Samsung ML-3051N

This is a compatibility report. I had this printer for only two days.

General note: you can do most settings on the printer panel, which is great. Even duplexing can be switched on with the press of a button.

Windows 98SE compatibility.

If like me you're looking for a network printer that works with win 98se, this is a good choice. Install the Samsung driver, and it'll install a TCP/IP printer port (which is otherwise not included in W98) and all works very well (multi page, duplex, watermark,...).

Software note: you don't need the Smart Panel, Set IP or anything. You can do everything from the Printer panel.

Gripe: the driver is 80Mb and installs 131Mb in /Program Files AND 131Mb in /Windows, though it seems both are useless (except for uninstall or further install) because the actual system files are all put in /Windows/System. Not brilliant.

Many printers are only compatible with OSX10.3 or better. This one IS compatible with 10.2 but it will only work with the LRP mode. You don't need any driver, just add a network printer using the Laser writer general profile and it'll Just Work over the network. You can STILL use the duplex by pressing the printer panel button, and use multi page. You lose mostly the advanced PS font capabilities.

I bought this Samsung ML-3051N to replace a 15-year-old HP 4 printer and I'm pleasantly surprised. It is comparably sturdy, has a higher duty cycle (50,000 pages per month), uses less toner, prints faster, has higher DPI (1200) and automatically duplexes (my HP didn't have the duplex option installed). It even has PS built in and expandable memory up to 320 MB. I'm a seasoned computer support person and I struggled with getting the driver installed to use the duplex option - they badly need better instructions/documentation! But other than that, it's a fantastic value!

Her's the list of the good points:

- Price ($209 Canadian)

- Automatic duplex option (3051ND)

- Network print server built in

- Postscript printing built-in

- 64 MB memory, expandable to 320 MB

- Fast, high quality printing

- Low toner usage (has toner-save button on the printer - easy to turn on and off if you want a higher quality print-out with graphics)

- Duplex button on the printer - makes it easy to enable the duplexing option

- Straight-through paper path - open the back panel to feed paper straight through

- Network administration software provides toner levels, # of pages printed, etc...very impressive for a $200 printer!

- Connection options - parallel, USB, network or even wireless network - with an optional module