CRNTech: Seven best colour laser printers

Dell 1320cn

RRP: $229 Distributor: Dell

If you'd told us from the outset that one of this month's winners would be a network-capable, single-pass printer that would top the charts for quality and near the top for speed, we'd have had no trouble believing you. If you'd told us the same printer would retail for just $229, we'd have laughed you out of the room.

While the Dell 1320cn might look uninspiring, our tests revealed it to be nearly infallible. In print quality, for instance, it scored perfectly. Our business graphics printed crisply and evenly, and with white text on red we experienced no background bleeding. Gradients in bar graphs were smooth and consistent, and solid blocks of colour never appeared to be raised from the page, thanks to the weight of toner used.

Even our photographic test - the kiss of death for so many laser printers - was absolutely fine. Our mono photographic test was equally good.

It also managed our tests against the clock terrifically well. Over the course of our testing it averaged a fantastic 15.4ppm, trailing only the more expensive Lexmark C540n and Brother 4040CN. It was second in the group when it came to our demanding 24-page DTP document as well: despite a difficult mixture of graphical, photographic and typographical elements, the Dell shrugged off the challenge and turned in a performance of 13ppm.

It's almost enough to earn an unqualified recommendation, but there are a few problems. First is its TCO. With high-capacity colour toner cartridges running to $119 each, and a 20,000 page image drum setting you back $259, the 1320cn is one of the more expensive printers in the long run.

If you expect to print more than a few thousand pages over the life of the printer you should look at cheaper-to-run options, particularly if you're in the market for a single-user machine. It's also worth noting that at 380mm high, it isn't very compact. However, if you're only going to print occasionally and want to bag a fast, quality printer for just a shade under $230, it's a bargain.

Konica Minolta 1650EN

RRP: $469 Distributor: Alloys

As the Samsung CLP-315 and Dell 1320cn demonstrate, it's possible to get a spectacular amount of printer without spending much more than $200. The Konica Minolta 1650EN therefore has a tricky task on its hands, needing to balance performance and print quality without breaking the bank.

In terms of desk space, it's more intrusive than the Samsung CLP-315, but it offers more features. Top billing goes to the Ethernet port, which makes the 1650EN a decent choice for workgroups.

It can't match the Dell 1320cn for speed, however, thanks to its four-pass colour printing. Black and white printing was respectable, at 21ppm, but pages with colour printed at just 5ppm.

That means the Konica Minolta's chief rival is the smaller Samsung. Despite having similar maximum noise pressure claims - Konica Minolta says the 1650EN generates 50dB(A) at its loudest, versus Samsung's 47dB(A) - over the course of a few hundred pages, the Samsung was the quieter machine. Against the background hum of work and air conditioning in an office, most laser printers are acceptably quiet, but for a single-user home office the Samsung is more manageable.

There are few distinctions in terms of quality. The Konica Minolta couldn't match the likes of the Dell or Brother printers in our business graphics tests. Its output was less elegant and refined, and our test of white characters on a red background showed some bleed. It was in the middle of the pack for colour photographic quality, although it excelled in our monochrome photographic test. In terms of quality it was hard to make a distinction between it and the Samsung.

If you have a home office where a printer will be shared, the Samsung is the better choice, thanks to its wired networking. The 1650EN is pricier than the Samsung to buy outright, but thanks to the availability of a 3-colour toner value pack ($267) the costs stay reasonable.