Dell J740

Dell has enlisted Lexmark to make its printers and only minor differences separate them, the most significant being the ink cartridges and print heads. We were initially disappointed to see that Dell's cartridges have been chipped to prevent others selling compatible ink - arguably a cynical move that shows where the profit in the inkjet market lies.

However, we were impressed to see running costs of 3.6p per mono page and 12.4p per 6 x 4in photo, significantly cheaper than the P707, and there's an automatic ordering facility whereby the software can take you directly to the Dell website to get the correct cartridges when you're running low on ink. This should mean that you never run out of ink, which is a good thing as it takes around a week to arrive and you can't buy replacements at a local shop.

We were also pleasantly surprised to see the J740 significantly outpacing the P707. It flew through the 5 per cent coverage tests, scoring fastest overall rates of 10.1ppm and 6.7ppm for draft and normal settings respectively. Unfortunately, minor feathering caused points to be dropped on both occasions.

Graphics performance wasn't too bad, although grain blighted pictures and photos. Photo performance was passable from arm's length, but a magenta cast was noticeable on the baby's face. Unfortunately, grain was again significant under closer scrutiny.

Overall, the J740 is let down by poor image quality and features. It's also only compatible with Windows XP and 2000. When the Deskjet 5150 costs just £17 more, there's only one choice to make.