and wireless 802.11g/b connectivity ensures that you can print from and save to a variety of sources, with or without a PC. This device supports a wide variety of print media and offers performance at speeds close to a laser printer. There’s also a flatbed scanner with an ADF and a 33.6kps fax modem and built-in support for printing from a variety of external devices.

The focus of this device is efficiency, productivity and connectivity that will be a perfect match for you, if you’re a workaholic. Wi-Fi N gives you 3 times more coverage a monthly duty cycle of 10 000 pages, duplex printing, highcapacity ink cartridges and increased paper handling capabilities signals that this device means business. A 50-page ADF, as well as a flatbed scanner and the ability to fax all mean that this device is capable of working just as hard (if not harder) than you. There’s also the ultra-convenient option of scanning business cards and having the information synced with your address book desktop software.

SPECIFICATIONS

Print Speed (Black): Up to 33ppm (draft), up to 17ppm (normal quality) Print Speed (Colour): Up to 30ppm (draft), up to 17ppm (normal quality) LCD Screen: Yes Touch Screen: No Connectivity: Wireless b/g, USB 2.0 Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes PictBridge: Yes Duplexing: None Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes Standard Ink Cartridges: Lexmark 100 Black/Cyan/Magenta/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 200 pages (standard), 510 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 200 pages (standard), 600 pages (XL) Warranty: 1 year, 3 years on registration

Print Speed (Black): Up to 33ppm (draft), up to 16ppm (normal quality) Print Speed (Colour): Up to 30ppm (draft), up to 10ppm (normal quality) LCD Screen: Yes Touchscreen: No Connectivity: Wireless b/g/n, Ethernet, USB 2.0 Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes PictBridge: Yes Duplexing: Yes Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes Standard Ink Cartridges: Lexmark 100 Black/Cyan/Magenta/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 200 pages (standard), 510 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 200 pages (standard), 600 pages (XL) Warranty: 5 years

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed (Black): Up to 35ppm (draft), up to 15ppm (laser quality) Print Speed (Colour): Up to 34ppm (draft), up to 11ppm (laser quality) LCD Screen: Yes, touch-sensitive Connectivity: Wireless b/g/n, Ethernet, USB 2.0 PictBridge: Yes Duplexing: None Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes Standard Ink Cartridges: HP940 Black, HP940 Cyan/Magenta/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 1000 pages (standard), 2200 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 900 pages (standard), 1400 pages (XL) Warranty: 3 years

OVERALL SCORE

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed (Black): Up to 35ppm (draft), up to 15ppm (laser quality) Print Speed (Colour): Up to 34ppm (draft), up to 11ppm (laser quality) LCD Screen: Yes, touch-sensitive Connectivity: Wireless b/g/n, Ethernet, USB 2.0 Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes PictBridge: Yes Duplexing: Yes, Automatic Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes Standard Ink Cartridges: HP940 Black, HP940 Cyan/Magenta/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 1000 pages (standard), 2200 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 900 pages (standard), 1400 pages (XL) Warranty: 3 years

OVERALL SCORE

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LASER PRINTERS

Canon i-Sensys LBP5050

HP Colour LaserJet Pro CP1025nw

HP Colour LaserJet CP1525n

CATEGORY

Colour laser printer

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Colour Laser, Individual Black and Colour Toner Cartridges

Colour Laser, Individual Toner Cartridges

BEST USED AT

CATEGORY

BEST USED AT

Home/small office

ABOUT

Professional-quality laser prints in one space-saving compact, quiet design, the LBP5050 is an asset to any home or small office. With quick start up and print times, you won't be kept waiting. USB connectivity is hassle-free and with a variety of print media and sizes supported all your print needs will be taken care of by one device. It’s easy to set up and maintain, as there is a single toner cartridge to replace and LED indicators should let you know when it’s time to do that. With a 9600 x 600 dpi maximum print resolution, you’ll get crisp black text and vibrant colour and photo prints.

