At just 7.7 inches high x 13.9 inches wide x 14.6 inches deep, Samsung's ML-1710 obviously isn't a powerhouse printer, but it would be no small task to find another decent laser printer that costs less.

Due to its small size, the ML-1710 has only a modest paper-handling capacity (250 sheets of input and 50 sheets of output). However, this product is aimed at home users, who should find the paper-handling options more than sufficient. The ML-1710 has no Ethernet capabilities, but it does have a 90MHz RISC processor, 8MB of RAM (nonexpandable), and USB connectivity.

In my tests, the ML-1710 performed admirably given its low price. The first page of a 100-page text file (printed at the lowest resolution of 300 x 300 dpi) appeared in just 0:07 (minutes:seconds). The remainder of the document appeared in 6:20, at a rate of 15.8ppm. A few graphics and a higher quality setting (the maximum 600 x 600 dpi) didn't slow the printer down much. The first page of a six-page text-and-graphics file appeared in 0:06, and the entire document printed in 0:24 (15.1ppm). A three-page PowerPoint file had a first-page-out time of 0:07 and printed in 0:13 (13.4ppm).

Text printed at 300 x 300 dpi was quite jagged. However, after I adjusted the resolution to 600 x 600 dpi, the printer produced smooth, highly legible text in all other tests. Charts and clip art turned out well and had only slight banding. High-resolution graphics were fairly grainy, and blacks tended to be a bit too dark. However, I've seen much worse high-resolution images from printers that cost two or three times as much as the ML-1710.

Although this printer lacks many features, it is perfect for the home user who needs reasonable speeds, decent print quality, and a very affordable price.

by Kylee Dickey

ML-1710
$199
Samsung
(800) 726-7864
(201) 229-4000
www.samsungusa.com

Name:   AL Peirson City:   Mount Laurel State:   New Jersey One-Line Summary:   Excellent Review:   I was first attracted to the Samsung ML-1710 by its compact design, since the printer space in my computer armoire is somewhat limited. When I saw it on sale for $170, plus a $70 rebate,($100) I hastened to the store to purchase it. I have been totally pleased with the overall performance. It's fast, and produces clear, high quality output An outstanding printer for home office use. The only feature lacking is automatic duplex. If you set the print job for manual feed, you can print both sides of small jobs. I really like this printer, and I think it's a good value at the list price of $199. Rating:

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