Editorial Reviews

The Dell P1500 is fast and competent enough for most SOHO environments.

Dell does printers? As of today, it does. The giant PC maker has stepped into the world of printers for the first time. The $289 P1500 is one of a trio of new Lexmark-manufactured, Dell-branded models, and our findings and CNET Labs' tests indicate that this fast, text-smart machine neither stands out nor disappoints. It gives you just about everything you need in a personal or home-office laser. If you plan to print lots of graphics, however, try the Minolta PagePro 1250E or the Brother HL-5040.
The Scanjet 3570c's design also offers some real advantages over that of many other scanners. To accommodate thick documents, the scanner's lid slides up on strong hinges or comes off completely. Better still, the backlight, which illuminates transparent media from above the glass, turns itself on automatically when you initiate a transparent scan; other scanners make this process more complicated. A grooved plastic strip above the backlight holds 35mm film carefully by the edges. Unfortunately, it isn't as careful with slides: it forces you to push the slide down into the same grooves, then hook your fingernail under the lip of the frame to pull out the slide, thus risking leaving fingerprints or scratches on the film.