Samsung CLP-510 Color Laser Printer

[IJ Reilly]

Does anyone have any experience with this printer, especially in terms of Mac compatibility and print quality? It appears to be a fairly new product so reviews on it are scarce.

These units are selling for as low as $299.00 (at Costco, a bit more elsewhere) -- an amazing price for a color laser. In addition to the low price, the printer includes a duplexer, which makes the price even more amazing. Also on the plus side is noise level; the Samsung is supposed to be quiet compared to most color laser printers.

 

[CanadaRAM]

Tangential issue: Samsung claim that the machine's memory is upgradeable, but they have jiggered the compatibility so you can only buy RAM from them, so budget accordingly if you are thinking of upgrading.

The CLP-510 is USB only, the CLP-510N has a network connection

 

[IJ Reilly]

Tangential issue: Samsung claim that the machine's memory is upgradeable, but they have jiggered the compatibility so you can only buy RAM from them, so budget accordingly if you are thinking of upgrading.

The CLP-510 is USB only, the CLP-510N has a network connection

So I have heard. I was going to ask about this as well because the standard 64mb of RAM is pretty minimal for a color laser. Thanks for confirming. I'm in the market for a network printer, so it would be the "n" model (about $100 more, still cheap).

Actually, I was about to pull the trigger on a Lexmark C-510n when I saw this printer in Costco yesterday. The RAM thing is a gotcha but then all the printers seem to have at least one of those. Still wondering about print quality.

 

[danny_w]

I was also intrigued by this low priced color laser, so I went looking for reviews. Like you said there aren't many. The other thing that I looked at was the prices of toner cartridges. This printer uses 4 (yes FOUR) cartridges, each at $90-$100. That means that replacing the toners in this machine will cost more than the machine itself. Ouch!

Another thing. I own a Samsung ML1430 b&w laser printer, which is great and the best investment that I ever made. HOWEVER, thr printer came with a partial toner cartridge installed (they call it a "starter" cartridge) which was god for 1000 pages instead of the normal 2500 pages for a new cartridge. I suggest that you check on if this color printer comes with "starter" cartridges as well. This could make it less of a buy than you thnk.

 

[CanadaRAM]

I was also intrigued by this low priced color laser, so I went looking for reviews. Like you said there aren't many. The other thing that I looked at was the prices of toner cartridges. This printer uses 4 (yes FOUR) cartridges, each at $90-$100. That means that replacing the toners in this machine will cost more than the machine itself. Ouch!

Another thing. I own a Samsung ML1430 b&w laser printer, which is great and the best investment that I ever made. HOWEVER, thr printer came with a partial toner cartridge installed (they call it a "starter" cartridge) which was god for 1000 pages instead of the normal 2500 pages for a new cartridge. I suggest that you check on if this color printer comes with "starter" cartridges as well. This could make it less of a buy than you thnk.

In general, the above is true of all colour laser printers -- 4 cartridges to replace and many come with short-fill cartridges in the box, to keep the initial price down.

Some colour lasers cost upwards of $800 for a cartridge set (although those ones do a LOT of pages)

 

[IJ Reilly]

The consumables for color laser printers are expensive. They all use four cartridges at about $100 each, and several (including the Samsung and HPs) have a chip in the cartridges that "expires" them at a fixed number of copies -- whether or not the toner is exhausted. The days of being able to shake the cartridge and get a few more copies out it are gone -- but I guess that's how the manufacturers are getting away with selling the printers so cheaply. They get you later on the consumables. The other common trick is the "starter" cartridges. Nearly everybody pulls that one, too. Every one of these printers come with "gotchas" included, at no extra charge.

I'm tempted to try the Samsung for an upcoming project for which I'll be doing a bunch of color printing. If it doesn't measure up, I'm only out $400.00 (for the network model), which the client will pay for, more or less anyway. I just don't look forward to the hassle of setting up a 70 lb. printer and then having to dispose of it later if I don't like it.

If anyone has printed with this machine, I'd sure like to hear about it.

 

[Switzermac]

I love the hp color laser its really good

 

[CanadaRAM]

I love the hp color laser its really good

Which one, specifically?
What sorts of work do you do with it?

 

[IJ Reilly]

I looked at several of the HPs. I really wanted to like them, since I've had good luck with HP laser printers in the past, but for the most part the color print quality is rated mediocre and the price for the printers and consumables, higher than average. HP fell off my list early on.

Today I decided to give the Samsung a try. Can hardly go wrong for $402.00 for a network color laser with a duplexer. Will report back in a couple of weeks after I get it and spend some time printing.