Microtek ScanMaker 3700 review

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Verdict:

Messy driver and slow performance, but image quality and image editing software make it an incredible bargain.

Review Date: 1 Feb 2001

Price when reviewed: (£75)

Our Rating 5 stars out of 5

Review
Specs

The ScanMaker 3700 is incredibly cheap for a 1,200x600dpi printer.

However, first impressions weren't great. It's big, and despite its gentle curves it can't avoid looking bulky and frumpy.

Ease of use

The software is a real mixed bag. The driver is the worst here - its beginner mode takes simplification to excess, so that the only way to check the settings is to click on each one in turn. Advanced mode is the exact opposite. There's so much information displayed that even the most computer-literate are likely to feel unnerved. The utility that manages the panel buttons moans if the scanner is switched off, and the scan button performs a fully automated scan, then hides it in C:WINDOWSTWAIN_32ScanWiz5My Images.

Then there are the bundled extras. PhotoDeluxe is an excellent, if aging, image editor, while PhotoImpact 5 is one of the most powerful graphics packages around, with a retail price of £75 on its own.

Caere's OmniPage LE and PageKeeper both make fine jobs of the OCR and document management.

Image

Performance is equally mixed. The Microtek is the slowest here, taking just over 2 mins for the test scan. However, the results were excellent. Colours were slightly bright, but this is considerably preferable to the opposite, and focus was on a par with the best here, with smooth curves and superbly sharp straight edges.

Overall

If you can put up with the driver, looks and speed, this scanner is remarkably good value.

Author: Ben Pitt

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