Basically the multi-function printer (MFP) version of the Samsung ML-2955ND ($130, 2.5 stars) that I recently reviewed, the Samsung SCX-4729FD ($250 street), adds the ability to scan to and fax from your PC, even over a network, and work as a standalone copier and fax machine. You might also consider it for personal use in any size office. At 15.1 by 15.9 by 13.3 inches (HWD), it's a bit too imposing to share a desk with comfortably. However, its footprint takes up less space than many inkjets, and it's certainly compact enough to make it easy to find room for near your desk if not on it.
Along with the basic MFP functions, the SCX-4729FD includes a 40-page automatic document feeder (ADF) to complement the letter-size flatbed, and let you scan legal-size pages. It also offers a 250-sheet paper tray, a 1-sheet bypass tray, and a built-in duplexer for printing on both sides of the page. This should be enough for most micro or home offices, but if you need a higher paper capacity, you'll have to look elsewhere, since Samsung doesn?t offer any other paper handling options.
You'll also have to look elsewhere if you need WiFi support, but won't have to look very far. The similarly named SCX-4729FW ($280 street) is the identical printer, according to Samsung, but with WiFi added.
Speed
Setting up the SCX-4729FD on a wired network and installing the driver and software on a Windows Vista system was absolutely typical. On our business applications suite, I timed the printer (using QualityLogic's hardware and software for timing), at 8.2 pages per minute (ppm). Not too surprisingly, considering both printers use the same engine, this makes it essentially tied with the ML-2955ND.
As is the case with the ML-2955ND, the speed is slower than I'd expect for the 29 ppm rating, which should be close to the speed you'll see printing straight text files. In comparison, the Editors' Choice Canon imageClass MF4570dn ($299 direct originally, now $249 direct, 4 stars), with a slightly lower rating, came in at 12.3 ppm. Even more telling is that the Canon imageClass MF4570dw ($299, 3.5 stars) is faster than the Samsung printer, at 9.8 ppm, despite being slowed down by printing in duplex by default.
Output Quality and Other Issues
The SCX-4729FD is also essentially identical to the ML-2955ND for output quality. The text is just below par for a mono laser, which still makes it good enough for most business use. Unless you have an unusual need for small fonts, you shouldn't see any problem with it.
Graphics quality is easily good enough for any internal business need. Whether you consider it good enough for PowerPoint handouts or other material going to potential clients or customers will depend largely on how critical an eye you have. Photos, similarly, are good enough to print recognizable photos from Web pages or the like. Whether you consider them good enough for, say, a client newsletter will depend on the level of quality you demand.
Very much worth mention is that although the SCX-4729FD offers essentially the same capability as the Canon imageClass MF4570dn, it loses out to the Canon printer for Editors' Choice only because of the significantly slower speed and slightly lower output quality overall. On the other hand, the Samsung printer offers a lower claimed running cost, at 3 cents per page. That's a 0.9 cents savings per page, or $9 savings per 1,000 pages, compared with the Canon printer. The more you expect to print, the more likely you'll put a higher value on the lower running cost.
In any case, the Samsung SCX-4729FD covers all the bases for most small office needs, from printing, scanning, copying, and faxing, to an ADF for handling legal size pages and multi-page documents for scanning, to paper handling that includes automatic duplexing and ample capacity. Despite being relatively slow, it's not slow enough for its speed to be an issue for most small offices, and the output quality is good enough for most purposes. Add in the slight savings on running cost compared to the Canon printer, and if you expect to print enough pages, it may be your preferred choice.
More Multi-function Printer Reviews:
??? Samsung SCX-4729FD
??? Canon Color imageClass MF8380Cdw
??? Epson WorkForce WF-845
??? Epson WorkForce Pro WP-4540 All-in-One Printer
??? Canon Color imageClass MF8080Cw
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