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Like Oki's other printers, the Oki C7300n is not a laser printer--it uses four arrays of LEDs instead of a laser beam to draw an image--but that doesn't slow it down or interfere with its print quality. The C7300n printed text at 18.6 ppm in our tests--3.5 ppm faster than the average; it printed graphics at a less rocking 2.8 ppm. The unit's $1960 price tag is a comparative bargain, even excluding the new flood of wide-format color laser printers. And in PC World's page-yield testing, the C7300n proved itself one of the less expensive beasts to operate, using 11 cents' worth of toner for a color page. It produced light but perfectly formed text, and clean and distinct narrow parallel lines. We even liked its gray-scale photos, which had a slightly sepia cast, though details looked sharp. Color photos came out dark though detailed; some colors looked inaccurate, but flesh tones were attractive.
Oki provides comprehensive printed and on-screen documentation, including a 500-page manual on the printer hardware and a 230-page manual on network management, both in PDF format. However, based on the difficulties we encountered, only experienced network administrators should attempt to install the C7300n on a Windows print server with Oki's PrintSuperVision management software. You can add a duplexer to the C7300n for $317, and you can stack the printer on top of one or two 530-sheet paper trays ($397 each).
Upshot: The C7300n's speed, text quality, and low price make it a top choice for busy offices that need occasional splashes of color.
Dan Littman