Despite the CP1025 offering both wired and wireless networking, modest paper-handling capacities of 150-sheets means this dimunitive workhorse is more suited to a small workgroup or as a family-shared printer. Simplify your life by using pre-configured shortcuts that enable you to optimise output quality and colour-match settings depending on print media you’re using. When it’s time to print in black, you’ll get the same cost per page as a mono HP Laser Printer – making it an economical decision to buy a colour laser device, without having to break the bank.

With USB and Ethernet networking connectivity, as well as modest paper-handling capabilities, the CP1525n is clearly intended for the average individual user (read: not graphic designers or photographers) with a need for colour. With a fixed resolution of 600 x 600 pixels, this device is intended mainly for printing business or personal documentation, which it manages superbly. With excellent print speeds and power-saving functionality, this device will be the perfect desktop companion.

SPECIFICATIONS

Print Speed: Up to 12ppm (Black), Up to 8ppm (Colour) LCD Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0 only Digital Memory Card Reader: No PictBridge: No Duplexing: None Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Toner Cartridges: Canon Cartridge 716 Black/ Cyan/Magenta/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: No Black Toner Yield: 2 300 pages Colour Toner Yield: 1 500 pages Warranty: 1 year

Print Speed: Black up to 16ppm (normal quality), Colour up to 4ppm (normal quality) LCD Screen: No Connectivity: Wireless b/g/n, Ethernet, USB 2.0 Digital Memory Card Reader: No PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Toner Cartridges: HP126A LaserJet ColorSphere Black/Magenta/Cyan/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: No Black Toner Yield: 1 200 pages Colour Toner Yield: 1 000 pages Also available without wireless networking Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Black up to 12ppm (normal quality), Colour up to 8ppm (normal quality) LCD Screen: Yes, 2-line Touch Screen: No Connectivity: Ethernet, USB 2.0 Digital Memory Card Reader: No PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Toner Cartridges: HP128A LaserJet ColorSphere Black/Magenta/Cyan/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: No Black Toner Yield: 2 000 pages Colour Toner Yield: 1 300 pages Also available in: Also available: CP1525nw with wireless networking Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

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COLOUR LASER PRINTERS

Canon i-Sensys MF8050Cn

Samsung CLP-325

HP LaserJet CM1415FN

Samsung CLX-3185

CATEGORY

4-in-1 colour laser printer, print, scan, copy, fax

Laser printer

4-in-1 colour laser printer, print, scan, copy, fax

Multifunction laser printer

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Colour Laser, Individual Toner Cartridges

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Colour Laser, Individual Toner Cartridges

BEST USED AT

Home/small office

Office

ABOUT

Samsung is synonymous with quality and longevity and the CLP-325 is no exception. With a print resolution of 2400 x 600, you’ll be getting rich colour, sharp text which means that just because it’s speedy you wont have to sacrifice quality for speed. Added convenience comes with the one-touch Print Screen button, which allows you to grab what you’re viewing and print a hard copy for sharing visuals with others. Access other useful sharing features like AnyWeb printing, which allows you to gather snippets of pictures and text from anywhere on the web and print them as one uniform document. This device is both compact and energyconscious.

An automatic document feeder, flatbed scanner, fax and copy functionality, networkability as well as colour laser output capabilities make the i-Sensys MF8050Cn perfect for small to medium workgroups with different requirements. This device is the perfect workhorse for colour and monochrome prints for the office. High-yield toner cartridges and a decent paper-handling capability make it perfect for managing any workload. Easy to install and operate (from set up right through to troubleshooting and replacing consumables) this Canon does everything it’s meant to and does it extremely well.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Black up to 12ppm, Colour up to 8ppm LCD Screen: Yes, 5-line Touch Screen: No Connectivity: Ethernet. USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: None Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Toner Cartridges: Canon Cartridge 716 Black/Cyan/Magenta/ Yellow Black Toner Yield: 2 300 pages Colour Toner Yield: 1 500 pages Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Black up to 16ppm, Colour up to 4ppm LCD Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0 – No network connectivity at all Digital Memory Card Reader: No PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Toner Cartridges: CLT-K407S Black, CLT-M407S Magenta, CLT-C407S Cyan, CLT-Y407S Yellow Black Toner Yield: 1 500 pages Magenta/Cyan/Yellow Colour Toner Yield: 1 000 pages Also available: CLP-325W with Wireless Networking Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

