Product Reviews

Umax specialise in scanners, and are a respected name amongst design professionals. However, their low cost units haven't always impressed us, and their task is made all the more difficult by a wide range of high quality scanners on the market for very little money.

The 2000P is a super-low cost machine, coming in at £67. However, it seems the first thing to go has been build quality - the Umax has a distinctly plasticky feel.

An important fact to bear in mind when shopping for scanners is the interface they use - in other words, the way they connect to

In the all-important area of image quality, Umax recovered its reputation - scans can be made at up to 600x1200, and the resulting images are pretty respectable, with good focus and clarity. Colour accuracy isn't bad, although scans do come out a little too dark.

Our black-and-white text test revealed a fairly noticeable stepped, stair-type effect with angled edges, although for OCR purposes, quality should be more than adequate.

Although this scanner does exhibit a few problems, at this price you can't expect the world, and for those with less demanding needs, and who aren't in any rush, the Umax may well suffice. More discerning shoppers should look elsewhere.