SAMSUNG’S
ML-1450 and ML-1440 Printers
Lately,
there has been quite a lot of competition going on in the laser printer’s
market. Of course, Samsung, a potential player in this market, is involved
in this race to the top. Therefore, we shall today review two samples that
they sent to us. These units are the ML-1450 and ML-1440 printers. Due to
the fact that the only different between the two units is that the ML-1450
enjoys a 1200 DPI while its little brother only has a 600 DPI, this review
will be based on the ML-1450 specs and performances.
| Features |
The
unit |
- Speed 15 ppm
- Resolution 1200 dpi
- Duty cycle 12,000 pages per month
- Processor 66 MHz RISC Processor MHz
- Memory Maximum 68 MB
|
|
So,
do these monochrome laser printers truly offer professional print, speed,
and robust paper handling capabilities just as Samsung claims them to do?
Well, all this will be revealed throughout this article. For that reason,
let’s go to the first section of this review: the examination of the ML-1450’s
specifications and features.
Specifications
The
ML-1450 is not the smallest printer out there with its 14.3"x 16.1"
x 11.6" dimensions (weighting 27.3 lbs without any paper in the cassette).
For the noise ratio, it only emits 35 dB while on standby and 48 dB when printing.
These numbers are quite acceptable compared to some other laser printers I’ve
worked with.
Equipped
with a 66 MHz RISC processor, this unit possesses 4 MB of memory which is
upgradeable to up to 68 MB through a single 72pin SIMM expansion slot. Furthermore,
this device can print up to 15 PPM (which is quite good for a printer of its
class) and enjoys a real 1200 DPI resolution for crisp and sharp output.
Moreover,
the ML-1450 comes with a 270 sheet paper cassette (an optional 550 sheet paper
cassette is available) and a one sheet manual feeder which can be used for
envelopes, labels, card stock or transparencies. Consequently, there are three
output bays on this printer, but, as for the main one, it can contain 250
sheets facing down or 100 sheets facing up.
It
also comes with a toner cartridge (which can be bought separately and features
a 6000 pages life. With the Toner Save option turned on, you can stretch that
life spend by up to 40%! Furthermore, the monthly duty cycle of this laser
printer is of an excellent 12000 sheets (that is more that enough for someone
like me that printed about 1000 sheets in three months). Yes, that is indeed
a lot of paper.
Along
with this, the ML-1450 features (Samsung standards) the N-up (which enables
you to print up to 16 pages on a single paper), Poster, Watermark, and Overlay
printing options. Last, but not the least in the paper specs, this unit enjoys
Paper Jam Free Technology. As
for compatibility features, this device supports Windows 95/98/2000/NT4.0/Me/XP,
Linux, Mac OS (8.6 and greater) through IEEE 1284 Parallel or USB interface.
Samsung ML Model
Installation
and Results
Like
the ML-4600 I previously reviewed, the ML-1450 didn’t give me any installation
problems under Windows XP, NT, and 98. For Win XP, the printer was recognized
as soon as I connected it. In the two other Operating systems, all I had to
do is pop in the driver CD in my CD-ROM and select the appropriate drivers.
As
for printing results, through three months of normal operation, the ML-1450
didn’t give me any problems whatsoever. No ink leaks, paper jams (yes, the
Paper Jam Free Technology worked perfectly!), etc. Well, actually, nothing
except the fact that I ran out of paper a couple of times. Even when I printed
more then 50 pages at the same time, this unit would do exactly what it was
supposed to do. As for its printing time, I’ve calculated an average time
of 16 seconds for the first paper which is quite acceptable for this unit.
It actually printed faster and nicer than my college’s newly bought Lexmark
laser printers.
Summation
The
ML-1450 (by extension the ML-1440) is a solid and well balanced printer. It
offers great features for about $260 USD and doesn’t seem to break easily.
Still, I was a little disappointed when I noticed it only had 4 MB of memory.
I expected it to have 8 MB of memory. This would have distinguished it even
more from the ML-1440. Furthermore, a NIC version of this printer would be
appreciate because I really think this device would be more practical in a
small office then in a house. Nevertheless, the ML-1450 holds up to Samsung’s
claim to offer professional print, speed, and robust paper handling. Therefore,
I give this printer (and its brother) an 8.5/10.
David
Dorgerville
02/12/15
