Konica Minolta Magicolor 2400W review

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Verdict:

The compact 2400W is easy to install and use. It may not be the fastest printer on test, but it doesn't lag too far behind the competition, and makes up for it with decent print quality and running costs. Konica Minolta is offering a three-year onsite warranty on printers bought before 30th September, which makes this a fine choice for home users

Review Date: 22 Sep 2005

Price when reviewed: inc VAT

Our Rating 4 stars out of 5

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Review
Specs

The Magicolor 2400W has been priced competitively since its January launch, but it's recently become the first colour laser printer to drop below £200. It's the most affordable device on test, and it doesn't lack too much in terms of specification.

Colour lasers don't tend to be compact; the 2400W is about the smallest and lightest model we tested. It's easy to lift into place and it arrives with its consumables already fitted. Konica Minolta's installation program is friendly enough for a novice. However, the driver it installs offers enough control over print jobs to keep more advanced users happy.

Like many inexpensive printers, the 2400W has some limitations. Its multipurpose paper tray accepts just 200 sheets, so you'll need to unload its paper supply if you want to print on different paper or envelopes. There are no guides to help you orientate envelopes correctly, and the printer crumples them anyway. No upgrades are available to its paper handling or memory.

The 2400W produced solid results in all our tests. Photos and business graphics had accurate shading and colours, though some colour text had blocky outlines. Black text had a soft outline, but it was noticeable only under magnification.

Konica Minolta's standard black and colour toners last for just 1,500 pages, but more useful replacements are available that should last for 4,500 pages. Using these, the running costs are acceptable. Only the Dell C3100 model is cheaper when printing in mono.

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