Konica Minolta Magicolor 4650EN

In our PC World Test Center tests, this Konica Minolta printer posted competent midrange speeds of 23.1 pages per minute for plain text and 3.9 ppm for graphics. Text samples looked black and clean. Graphics looked detailed. Photos had a yellowish cast that was distracting at times.

In view of its bulk and weight, the Magicolor 4650EN has a few surprising limitations, but overall it seems well built and thoughtfully designed. A PictBridge port aids photo printing. The 250-sheet main paper tray slides out from the printer on rails (it doesn't detach); that extra support probably increases the component's sturdiness. Though legal-size (8.5-by-14-inch) paper is less commonly used than standard (8.5-by-11-inch) paper, we were surprised that the printer's main input tray accepts only the latter. To print legal-size pages, you have to load them in the 100-sheet side auxiliary tray (which is nicely designed) or invest in the optional 500-sheet feeder ($255). Pages exit into a top, 200-sheet output tray. A related unit, the Magicolor 4650DN, includes duplexing (two-sided printing) and costs $799 at this writing.