Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Laser printer with high-quality text and images?

Jan 4, 2012 5:59AM PST

I have a MacBook running OS 10.5 that I used for many years with an HP Laserjet 4ML. The printer was running just great until the hinge on the lid broke, and I couldn't get a replacement for the lid. I've now tried a couple of Brother black-and-white laser printers, and one HP business printer. (It came totally dead.) The two Brothers (2270dn and 5730dn) both had pale print, despite rave reviews from almost everyone about the print quality, and despite long phone chats with Brother customer service, they couldn't tell me how to adjust that. I think they are not very familiar with Macs (or maybe the adjustments are only for PCs), and I've found HP just as clueless where Macs are concerned.

I print lots of different kinds of documents. I also love designing ones with a variety of fonts (though not in the same document). I want to be able to print a variety of fonts accurately, and it would be nice to have a printer that can handle various thicknesses and sizes of paper. Probably PostScript or the equivalent also, though I don't know what is necessary or advisable. I want crisp, black print and images without bands or other defects.

I don't think this is impossible. I also have done a demo printout in a store for the HP 1606. It looks good but has only 600 dpi, max. That's OK for type (though many other printers have 1200x1200 or more), but images are not always clear at that resolution.

I may have to reduce my requirements, but I'd like to know what you all think. Do you know of a printer that might fulfill my wishes? Does anyone have experience with the two laser printers I've mentioned? Maybe I just go a dud. So many people have mentioned the great quality of the print that it makes me wonder. Still, demo printouts I've gotten for them have been pale, like the ones I got at home, and one or two other reviewers remarked on the same problem. It makes me wonder whether it's a Mac problem. Even consumer magazines seem to love those printers.

Sorry this is so long. I hope you've been able to bear with me this far and can give me some feedback. Thanks!

jenny

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
One more thing (printer languages)
Jan 6, 2012 4:04AM PST

Regarding printer languages. My old HP Laserjet 4ML had Postscipt, some TrueType fonts and so on. I have read some articles now about the printer languages for a number of printers, but it appears that PostScript is meant for Windows printers. (I was told by Brother customer support once that their equivalent of PostScript doesn't work with Macs, either.) It seems that PCL6 is meant for Window printers, too(?). GDI? Those and "host-based" printing are the options available on various printers.

I can't see any article that pertains to what is compatible with Macs. I'm sorry, but I seem to be quite stupid about all this: I really am not understanding what I'm reading.

I hope someone will be willing to help. Although I really would love to have a printer that would produce high-quality output of print and images, I'm ready to settle. No printer is much worse than one that doesn't print beautfully.

Thanks again,

jenny

- Collapse -
I gave your post time to see if anyone found such a printer
Jan 8, 2012 6:54AM PST

I never found one. Yes there were those nice dye sublimation printers but those have passed into the realm where you don't find them very often.

I see you have many questions but let's bring the one about printer languages to Earth. That was a very hot topic over a decade ago and is dead as far as I can see. Today all that is done by the OS and the printer driver. So unless we are to dig up the past, I'd say "Forget about it, Bones."

The print quality I see from color laser in the sub 2K range is what I would use for business. I would not call it "quality." For that I get back to Photo ink printers or get research how to see a dye sub printer.

Sample prints are available at most places so you can see what the machines produce.
Bob

- Collapse -
Thanks for your answer
Mar 19, 2012 3:11AM PDT

Bob,

I see that I committed a faux pas in posting again on this topic. I didn't mean to; it's just that the last time I looked, there had been no answers to my query, and so I thought it was dead in the water. I didn't see that I had two replies.

I am very sorry. And I didn't say that I was looking for a monochrome laser printer. Again, mea culpa. Thank you for the detailed answer and the information about printer languages. That is quite helpful.

jenny

- Collapse -
Answer
Brother HL-5250DN
Feb 19, 2012 4:12PM PST

I've had this printer for several years, and know it will work fine with a PPC G4 iMac, even with Classic files. Brother has done a good job with updating drivers, and it works just as well with my new 27" iMac. Has the resolution you mention available and will print double sided automatically. I have HP lasers as well, but the Brother gives the best quality and is holding up well. Not expensive, either.

- Collapse -
Thanks very much
Mar 19, 2012 3:22AM PDT

I don't know whether that model is still available, but I'll look into it. I tried a Brother 2270dw, which is extremely popular, but the print darkness was not good, and when I tried to do the fixes that Brother came up with, I found that they were not available to me. Brother help people didn't know what to do and led me to try a million things without any success. I gather that as with some other manufacturers, quality has gone down as prices did, ditto.

I also tried the fancier Brother 5370dw, because it was supposed to have better image quality. That one was pale also, and it gets much worse reviews, all over.

The Samsung I read about today, ML-2525W may not even be available anymore. As I said, though, it seemed to have all that I want, except for the dealbreaker, that it doesn't get along well with Macs. I don't know whether that is true for more than the two or three reviewers (on CNET reviews) who had that problem, but it was sobering enough for me to seek more enlightenment here. If anyone with a Mac has had good experiences with that Samsung or another similar printer, I'd like to hear about it.

I apologize to you, too, for posting twice. My only excuse is that I've just come off an editing project that I've been doing (literally) night and day for a couple of weeks, and I was just fuzzy in the head and didn't see that my old post was still around. I'll be more careful in the future. I'll also check out user reviews for the Brother that you recommend. Thanks again.

jenny