Excellent Office Printer, Compatibility King
Pros:
USB, Ethernet (network), Parallel port, compatibility. Many Windows versions support. Light, small, fast, cheap.
Cons:
140 Meg software install. Network setup confusing.
The Bottom Line:
Excellent value for small office with diverse computers that might be incompatible with modern printers. This printer supports USB, parallel port, Ethernet (network) and almost all versions of Windows.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I won't disagree with the review by fieldtester because my usage is different. I turn the printer off when not in use, and I have a "PC" compatible computer. I agree I scratched my head when setting it up as a network printer. Finally I just ran the SetIP program and it found the printer (I guess by MAC address) and I typed in a fixed IP address (I have my router configured as DHCP server to supply IP addresses in the 100 - 255 range, so I set my printer to 99 to not conflict). After that, it has worked beautifully on my small office network. Now on the plus side, if you just want to plug the printer into a USB port on a computer, it probably is a simple plug-and-play operation and you don't need to worry about the network issues.
I will add one other small negative - the installation software installs a huge load of software (I think 140 Meg!).
However, that's also a good thing because the real strength of this printer is it's compatibility. I have computers running all kinds of Windows versions, including Windows Server NT 4.0 on a computer that has no USB port. This Samsung has drivers for it! I love it. Probably if you know what you are doing, you could delete or avoid a lot of the software that is installed (anything not relevant for your computer).
The printer also is super compatible from a hardware standpoint also. I can't believe it has connectors for parallel port, ethernet, and USB! That is amazing for a printer at this price. I also got a great deal at Fry's, $50 after rebate, so I'm partially biased by the price I got. But I think it is just an outstanding office printer for small offices like mine that don't want to throw out old equipment because of compatibility issues.
My previous laser printer is an HP IIIP (still working, but on its last legs). The Samsung seems blindingly fast in comparison as it spits out pages a few seconds apart. It's not the quietest printer when printing, but I don't print heavily. I really like the small footprint and light weight for moving it around. The quality seems very good. I have not drained the original cartridge yet, but I'm not surprised if it is a "spare tire" and not a full cartridge.
My overall opinion is I love the printer. A true network printer with super compatibility.
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