Colour Laser, Individual Toner Cartridges

BEST USED AT Office

ABOUT Two USB ports, one Ethernet port and with a 150-sheet input tray suggests that this device is intended for a small workgroup. It wont take up much space with its upright footprint, making it easy to place it somewhere central in the office. Easily-accessible print, scan, fax and copy functions are enhanced by HP SmartWeb and ePrint functionality, allowing you to print anything you’re viewing on the Internet, as well as giving you the ability to print from anywhere, from any device simply by emailing your printer. An automatic document feeder and a flatbed scanner round off a solid laser colour 4-in-1 offering from HP.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Black up to 12ppm, Colour up to 8ppm LCD Screen: Yes, touch-sensitive Connectivity: Ethernet, USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Toner Cartridges: HP128A LaserJet ColorSphere Black/Magenta/ Cyan/Yellow Black Toner Yield: 2 000 pages Colour Toner Yield: 1 300 pages Also available: Wireless networking Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY BEST USED AT Home/office

ABOUT Productivity is a key to running any office team or workgroup. The ultraversatile, speedy CLX-3185 is the perfect tool to facilitate productivity as it allows you to colour print, copy and scan with convenience, ease and speed. Use the Print Screen button to print the contents of your computer screen quickly. Copy with the touch of one button and save paper and the environment with the EcoCopy Feature that combines multiple copied pages into a single printout. The ultra compact Samsung CLP-3185 is quiet and unobtrusive, allowing you to get on with what’s really important.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Black Up to 16ppm, Colour up to 4ppm LCD Screen: Yes, 2-line Touch Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Toner Cartridges: CLT-K407S Black, CLT-M407S Magenta, CLT-C407S Cyan, CLT-Y407S Yellow Black Toner Yield: 1 500 pages Magenta/Cyan/Yellow Colour Toner Yields: 1 000 pages each Also available: CLP-3185FN & CLX3185FW with wired and wireless networking respectively Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

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MONOCHROME LASER PRINTERS

HP LaserJet P1102

Samsung ML-1660

Canon iSensys MF4410

CATEGORY

Laser printer

3-in-1 laser printer, print, scan, copy

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Monochrome Laser

BEST USED AT

Home/office

ABOUT

The P1102 is a monochrome laser printer that’s perfect for printing all the office paperwork as it can handle a variety of print media and sizes; so if you’re looking for an admin assistant this is one worth hiring. A modest price tag, a decent monthly duty cycle and impressive print speeds make this a serious contender for employee of the month. With a fixed print resolution of 600 x 600 pixels and 18ppm output, you’ll get instant gratification from this device. Set up without a CD and print immediately using HP Smart Install technology and USB connectivity.

The ML 1660 is ultra-compact printer designed to meet specific printing needs in the home or small office. Because of its size, you might be tempted to think that it’s an Inkjet printer, as most laser printers are usually heavy and bulky but the ML-1660 is surprisingly light and compact, whilst being big on lightening your workload. With the ML1660 you’ll get the convenience and speed of laser prints and of only having to purchase one consumable – the toner cartridge. With a sprinkling of smart print features, moderate paper-handling capabilities and a small form factor you wont regret this purchase.

This monochrome laser printer offers excellent value as well as the ability to get everything done quicker. Small and compact this device offer useful features like colour scanning to PDF or copying with one touch of a button. A print resolution of up to 1200 x 600 dpi delivers sharp text and decent graphics, making this device perfect for printing text-heavy business documentation and for handling all your minor copying and scanning needs. You’re in control of everything using the LCD display and the 5 lines of text with animations makes it easier to access features and troubleshoot the device.

