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Once again, this month's Top 10 Scanners chart is dominated by flatbeds that offer robust 42-bit or 48-bit color processing and boast optical resolutions of 1200 dpi or higher.

Topping the SOHO chart for the fifth straight month is the Epson Perfection 1240U Photo, with its winning combination of zesty performance and top-notch image quality. On the Corporate chart, the Hewlett-Packard Scanjet 7450c, a speedy one-stop scanning station with a built-in automatic document feeder, heads the list for the second consecutive month. Both of these Best Buy scanners are dual-format units that can scan reflective and transparent materials right out of the box.

New Scanner Entries

This month we looked at new products from two well-known companies--Compaq and Hercules--that are offering low-cost flatbed scanners for the first time. The $100 Compaq S4 100 and the $90 Hercules Scan@Home 48USB are the latest units to enter the highly competitive under-$100 scanner market. We also tested a moderately priced higher-end model, the $150 Mustek BearPaw 2400.

Like the majority of the scanners we review, all three of these new models feature an easy-to-install USB connection. But while the Mustek scanner offers a formidable 1200-dpi optical resolution, the Compaq and Hercules units provide only 600-dpi resolution, which may not be sufficient for enlargements of small scans. Although none of these new scanners scored well enough in our tests to merit inclusion on this month's Top 10 chart, each may satisfy the casual user looking for a low price.

Learn more about the three new scanners we tested this month as well as the scanners on the Top 10 list by using the drop-down menu at the top of each page to read the individual reviews.

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