Samsung CLP-500N Laser Printer

Rating:
Summary: Best Color Laser Printer For The Money
Review: I had been looking around for a color laser printer that could do duplexing (printing on both side of the paper) for less than $1000.00, and that could also be plugged straight into my computer network, that way I would not have to purchase a print server. And this printer filled all those requirements, and came in below budget.

This printer is 77 pounds or so, and kinda bulky, so bring a friend and a case of beer when you purchase and set-up this printer.

As far as setting up the printer, it was fairly easy; install the drum, paper moving device and 4 toners. After that you just plug it into the USB port and you are off.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WARNING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you are putting the printer on a network as I did, the instructions that come with the printer are not complete. The instructions tell you how to add a port to your computer for the print server, but never tell you how to get you computer to see the print server. The print server installation took me several hours and then I discovered by mistake how to get the darn thing working. If this paragraph is slightly confusing to you, you will be in the boat that I found myself in.

This printer is not the fastest printer in the world, but what do you expect for less than $600.00. Other printers that have the same features as the CLP-500n are alot more expensive. Take the laser printer (500.00) add a duplexer ($350.00), and a network card (250.00) and you can see why this is a great laser printer for the buck.

Best of all, the cost per page in color and B&W are low, alot lower than using an inkjet printer, and the CLP-500n is quiet.

You can't go wrong with the purchase of this printer.

Rating:
Summary: Good, but not ALL good
Review: Setup was painless (in the physical sense too, as long as you have a helper. DON'T try to lift or move this printer by yourself unless you want a hernia). Inserting the imaging kit and transfer belt was straightforward, and inserting the toner cartridges was about as simple as putting a pie in the oven. It took longer to unwrap all the pieces than it did to insert them.

Print quality is ok, and the machine definitely lives up to the quieter-than-most claims, in fact it's not much louder than my old monochrome laser printer. As far as I know, it is the ONLY color laser printer under $1,000 to offer duplex (double-sided printing) standard rather than as an expensive add-on. It also has more memory than some comparably priced models.

Power consumption is more of an issue for home office or small business owners, but worth noting. The Minoltas draw about 1,000 watts of power while operating, while the HP and the Samsung only draw about 400. Size and weight: The Samsung weighs almost as much as the Minolta. The HP weighs almost half, at 47 pounds, but is nearly as big as the Samsung.

Controls: the Minolta and Samsung both have LCD displays and menus for controlling options. The HP Laserjet 1500 has lights that only indicate power and toner levels.

The fact that the main paper tray is entirely internal is nice -- this would not seem strange, except that with many of the lower price-point color lasers (most notably, the Konica-Minoltas and the HP 1500), the paper sticks out the side or sits on a fold-out tray, which is ugly and unless you're printing high volumes, will allow dust to collect and more easily enter the printer. (The Samsung also has a foldout tray for use with legal paper, etc.)

I have two complaints: One is that the included toners ("consumables") are less than half full. Inkjet manufactures also use this evil trick with their printers in an effort to keep the printer's purchase price down... but if you have to add $300 worth of new toner within the first 6 months of moderate use, the price of this printer isn't so attractive.

My second complaint won't mean anything to Windows users, but to me it's huge enough to contemplate a class-action lawsuit: Samsung touts Macintosh compatibility on the printer's box and on their web site. All of the retailers who sell it state that it is Mac compatible. Yet, you find out ONLY after paying $6-700, lugging the beast home, unpacking it and inserting the CD-ROM to get to the user guide, that the duplexing feature is not available to the Macintosh version of the driver. False advertising, that's what that is. It's bad business to state that a product is compatible, only to hide a major incompatibility in the documentation so that you only discover it AFTER purchase. It may be that an updated version of the driver will solve this issue, and I wrote to Samsung expressing my disappointment at this "oversight." All is not lost when it comes to double-sided printing with a Mac, however: the printer's LCD menu system/control panel allows you to turn duplexing on and off manually. This is a workaround, not a solution.

The networking options are VERY expensive ($189 for 10/100 Ethernet and $250 for wireless), you'd be better off buying your own print server and attaching it.

Rating:
Summary: Good, affordable color printing
Review: The Samsung CLP500N has served as a great tool for me to understand color laser printing and how the industry in general has not changed to accomodate newer technology or pricing pressures. The Samsung offers a new concept whereby the paper is routed by the toner cartridges, rather than the toner cartridges being moved around the paper path. This serves for a quieter and more stable machine. In addition, the built-in duplexer is the next step in the evolution of printers, the technological change makes sense. On top of that, the cost for the toner when printing with the Samsung is from 1/3 to 1/2 that of comparable Minolta and HP color lasers, according to the NSTL report (A 3rd party reviewer). All of these points make the Samsung the clear choice, were it not for the low price as well. True, the half-filled toner cartridges are disappointing, but after the absorption of the cost of full refills, you are still spending less money for printing than with the competitor's machine - still making the case for the Samsung.