SPECIFICATIONS

Print Speed: Up to 18ppm (normal quality) LCD Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Toner Cartridges: HP LaserJet 85A Black XL Cartridges available: No Black Toner Yield: 1 600 pages Also available: Wireless networking Warranty: 1 year

Print Speed: Up to 16ppm LCD Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: None Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Toner Cartridges: Samsung Black Toner cartridge MLT-D104S XL Cartridges available: No Black Toner Yield: 1 500 pages Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Up to 23ppm LCD Screen: Yes, 5-line Touch Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: None Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Toner Cartridges: Canon Cartridge 728 Black Toner Yield: 2 100 pages Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

BENEFITS OF MONOCHROME LASER PRINTERS Laser printers that print in black only have several advantages over other printer types. Firstly, mono laser printers are one of the cheapest, yet most effective printing options available today, offering laser-sharp text and images for professional-looking office documents. Plus, they are much faster than most inkjet printers, and since they only use one toner cartridge they are a lot less complicated to operate. Laser toner also goes further than ink, enabling many more pages to be printed from a single cartridge, resulting in a lower total cost of ownership for the consumer. For reliable, cost-effective and speedy black and white prints, monochrome laser printers are a fantastic choice.

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MONOCHROME LASER PRINTERS

HP LaserJet M1132

Samsung SCX-3200

Canon i-Sensys MF4550D

HP LaserJet M1212NF

CATEGORY

3-in-1 laser printer, print, scan, copy

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Monochrome Laser

BEST USED AT

Home

Home/office

ABOUT

If you’re looking for a beautifully simplistic, energy-efficient and affordable multi-function device, this is one to consider. The LaserJet M1132 is a seriously hard-working mono printer that will give you excellent quality documents at impressive speeds, whilst offering you the convenience of copying and scanning. Connecting solely through USB, set up doesn’t require an installation CD and bells and whistles on this device have been kept to a minimum as well, making it hassle-free to operate. An automatic ON/OFF functionality helps reduce operational costs, as does the fact that the M1132 only requires a single print cartridge.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Up to 18ppm LCD Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Toner Cartridges: HP Color LaserJet Toner CB540A Black Toner Yield: 2 200 pages Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

This compact multifunction device will more than surprise you with its capability and efficiency. The Print Screen functionality allows you to instantly print what you’re viewing, whilst the Eco-Print button allows you to combine multiple pages into one print – saving you time, toner and paper. Because it’s monochrome it’s intended for users that print lots of text-based documents, and the copy and scan functionality adds another element of convenience to your office administrative tasks as well. Easy maintenance requirements and a reasonable price tag means that having a laser MPF is a necessity, not a luxury.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Up to 16ppm LCD Screen: 2-digit LED Touchscreen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Toner Cartridges: Samsung MLT-D1042S Black Toner Yield: 1 500 pages Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

4-in-1 multifunction laser, print, scan, copy, fax

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Monochrome Laser

BEST USED AT

Home/office

Home/small office

ABOUT

Mono laser multifunction devices are readily becoming more affordable, which means it’s easier (and more cost-effective) to bring them into the home environment. With a 35-page automatic document feeder, automatic duplex printing and quick output speeds, there’s nothing like the convenience and quality of home laser printing and copying. With a higher paper-handling capacity than most devices in the same class, you wont have to spend much time refilling paper trays. A single toner cartridge means upkeep is minimal and a wide variety of print media support makes this device more useful than you can imagine.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Up to 25ppm LCD Screen: Yes Touch screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: None Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Toner Cartridges: Canon Cartridge 728 Black Toner Yield: 2 100 pages Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

A decently-priced laser all-in-one office assistant makes for resource-sharing with wired networking. It’s easy to install without the need for a CD, and you’ll spend less time maintaining the M1212nf, as the single consumable only need be replaced every 1600 pages. A 35sheet ADF makes light work of scanning, copying and faxing demands and Instant-On technology means you’ll never be left twiddling your thumbs while the device warms up. The M1212fn also comes with an excellent OCR software bundle, which is useful for editing text-based scanned and copied documents easily.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Up to 18ppm LCD Screen: Yes, 2-line Touch Screen: No Connectivity: Ethernet, USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Toner Cartridge: HP LaserJet 85A Black Black Toner Yield: 1 600 pages Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

BENEFITS OF MONOCHROME MFPs Black and white multi-function laser printers are the workhorses of many offices. While colour is nice to have, it can be comparatively costly to maintain as multiple toner cartridges are needed to produce colour documents. For offices with much simpler needs, where the speed of each print and the sharpness of document text is more important than how pretty each page looks, monochrome multi-function laser printers are the best choice. They offer a low cost per page thanks to the much-greater capacity of the average toner cartridge when compared to inkjet cartridges, and the ability to copy documents and scan them to a Flash drive or network location (some can even scan documents in full colour) are functions most offices would be lost without. Monochrome MFPs balance the total cost of ownership and functionality with high-quality documents, reliability and speed.

