Dell 1720dn Toner Based Printer Offers Auto Duplexing, Very Fast Prints, and Built in Ethernet Port

Overview

High speed monochrome laser prints, auto duplex feature, and a built in network port come standard with the Dell 1720dn laser printer. This printer produces high quality black and white text and graphics and costs under $300. Compact enough for a small office, but the 1720dn is equipped to handle the printing demands of any workgroup or small business workplace.

Features and Functionality

Speed:

The Dell 1720dn is fast. This printer is rated at 30 pages per minute. When tested the 1720dn was able to output slide show prints containing images at 12 pages per minute. Text only documents were found to output at a rate of 28 pages per minute. These are great speeds for a low cost monochrome laser printer.

Paper Capacity:

Out of the box, the 1720dn has a maximum paper capacity of 250 sheets. The optional 550 sheet paper tray can be added to increase that number to 800 sheets. There is a built in ADF or automatic document feeder, which allows for double sided printing.

Size:

The Dell 1720dn is sleek and somewhat compact. This printer model measures 15.6" W x 13.6" D x 10" H and weighs over 25 pounds. This size makes installing the printer very easy and placement of the device can be changed without much effort.

Printer Capacity:

The monthly duty cycle of the 1720dn is 25,000 pages. This should be enough to handle the work load in most small offices and workgroups. Home office users will rarely test this figure, but will benefit nicely from this "durability" factor.

Output Quality:

The Dell 1720dn offers a 600 x 600 dpi maximum output resolution. The print quality varies between text documents and image based documents. Large images had noticeable banding, which is caused by inconsistencies in the print assembly. Text based documents printed out great, with very clear and concise edges. Documents that contained both text and images were above average with some noticeable flaws in the images.

Setup:

Connection of the printer to either a pc or network is as easy as connecting the appropriate cable. Add paper and give the machine power and you are a few minutes away from printing. The automated installation and setup process is simple enough for anyone to follow.

Consumables:

Dell 1720dn toner is available in various page yield sizes. The standard capacity 310-8708 toner cartridge yields 3,000 pages. The high capacity 310-8709 toner cartridge yields 6,000 pages. Compatible branded toner for the Dell 1720n can also be found in 4,500 page yield versions as well.

Conclusion

Duplex printing and built in Ethernet connectivity make the Dell 1720dn a great laser printer. Combine that with high quality and speed for a cost under $300 and you have a bargain laser printer from Dell.