Product Reviews

Hewlett-Packard's PSC multifunction devices combine printing, scanning and copying in one convenient package. We've been impressed by the value for money of entry-level models we've reviewed: the PSC 1610 is our current Best Buy, and we gave our Recommended award to the PSC 1215, which this PSC 1410 replaces.

At first glance, there doesn't seem to be much new about the PSC 1410. It's the same size as the models mentioned above, so it's as small as multifunction devices get. Because there's no rear tray, you can push the 1410 to the back of a desk .

The 1410 is easy to set up, and has an automatic head-alignment routine

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to help you get the best print quality. It's easy to use, too. The HP's eight function buttons and simple LED display even let you photocopy without a PC. The PSC 1410 also offers a few improvements over its predecessor, the most welcome being that it can now print 6x4 inch photos without borders. Picture quality is very good for a four-ink printer, though sharp eyes might spot a small amount of graininess.

Print quality on plain paper is equally good. In our tests, black text in particular was pin-sharp. At 3.2 pages per minute (ppm), the HP was slow when quality was set to Normal. It reached 10ppm at Fast Draft, but ejected paper so forcefully that it spilled onto the desk in an untidy, muddled pile.

Scans and copies were quick. Scans of text documents were impressively sharp, despite the HP's comparatively low 600dpi resolution. Photos were captured with faithful colours and good detail.

The outgoing PSC 1215 could use high-capacity ink cartridges that lasted for 450 black pages, or 400 in colour, but the PSC 1410 takes 5ml supplies that last only one third as long. This pushes up print costs. For £10 more, Canon's PIXMA MP110 offers faster printing and similar quality with lower black ink costs.