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MONOCHROME LASER/INKJET PRINTERS

Samsung SCX-4623F

Samsung SCX-4623FN

Canon Pixma IP4840

Canon Pixma IP2700

CATEGORY

CATEGORY 4-in-1 multifunction laser, print, scan, copy, fax

CATEGORY

4-in-1 multifunction laser, print, scan, copy, fax

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Monochrome Laser

BEST USED AT

Home/office

ABOUT

Along with delivering full multipurpose print functionality – print, copy, colour scan and fax – the SCX-4623F offers a range of features guaranteed to boost productivity in the home or office space without breaking the bank. Simplified menus and buttons reduce troubleshooting time, and quick print, copy, scan and fax speeds mean you’ll spend more time in front of your computer and less time in front of the printer. The Print Screen feature allows you to print your screen, from multiple sources, and AnyWeb Print allows you to gather data from the Internet and print, helping you effectively consume a vast amount of information.

If you’re part of a workgroup and you’re looking for a laser workhorse, the Samsung SCX-4623F is worth considering. Along with delivering a range of convenient print functions – print, copy, colour scan and fax – the SCX-4623FN offers a package of features guaranteed to boost productivity in the home or office space, including network capabilities. The perfect administration assistant, it simplifies document archiving and retrieval with its range of features that turn paper into indexed, electronic documents with SmarThru Office. This device is easy to operate, and its compact, robust design makes it a reliable companion in even the most intensive work environments.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Up to 22ppm LCD Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Standard Toner Cartridge: Samsung MLT-105S XL Toner Cartridges available: Yes, Samsung MLT-105L Black Toner Yield: 1 500 pages (standard), 2500 (XL) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Up to 22ppm LCD Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0, Ethernet PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Standard Toner Cartridge: Samsung MLT-105S XL Toner Cartridges available: Yes, Samsung MLT-105L Black Toner Yield: 1 500 pages (standard), 2500 (XL) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

Lab-quality Photo and Document Printer

Digital Photo and Document Printer

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Inkjet, Individual Ink Cartridges

BEST USED AT

Home

ABOUT

The Pixma iP4840 combines design, performance and advanced software to create the ultimate specialist printer that delivers high-quality prints at high speed. With a 9600 x 2400 pixel print resolution, you’ll be getting the best quality prints possible, making this device perfect shutterbugs looking to print their photographs out, at home. An excellent software package consisting of a photofixing application and a web-printing application sweetens the deal. There’s also duplex printing as a standard feature, two paper inputs and this device is also capable of printing directly on a suitable disc (like DVD, CD and Blu-Rays), making this one of the most versatile of specialised printers on the market.

SPECIFICATIONS Special Function: Print directly onto DVDs/CDs Print Speed: Black up to 11ipm, Colour up to 9ipm LCD Screen: Yes, pop-up Touch Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0 PictBridge: Yes Duplexing: Manual Standard Ink Cartridge Models: PGI425PGBK (Black), CLI-426C/M/Y/GY (Cyan/Magenta/Yellow/Grey) XL Cartridges Available: Yes, black only (PGI-426BK) Black Ink Yield: 341 pages, 3800 photos (Standard), 3005 pages, 660 photos (XL) Cyan Ink Yield: 520 pages, 307 photos (Standard) Magenta Ink Yield: 500 pages, 204 photos (Standard) Yellow Ink Yield: 515 pages, 202 photos (Standard) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

