These tests were run entirely over Wi-Fi: both the test computer (Snow Leopard MacBook Pro) and the printer.
Then I did one batch to see if the "toner save" feature saved time as well as toner. The next batch was 30 text-only pages of Paul Graham essays.
#Brother hl 2140 printer reviews pdf#
The first batch was the first 30 pages of Why's Poignant Guide to Ruby - a PDF composed text and images. I ran four batches with two different types of documents. Laser printers require a bit of time to warm up and get going, so that's why the "first page out" metric is pretty important. So how does it stack up in the real world? Quite the improvement over my old HP's claimed 15ppm. The official specs state that the 2170W boasts a speed of 23 pages per minute. I used to have a shelf under my desk to store my old USB-tethered printer and that was always an annoyance. Afterwards, I moved the printer away from my desk and into my closet. Setup was a pleasant surprise and I was up and running in just a few minutes.
#Brother hl 2140 printer reviews mac os x#
Mac OS X Printer Settings for Brother HL-2170W
The HL-2170W's Wi-Fi and Ethernet support made this an easy decision. The HP I have is still in perfect working order but the lack of networking was a bit of a turn-off.Ī quick search later and I ended up with the highly-ranked Brother HL-2170W laser printer that I snagged on Amazon for about 120 USD. However, when it came time to replace another toner cartridge, which sells for about 70 USD from HP (or ~25 for a generic brand), I decided to see what other laser printers were out there. Since then I have run 3 or 4 toner cartridges through it, each with a lifetime of about 2,000 pages, so I have definitely put it to good use. Considering that most of what you print will be PowerPoint handout slides and papers, it is best that you get an affordable black and white laser printer.įor the last 5 years I have been using a now discontinued HP LaserJet 1012 that I found for just 100. If you don’t like making 3am runs to the library to print off a report, then getting a printer is for you.
Most, if not all, universities let you print out at the library, although you are likely on a quota, such as a max of 10 pages may be printed during any one week. In it I talked about how great cheap black and white laser printers were for the college student or pretty much anyone that isn't printing out color photos (I leave that to Flickr Prints anyways): Printers are the one item you can technically do without in college and be okay. Two years ago I wrote one of my most popular articles, A Realistic Back to School Guide for College Students (and off-campus edition). Review: Brother HL-2170W Wireless Laser Printer