Color laser printer recommendations?

[Daniel Tonks]

I'm looking for a good color laser printer with decent performance,
excellent B&W output, network, and options for at least two paper drawers.
Duplex would be nice as well.

So far I seem to like the Lexmark C752 the best, mainly due to its 1200x1200
resolution and low[er] noise levels (55db operating compared to 70db for the
Phaser 6250). The printer is quite close to me, so I don't want something
too loud. I'm also partial to 1200dpi as I have an older B&W Lexmark laser
here (Optra S 1250), and there's a noticeable difference on text "crispness"
between 600 and 1200dpi. The Phaser is 2400x600dpi (wasn't the 6200
1200x1200?) and the comparable HP model is 600x600dpi.

However, save for the Lexmark and Xerox models, what other *good* color
laser printers are there? Cheaper models would, of course, be appreciated...

- Daniel

 

[TwoDotsSquared]

I'm looking for a good color laser printer with decent performance,
excellent B&W output, network, and options for at least two paper drawers.
Duplex would be nice as well.

So far I seem to like the Lexmark C752 the best, mainly due to its 1200x1200
resolution and low[er] noise levels (55db operating compared to 70db for the
Phaser 6250). The printer is quite close to me, so I don't want something
too loud. I'm also partial to 1200dpi as I have an older B&W Lexmark laser
here (Optra S 1250), and there's a noticeable difference on text "crispness"
between 600 and 1200dpi. The Phaser is 2400x600dpi (wasn't the 6200
1200x1200?) and the comparable HP model is 600x600dpi.

However, save for the Lexmark and Xerox models, what other *good* color
laser printers are there? Cheaper models would, of course, be appreciated...

- Daniel

You might want to check out Xante's CL30 printers - they are Adobe PS 3,
1200x1200 and prints up at around 165Line screen... Prints I have seen
off this color laser are very impressive. www.xante.com

 

[Daniel Tonks]

I'm looking for a good color laser printer with decent performance,
excellent B&W output, network, and options for at least two paper drawers.
Duplex would be nice as well.

So far I seem to like the Lexmark C752 the best, mainly due to its 1200x1200
resolution and low[er] noise levels (55db operating compared to 70db for the
Phaser 6250). The printer is quite close to me, so I don't want something
too loud. I'm also partial to 1200dpi as I have an older B&W Lexmark laser
here (Optra S 1250), and there's a noticeable difference on text "crispness"
between 600 and 1200dpi. The Phaser is 2400x600dpi (wasn't the 6200
1200x1200?) and the comparable HP model is 600x600dpi.

However, save for the Lexmark and Xerox models, what other *good* color
laser printers are there? Cheaper models would, of course, be appreciated...

- Daniel

You might want to check out Xante's CL30 printers - they are Adobe PS 3,
1200x1200 and prints up at around 165Line screen... Prints I have seen
off this color laser are very impressive. www.xante.com

And the price is shockingly impressive too - about double what I can afford!
But it certainly is nice looking... wide format printing *would* be handy.

- Daniel

 

[Wolf Kirchmeir]

On Fri, 19 Dec 2003 19:16:00 -0500, Daniel Tonks wrote:

=>And the price is shockingly impressive too - about double what I can afford!
=>But it certainly is nice looking... wide format printing *would* be handy.
=>
=>- Daniel

Whether you can afford the printer or not has more to do
with the operating costs than with the capital cost. The
cheapest laser printers are the ones in which you replace
only the toner, not the toner+drum cartridge. If the Xanta
printer is of this type, it may well be worth your while to
buy it - the high initial cost will be offset by its lower
operating cost. I haven't checked it out, but will as soon
as I get off this NG.

EG, a cheap HP colour laser is about $1000 Can at Staples
(600x600, or medium quality output). Each cartridge costs
about $200, so replacing the set (rated at 5,000 pages
each) costs almost as much as the printer. OTOH, a
toner-replacement B&W multi-function laser is priced at
around $1200 by the local office supply store. But the
toner cartridges are less than $100, and have a rated
capacity of 10,000 pages. (They also offer a very
attractive service contract, which is worthwhile if you
print more than about 500 pages/month.) It's clear that
the "more expensive black and white laser" is much cheaper
in the long run that the "cheap colour laser."

IOW, look beyond the capital cost. Often, short term $$$
pain means long term $$$ gain.

HTH

 

[OKI Tech Support]

Hello, Daniel!
You wrote on Fri, 19 Dec 2003 01:59:35 -0500:

DT> I'm looking for a good color laser printer with decent performance,
DT> excellent B&W output, network, and options for at least two paper
DT> drawers.
DT> Duplex would be nice as well.

DT> So far I seem to like the Lexmark C752 the best, mainly due to its
DT> 1200x1200 resolution and low[er] noise levels (55db operating
DT> compared to 70db for the
DT> Phaser 6250). The printer is quite close to me, so I don't want
DT> something too loud. I'm also partial to 1200dpi as I have an older
DT> B&W Lexmark laser here (Optra S 1250), and there's a noticeable
DT> difference on text "crispness"
DT> between 600 and 1200dpi. The Phaser is 2400x600dpi (wasn't the 6200
DT> 1200x1200?) and the comparable HP model is 600x600dpi.

DT> However, save for the Lexmark and Xerox models, what other *good*
DT> color laser printers are there? Cheaper models would, of course, be
DT> appreciated...

DT> - Daniel

Resolution is not just all about the color printing. I have seen printouts
made at 1200dpi and at 600 dpi on the color laser and it is not very clear
which one is better - sometimes 600dpi printouts look much more attactive
than 1200dpi.
I would recomment to look at Oki C5100/C5300 printers which produce very
high quality printouts and are fastest in class.
http://www.okidata.com/mkt/html/nf/LED_color.html They are chip enough to
hope for appreciation

Best Regards,
Sergey Lebedev
OKI Europe Ltd.
Tech Support
http://www.oki.ru
Tel: (095) 564 8421
ICQ: 32244445