The IP2700 is the perfect home printer that’s capable of producing gorgeous photographic prints and excellentquality documents with a 4800 x 1200 print resolution. It comes with two software packages; one to apply basic fixes to photographs and the other to allow you to collate web-clippings into a single printable document. The IP2700’s compact design means it will fit snugly on any shelf and wont take up much desk real estate and a high-speed USB connection means that you’re not reliant on a wireless network to print.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Approximately 7.0ipm (Black), Approximately 4.8ipm (Colour) LCD Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Standard Ink Cartridge: PG-510 (Black), CL-511 (Colour) XL Cartridges available: Yes, PG-512 (Black), CL-513 (Colour) Black Cartridge Yield: 220 pages, 2 955 photos (standard), 501 pages, 7 275 photos (XL) Colour Cartridge Yield: 244 pages, 83 photos (standard), 349 pages, 122 photos (XL) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

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COMPACT/LARGE FORMAT INKJET PRINTERS

Canon Selphy CP-800

Canon Selphy ES-40

CATEGORY

Compact Photo Printer

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY Inkjet

BEST USED AT home/parties

ABOUT With the Selphy CP-800 you can print your photographs anywhere, any time. It’s seriously compact, lightweight and is easy to pack along on trips and outings. It’s ideal for setting up at parties or weddings as the Selphy’s built-in card slots let anyone print from their compatible memory cards or directly from PictBridge-enabled digital cameras. There’s even the option of wireless printing – with an infraredenabled mobile phone, it’s a simple affair of pairing phone with printer before it produces your party snaps in bold, vivid colour. Plus, you can tweak your images before printing, ensuring picture perfect prints, every time.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: 1.28ppm LCD Screen: Yes, with tilt Touch Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0, Bluetooth kit is optional PictBridge: Yes Duplexing: None Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes Standard Ink Cartridge: KP-36IP Ink & Paper Kit XL Cartridges Available: Yes Ink Cartridge Yields: 36 photos (KP36IP), 72 photos (KP-72IN), 108 photos (KP-108IN) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

HP Officejet 7000

HP DeskJet 470wbt

CATEGORY

Compact Photo Printer

Wide format printer

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

Dye Sublimation, Integrated ink and paper cartridges

HP Thermal Inkjet, Individual Ink Cartridges

BEST USED AT

Anywhere

Specialist workgroups

ABOUT

Alone or with friends, at home or on the go, the Selphy ES-40 delivers the perfect mix of quality and usability. Preview and edit your images before you print, access Creative Print options to customise your images and use the Portrait Image Optimizer which automatically detects faces, corrects backlight and reduces noise. An additional feature that will prove very useful for technophobes is the Voice Guidance functionality, which will hold your hand through the printing process, helping you out when you need it. There’s memory-card, PictBridge and Bluetooth printing support making this a portable, convenient photo printing solution.

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: One 10cm x 15cm colour photo in approximately 55 seconds LCD Screen: Yes Touch Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0, optional Bluetooth kit PictBridge: Yes Duplexing: No Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes Standard Ink Cartridge: Easy Photo Pack E-C25 Bigger Photo Packs Available: Yes Photo Pack Yields: 25 photos (E-C25), 50 photos (E-P50), 100 photos (E-P100) Non-Standard Photo Packs: 20-photo Silver & Gold Special Effects (E-P20 Silver, E-P20 Gold) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

This device handles large format printing, up to A3 in size. It is intended to be a high-performance unit that can be utilised by multiple users on a wired network. With excellent print resolutions, high-volume paper handling and a monthly duty cycle of 7000 pages, this printer delivers on its promises. From big to small, this device handles all print jobs - document and photo prints, from credit card size, right up to A3 prints. Connectivity options are limited to USB and Ethernet. Handles 150-sheets of paper, a variety of media sizes and types and has manual duplex printing.

