HP LaserJet 8000DN

Usually, when HP claims a certain print speed then that's exactly what you get and, sure enough, a 24-page Word document dropped into the output tray in precisely one minute. A FastRes option produces a simulated 1,200dpi resolution, although for text I could see no difference between the two modes. Running the same document through the duplex unit for double-sided printing reduced speed to 16ppm. A3 printing was commendably fast with a 28-page document completed in 127 seconds for an overall speed of 13ppm.

Graphic output was reasonable, but not as good as that from Rank Xerox's DocuPrint N32 (reviewed issue 40, p165). Charts and graphs were reproduced with minimal cross-hatching on different shades of grey, but large photographic images using the PCL6 driver suffered from noticeable banding. The PostScript 2 driver produced sharper images with less banding but took over twice as long to process.

When I looked at the LaserJet 5Si MX I found it represented good value and this still holds true with the 8000DN. The main competition comes from printers such as Kyocera's FS-7000 (reviewed issue 42, p163) and Rank Xerox's DocuPrint N32. Both printers also have 600dpi engines, but while the former offers very low printing costs its graphics quality is poor and will cost at least £600 more for a similar specification. The DocuPrint N32 scores higher as it's a 32ppm printer, handles graphics better and costs almost the same. It's a pity HP couldn't offer higher printing speeds and a true 1,200dpi resolution, as it would have made a good departmental laser printer unbeatable.

Author: Dave Mitchell