By Lee Rickwood
In many ways, the Samsung ML-3712DW monochrome wireless laser printer is for people who hate printing. It’s that good!
It’s fast and quiet (noisy printers drive me crazy!). It’s competitively priced for the many features it offers, including some nice green eco-options (almost any printing gives me enviro-guilt!).
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Printer Specs Shine
This printer really shines in a high volume, fast turnaround office environment because it has the speed and power to do so. Huge files can be output in a short time, with its fast 37 pages per minute output.
From a ‘cold start’, the first page is out in just six or seven seconds, but as it warms up, pages come out every couple of seconds. Duplex (printed on both sides) pages are not much slower at all.
The fact that the ML-3712DW comes with a 600 MHz Dual Core processor and expandable memory up to 384MB don’t hurt productivity, and greatly speeds up a print queue.
The printer comes with a standard 250-page cassette and 50-page multipurpose tray; by adding a 520-page optional cassette there’s more capacity for even bigger jobs and greater paper handling.
All this speed and power does not mean that quality has been overlooked.
In fact, at 1,200 dpi, its output looks very good. Small fonts are crisp and clear; tonal quality is excellent and the gradations between black and while even on printed photos is gradual and realistic, not banded and processed.
Measuring 14.4”x 14.5” x10”, the unit itself is kind of boxy, but still smaller than other monochrome laser printers on the market. It can fit on a desktop without taking up too much workspace.
Wireless Connectivity Built-in
But there’s no need to put it there – it’s a wireless printer, so it can be placed just about anywhere (within Wi-Fi range) in the office that’s appropriate. No cables to run between PC and printer, although it can be connected to a PC via USB or Ethernet/LAN if necessary.
The Samsung 1630 has more styish looks, but not as many features.
(In fact, Samsung has a much more attractive printer if you really need one on the desktop, or in public view – the Samsung 1630 wireless printer looks gorgeous and is very complimentary to an office décor. Its tray is half the capacity, and it only prints on a single side of paper, however.)
The Samsung ML-3712DW has a one-touch feature for connecting to Wi-Fi. Just hit the Wi-Fi Protected Setup button on the top control panel; no manual configurations or complicated pass code entries are required.
While there is a small two-line LCD screen for user controls and info display, it’s kind of hard to read. Most printer configuration can be done through software and Web-based tools; there’s no user manual to speak of; but quick start guides and online reference material is available.
Helps the Budget and the Environment
Another button on the ML-3712DW, called the ECO button, lets you save big time on paper and toner, by printing two or even four pages on one side of a sheet! It’s in landscape mode, of course, and in a smaller font, but it is a great way to economize and be eco-friendly at the same time, by letting the printer convert printouts to two or four pages per sheet and by enabling duplex printing.
Another eco-friendly aspect of the printer (both economical and ecological) is the replacement toner cartridge it uses.
In fact, toner cartridges for the ML-3712DW are available in different sizes, such as a 2,000 and a higher yield 5,000-page version, offering greater cost efficiency and fewer toner replacements.
Changing cartridges can be another reason to hate printing, but the Samsung swaps out fairly easily – and toner replacements can be ordered pretty cheaply online.
At first, all I could find was a $170 cost for the high yield cartridge (about $95 for the low yield).
But then I saw the same replacement toner cartridges for $99 and $54, respectively, which is not bad at all. At inkcartridges.ca
Printer resolution (1,200 dpi) is very good, higher than this photo can accurately show.
Conclusions – and a Call to Action
So, the Samsung ML-3712DW monochrome laser printer does not have fancy add-ons like a copier or scanner, nor does it print in colour.
But what it does it does with speed and power – turning out printed pages.
It supports an assortment of different media sizes including A4, A5, A6, letter, legal, folio and executive. It’s output is fast and very high quality, with two-sided printing jobs coming out almost as soon as simplex.
It’s wireless capability and small footprint makes it ideal for the busy office environment, and its green features like Eco printing and the built-in duplexer can help save toner, paper and money.
There are cheaper units on the market, but with its overall feature set and output capabilities, this unit has to be seen as a very competitive and conscientious printer choice.
Or a terrific contest prize!
* * *
The basic printer package, with Quick Start Guide, CD and cables.
Samsung ML-3712DW
Description
- Monochrome laser printer
- Automatic duplexer
- Built-in Wi-Fi, network connectivity, USB
- 250-sheet cassette tray
- 50-sheet multipurpose tray
- 14.4″ x 14.5″ x 10″ and 21 lbs
Printing Specifications
- B&W Print Speed up to 37 ppm (maximum speed at which a printer outputs black text. Print speed is measured in pages per minute (ppm)
- Up To 1,200 dpi Print Resolution (number of dots per inch (dpi) a printer generates. The higher the dot count, the sharper the image)
- First Print Out Time (B&W): 6.5 Sec.
- Media Size: A4, A5, A6, Letter, Legal, Folio, Oficio, Executive, ISO B5, JIS B5, 3″x5″, Envelope(Monarch, No.10, DL, C5, C6), Custom (range of paper sizes that can be printed on a machine. 3″ x 5″ is index card size. 8.5″ x 14″ is legal size)
- Prints on: Plain Paper, Thin, Thick, Recycled, Bond, Cardstock, Archive
General Specifications
- Uses operating systems that support a specific laser printer. Windows and Linux are standard OS for PCs
- First Print Out Time (B&W): 6.5 Sec. ( Time it takes a black & white laser printer to scan and output the first page of a b & w printing job)
- Built-in Duplex Printing – function that allows a user to print on both sides of a sheet of paper.
- 250 Sheet Cassette Tray Size (sheet count and form of the apparatus that feeds paper into a printer)
- 50 Sheet Multi-Purpose Tray Size (sheet count and form of the apparatus that feeds paper into a printer)
- 5,000 Pages Per Cartridge (number of pages that an ink or toner cartridge can output before a new cartridge is needed)
- Prints On: Plain Paper, Thin, Thick, Recycled, Bond, Cardstock, Archive Forms of stationary that can be printed on a laser printer in addition to standard paper
- Display: 2 Line LCD Display
- Dimensions: 14.4″ x 10″ x 14.5″
- Weight: 21.9 lbs. (including toner)
Consumables ( number of pages that an ink or toner cartridge can output before a new cartridge is needed)
- 2,000 Pages Per Cartridge -Black (MLT-D205S)
- 5,000 Pages Per Cartridge – Black (MLT-D205L)
- 10,000 Pages Per Cartridge – Black (MLT-D205E)
Warranty
- 1 Year
