HP 2600n Dream Machine

[Dave Ulmer]

For years I have dreamed of owning a color laser printer and now I have one,
the Hp 2600n $400. Since I live full time in a motorhome, size mattered most
in making my decision. I wish it was smaller, but at least it fits in.

My first impressions are WOW! Fast sharp COLOR! Not as good as an inkjet for
photos but close enough to be hard to tell the difference at an arms length.
Flesh tones are just as good as my inkjet!

I will be using it for business cards, brochures, and letterhead so the ink
can't smear if coffee is spilled on it. Never done these in color before so
it opens up a whole new challenge for me.

My big question is: Will it pay for itself?

ER

 

[Elmo P. Shagnasty]

I will be using it for business cards, brochures, and letterhead so the ink
can't smear if coffee is spilled on it. Never done these in color before so
it opens up a whole new challenge for me.

My big question is: Will it pay for itself?

That depends on your business ability. Trust me, a $400 color laser
printer is designed to be EXPENSIVE to operate. They might as well have
given it to you for free, because they're counting on all their income
coming from your supply purchases.

As for letterhead: I certainly hope you don't think you're going to
print the letterhead separately and then run the page back through
another (or the same) laser device to print a letter onto it.

You can put the color laser printed piece through an inkjet, but not
through another hot fuser system.

 

[Evad Remlu]

That depends on your business ability. Trust me, a $400 color laser
printer is designed to be EXPENSIVE to operate. They might as well have
given it to you for free, because they're counting on all their income
coming from your supply purchases.

Yep for $320 I can buy four new cartridges. For $400 I can buy a whole new
printer with four new cartridges!
So lets see: How does that compare with the cost of Inkjet printing? Its a
lot cheaper!

Also: Time is Money. A color print in 18 seconds saves my time considerably.

As for letterhead: I certainly hope you don't think you're going to
print the letterhead separately and then run the page back through
another (or the same) laser device to print a letter onto it.

You can put the color laser printed piece through an inkjet, but not
through another hot fuser system.

I will be using electronic letterhead added to the text document at print
time.

ER

 

[Fred McKenzie]

Yep for $320 I can buy four new cartridges. For $400 I can buy a whole new
printer with four new cartridges!
So lets see: How does that compare with the cost of Inkjet printing? Its a
lot cheaper!

ER-

You're quite right about the costs. However my HP printer came with
"starter" cartridges that were only 25% full when new. Your comparison
may be a little skewed by that.

In theory, the cost of supplies per printed page should be less with a
laser printer. There are some less expensive sources for HP color toner
cartridges including some on eBay. If there aren't yet, refill kits are
likely to become available for color lasers as they proliferate.

I think the key for Dave, is that he can fit it into his setup.

Fred

 

[Bob Kos]

Also: Time is Money. A color print in 18 seconds saves my time considerably.

I'm curious. Does that printer REALLY shoot a color print in 18 seconds
after you hit the 'GO' button? I have a Tektronix Phaser 550 and it takes
about 3 weeks to get the first page out the shute.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

One has to read the reviews to find out the truth about the real time
the image takes to print on the new HP printers. Although they are
fast, they are nowhere near the time they claim when you consider spool
time, paper movement and more importantly, that number is based on a
resolution that most people will find unacceptable.

Art

 

[AdMan]

I have the 2600. While not as fast as my B&W laser it prints out the first
color page quick enough for me.

 

[kolorwell]

HP 2600n does not offer PCL printing language so that I do not inves
for photographic printing