computershopper.com Updated: 2013-05-18 01:17:05
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‘Tis the season of the single-function laser-class printer. Over the past several months, several entry-level, “personal” LED-based color printers have passed through our labs. The two most recent of these low-cost, low-volume devices we’ve tested, th...

Speedy for the price, Automatic two-sided printing, Wide support for cloud and mobile-device printing...

Subpar image printing, High CPP, Old-school control panel...

This entry-level LED (laser-class) printer is fast, and it offers a wide range of cloud and mobile-device printing. Its high per-page cost and subpar image reproduction diminish its overall value, though...
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Only slightly more expensive than the Brother HL-3140CW$196.99 at Amazon that I recently reviewed, the Brother HL-3170CDW$237.59 at Amazon offers a lot more for the small step up in price. Like the HL-3140CW, it delivers fast speed, a paper input capacity...

Fast. Duplexer (for two-sided printing). Ethernet and Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi Direct for easy connection to smartphones and tablets.

Sub-par text and photo quality...

The Brother HL-3170CDW color LED printer comes up a little short on output quality, but largely makes up for it with fast speed and good paper handling...
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You want a color laser printer, but you don't have a lot of cash. How does $280 sound? That's the price of the Brother HL-3170CDW, and in exchange it delivers reasonably good prints. Not pristine, evocative color graphics—move on to another printer for th...

Low purchase price, Good text quality...

Color graphics are mediocre, Control panel lacks a menu button...
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You want a color laser printer, but you don't have a lot of cash. How does $280 sound? That's the price of the Brother HL-3170CDW, and in exchange it delivers reasonably good prints. Not pristine, evocative color graphics—move on to another printer for th...

Low purchase price, Good text quality...

Color graphics are mediocre, Control panel lacks a menu button...
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We've mentioned before that we are far from a paperless society. For now, at least, there are tasks that require a piece of paper for confirmation, proof of purchase, or a litany of other needs. Laser printers have existed since the first practical commer...

Quiet, Flexible connectivity, Duplex printing...

Subpar photo quality, Large footprint...
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£227.90 ShopletEarlier this year, Brother introduced the new HL-3000 line of color LED printers targeted at small businesses looking to reduce their printing costs.The flagship Brother HL-3170cdw is a single function device offering print speeds up to 23...

Print quality, Wired/Wireless connectivity, Competitive pricing...

Small display, No front side USB...
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A color laser printer is not the extravagance that it was at one time. My first color laser was purchased about 15 years ago for the tidy sum of $1,000. This unit also made good quality prints on inexpensive paper but it had a dirty little secret based up...

This is a good printer that has earned a place on my network. It is not my only printer. The bulk of my day to day printing needs will continue to be handled by my seven year old monochrome Brother laser. If applicable, I will update this review in a year...
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