Business analysts believe Dell's latest product could swing interest away from inkjets to laser printers, even though U.S. inkjet sales are winning the battle hands down--quadrupling the sales of laser printers during the first quarter of 2005.
Upside vs. Downside
While Dell’s new laser printer is notably cheaper than competitors’ prices, there are a few pros and cons of the product worth mentioning:
Pros: The print resolution is sharp (600 x 600 DPI), it handles up to 15 pages a minute and Dell's toner cartridge costs a low $65 with an estimated 2,000-page lifespan.
Cons: It works only on PCs running Windows 98 SE up to Windows XP, it comes with just a USB port (no Ethernet connection) and the 2MB RAM may make printing fancy fonts and pictures a little slower.
So, while the price tag may be enticing to consumers looking for a new printer, there are plenty of other features to consider before making a decision. Either way, chances are Dell’s new move is the start of something big.
ZDNet June 21, 2005
CNET.com June 24, 2005
New York Times June 30, 2005 (Registration Required)
I can remember when virtually no one had ever heard of a laser printer, and when they were restricted to large corporations with deep pockets. When I was finally able to purchase my first laser printer in the late ‘80s, it cost $3,000, had only 300 by 300-dpi resolution and printed at four pages per minute.
This is clearly one of the benefits of Moore’s Law--better computer products at far less expensive prices.
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