[NTLUG:Discuss] Color Laser Printers for Linux - Recommendations?

[Stan Gatchel]

Congratulations! It would make a nice demonstration... hint.  :-)


Chris Cox wrote:
> Chris Cox wrote:
>   
>> Stan Gatchel wrote:
>>     
>>> Well, the old Apple LaserWriter 630 has been diagnosed with a bad logic 
>>> board. Can't locate one on Ebay soooo, after 15 years I'm on the prowl 
>>> for a new printer. I was thinking about color lasers. I am using 
>>> PCLinuxOS 2007. It looks like they have a lot of print drivers.
>>>
>>> I mainly do business printing (mostly text but it would be nice to spot 
>>> some color once and a while). My wife prints full color from africam all 
>>> the time so she would use most of the toner. :-/
>>>
>>> I have a Linux desktop and Mac in the same room (no wireless yet) and 
>>> want to share a printer via ethernet. Looking for a new one under say $600
>>>
>>> Any recommendations?
>>>       
>> Well... I'll tentatively recommend the HP CP3505, but it's more than
>> what you were wanting to pay.  My advice is to be careful.  Toner pricing
>> is expensive.  For example a lower end (more affordable) HP color laser
>> might be half the price, BUT the toner cartridges only hold 1/3 as much
>> yet cost half as much.  So... depending on how long or how much you use
>> the printer, the higher end business models may pay for themselves (the
>> price difference) only after a year or two and you get the nice features
>> like PostScript, network, duplex, etc.
>>
>> Also, HP (for example) delivers their printers with full toner
>> cartridges, whereas other vendors only ship half or 1/3 cartridges
>> with their printers.  Oddly, in a lot of cases, competitive printers
>> end up cost double that of the HP if you consider that.
>>
>> Also, with an HP, you replace a cartridge instead of up to 9 different
>> parts (HP cartridges are all-in-one).
>>
>> So... laser on the cheap?  Maybe not... or maybe yes...
>>
>> Why "tentatively" recommend?  Christmas isn't here yet :-)
>>
>>     
>
> Mrs. Cox bought me the HP CP3505.  It's great!
>
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