HP Business InkJet 2600dn

The best text quality was obtained using HP's Premium InkJet paper and printing at the Best settings. This produced a much crisper document, with richer blacks, although it still wasn't laser quality and print speeds dropped to a crawl.

Similarly uninspiring performance was seen in our 12-page Excel spreadsheet test, which took just over five and a half minutes at the Normal settings. The print quality was reasonable, albeit with a lack of sharpness - many budget colour lasers, such as Epson's AcuLaser C1000 (see Reviews, issue 90, p129), produce a much crisper print.

Where inkjet technology really scores over laser, though, is in its ability to use a variety of different media, including glossy photo paper. And, although the 2600dn isn't designed as a photo printer, just less than three minutes to print an A4 photo at the Best setting is impressive, and the quality is good too.

Duplex printing is a bonus as well, and the Business InkJet 2600dn is capable of duplex printing on A4 and A3. Print performance remains reasonably sedate, although four minutes to duplex print a colour six-page graphics-heavy report isn't bad.

The HP Business InkJet 2600dn is a commendable attempt at producing an A3 workgroup colour inkjet printer. Installation is simple, running costs are good and the browser-based management system is excellent. However, print speeds and general print quality in Normal mode can't compete with budget workgroup lasers, and this is the principal weakness of the Business InkJet 2600dn. It's also much too expensive, despite street prices of less than £1,200. If HP could boost print speeds while bringing text quality closer to that of a laser, the Business InkJet 2600dn would be superb. As it stands, it's not quite there.

Author: Gareth Ogden