Dell 3010cn Toner Based Color Laser Printer - Quick Review

Overview

Moderate print speeds, good quality laser prints, and a low purchase price make the 3010cn an attractive buy for anyone looking for an inexpensive color laser printer. This model is discontinued by Dell, but is available from many closeout retailers. Priced at under $300, the Dell 3010cn will make a good fit in any small office environment.

Features and Functionality                                                           

Speed:

Print speeds on the 3010cn aren't the fastest around, but will do just fine for low to moderate daily printing. High volume users should opt for a faster printer. Color print speeds of 5 pages per minute can be achieved with the 3010cn model. Monochrome prints of 12 pages per minute will be enough to handle day to day printing of documents.

Paper Capacity:

The 150 sheet paper tray can handle both letter and legal sized paper. This means that a maximum of 8.5" x 14" paper size is supported. There is a built in ADF and manual feed paper tray as well. Standard paper, bonded paper, transparencies, and envelopes are supported media types.

Size:

The Dell 3010cn is a rather large printer. Measuring 17" H x 16.7" W x 16.5" D and weighing over 55 pounds means this printer isn't designed for desktop printing. Install this printer in a permanent location and leave it there. Moving it can require quite the effort.

Printer Capacity:

The monthly duty cycle is rated at 45,000 pages. Given the slow print speeds, this number won't be tested by most owners. The 3010cn is best suited for daily printing on a sporadic basis and not a consistent basis.

Output Quality:

The 3010cn offers a standard 600 x 600 dpi maximum resolution. Monochrome text and images are spectacular. The edges are clean and crisp. Color text and images are decent. The color outputs aren't "photo quality", but will be more than ideal for daily office printing.

Setup:

Installation of the Dell 3010cn is easy. USB and built in 10/100 Ethernet are both available options. Connect your cables, follow the setup menu instruction on the 3" LCD screen and after a few minutes you should be printing.

Consumables:

The Dell 3010cn uses 4 toner cartridges for proper operation. The cyan 341-3571 toner cartridge, magenta 341-3570 toner cartridge, yellow 341-3569 toner cartridge, and black 341-3568 toner cartridge are all used by the Dell 3010cn. 3010cn toner comes in 2k standard capacity and 4k high capacity versions. Compatible Dell 3010cn toner offers users a lower cost per page printed and using compatible toner cartridges will save owners money over the life of the printer.

Conclusion

The Dell 3010cn is a good, dependable, and affordable color printing solution. Home office users and small business owners will make good use of this printer. High capacity toner and compatible toner cartridges offer 3010cn owners the means of lowering their printing costs and maintaining a tolerable budget.