SPECIFICATIONS Black Print Speed: Up to 33ppm (draft), up to 8ppm (laser quality) Colour Print Speed: Up to 31ppm (draft), up to 7ppm (laser quality) LCD Screen: No Connectivity: Ethernet, USB 2.0 PictBridge: No Duplexing: Manual Digital Memory Card Reader: No Standard Ink Cartridge Models: HP920 Black, HP920 Cyan/Magenta/Yellow XL Cartridges Available: Yes Black Ink Yield: 420 pages (standard), 1 200 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 300 pages (standard), 700 pages (XL) Warranty: 3 years

OVERALL SCORE

Portable General-purpose Printer

PRINTING TECHNOLOGY Thermal Inkjet, tri-colour cartridges

BEST USED AT Anywhere

ABOUT Print great-looking documents and photos with the take-everywhere H470wbt, which comes equipped with Bluetooth wireless technology and a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery. Pick up and pack up – this printer is lightweight and comfortable to carry and offers true mobile printing with a battery life sufficient for 480 prints. The perfect traveling companion for any notebook or PDA because it offers Bluetooth, two USB ports, 1 PictBridge port and support for SD cards, it’s all about connectivity and mobility!

SPECIFICATIONS Print Speed: Black up to 22ppm, Colour up to 18ppm LCD Screen: No Connectivity: USB 2.0, Wireless b/g, Bluetooth PictBridge: Yes Duplexing: Manual Digital Memory Card Reader: Yes Standard Ink Cartridge Models: HP129 Black, HP135 Tri-Colour XL Cartridges Available: Yes – HP131 Black, HP134 Tri-Colour Black Ink Yield: 400 pages (standard), 450 pages (XL) Colour Ink Yield: 260 pages (standard), 450 pages (XL) Warranty: 1 year

OVERALL SCORE

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Our way of protecting the environment

Bring in any old technology and we will either re-furbish and donate it to those in need or we will ensure that the items are disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner with Enviro Connection and Desco. Enjoy discounts off your purchase of a new printer cartridge or toner when you bring in your empty ones. (Terms & conditions apply)

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eavy rains and threats of flooding, not to mention the serious lightning storms and the unpredictable power situation some parts of South Africa have experienced over the past month don’t create all that fantastic an environment for technology to live in. And having just kitted yourself and your children out with the latest and greatest the technology world has to offer, it’s probably an apt time to think strongly about the adequate care of your new technology assets. And as usual, common sense prevails. That means making sure that you avoid eating and drinking around it (since a drinks spill can result in a complete hardware failure), that you unplug it from wall sockets or network/ phone cables during an electrical storm and that for your own comfort, you consider using it in an ergonomic manner. And the same applies for the various components in your home – from broadband routers to televisions, amplifiers

and gaming consoles, if you’re lucky enough to own them – keep them safe from harm, by exercising common sense. While you can do your best to keep your technology well maintained and safe from harm, there’s often something unforeseen lurking around the corner – and that’s why more and more people are considering short term insurance for their technology assets. And with technology becoming a more vital part of our lives – in the same way it’s wise to insure your car or other precious possessions, so it’s wise to make sure your notebook and other computing devices are covered. This is especially relevant if your technology assets are financed. Besides ensuring nothing serious happens to your notebook or desktop computer, basic care and a solid insurance policy will ensure you gain many years of valuable use from your purchases. And that’s surely the whole point of buying right the first time.

Like it? Take it home. Get Connected

Take advantage of our “back to reality” upgrades, new software and the hottest new technology! See something you like? No problem, just use your Connection Card. It’s the fast, convenient, easy-to-manage way to enjoy all the benefits of shopping at Incredible Connection. The new Connection Card gives you:

R250 off* a purchase of R3 000 or more, a FREE monthly Connect Magazine along with your monthly statement and a discount voucher on your birthday! If you haven’t got a Connection Card yet, simply apply at any Incredible Connection store countrywide or visit www.incredible.co.za. We’ve got some amazing deals up for grabs so make sure you don’t miss out! Boost your buying power and keep up to speed with the latest in technology.

Choose it. Charge it. Take it home. *Terms & Conditions. R250 discount voucher redeemable on a single purchase of R3 000 or more. Discount voucher valid for 2 months from date of issue. Connection Card financed and administered by Maravedi Financial Solutions (Pty) Ltd. Maravedi is an authorised financial services and registered credit provider. NCRCP74. PrintersBuyersGuide covers.indd 3 M07-68179B CONNECT ADS_FEB.indd 1

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