« Return to: Top 10 Scanners
| Rank | SOHO scanner | Street price (3/16/01) | Overall rating | Scan quality | Scan speed (seconds per page), black-and-white | Scan speed (seconds per page), color1 | Comments |
| 1 | Best Buy Epson Perfection 1240U Photo 800/463-7766 www.epson.com | $299 | 91 | Good | 20 @ 300 dpi | 226 @ 1200 dpi | FEATURES: USB, 1200 by 2400 dpi, 10.6-by-17.1-by-3.7-inch case2, 6.2 pounds, 8.5-by-11.7-inch scanning area; includes transparency adapter; no automatic document feeder option. SUMMARY: This hot successor to Epson's Perfection 1200U offers good performance and creates crisp, colorful images. |
| 2 | Microtek ScanMaker 4700 800/654-4160 www.microtekusa.com | $199 | 90 | Good | 29 @ 300 dpi | 263 @ 1200 dpi | FEATURES: USB, 1200 by 2400 dpi, 11.4-by-20-by-4.6-inch case2, 8 pounds, 8.5-by-11.7-inch scanning area; includes transparency adapter; no optional ADF. SUMMARY: Has 42-bit color, high resolution, quick-start buttons, and lots of software; can work with transparencies right out of the box. |
| 3 | Visioneer OneTouch 8800 USB 888/229-4172 www.visioneer.com | $180 | 89 | Good | 23 @ 300 dpi | 199 @ 1200 dpi | FEATURES: USB, 1200 by 2400 dpi, 10.5-by-16.7-by-3.7-inch case2, 5.8 pounds, 8.5-by-11.7-inch scanning area; no optional transparency adapter or ADF. SUMMARY: Speedy, 42-bit-color unit sports a panel with seven quick-start buttons. But live tech support is a toll call and lasts a paltry 9 hours daily. |
| 4 | Canon CanoScan N1220U 800/652-2666 www.ccsi.canon.com | $199 | 89 | Good | 37 @ 300 dpi | 298 @ 1200 dpi | FEATURES: USB, 1200 by 2400 dpi, 10.1-by-14.7-by-1.3-inch case2, 3.3 pounds, 8.5-by-11.7-inch scanning area; no optional transparency adapter or ADF. SUMMARY: Ultrathin color-image sensor unit produces good-quality images and comes with a strong selection of software, including robust OCR. |
| 5 | Agfa SnapScan E50 888/281-2302 www.agfahome.com | $179 | 87 | Good | 60 @ 300 dpi | 416 @ 1200 dpi | FEATURES: USB, 1200 by 2400 dpi, 13.3-by-19.7-by-3.7 inch case2, 14.5 pounds, 8.5-by-11.7-inch scanning area; includes transparency adapter; no optional ADF. SUMMARY: With high resolution and four quick-start buttons, this flexible unit delivers good-looking reflective and transparency scans. |
| 6 | Microtek ScanMaker V6USL 800/654-4160 www.microtekusa.com | $1294 | 87 | Good | 50 @ 300 dpi | 82 @ 600 dpi | FEATURES: USB and SCSI5, 600 by 1200 dpi, 11.8-by-21.5-by-3.2-inch case2, 11.5 pounds, 8.5-by-14-inch scanning area; includes transparency adapter; no optional ADF. SUMMARY: Legal-document-capable model offers small transparency unit plus a SCSI card/cable combo. A USB/parallel port version has the same price. |
| 7 | Canon CanoScan D660U 800/652-2666 www.ccsi.canon.com | $149 | 87 | Good | 52 @ 300 dpi | 100 @ 600 dpi | FEATURES: USB, 600 by 1200 dpi, 10.2-by-17.3-by-3.9-inch case2, 5.7 pounds, 8.5-by-11.7-inch scanning area; includes transparency adapter; no optional ADF. SUMMARY: Captures attractive color for Web images and has a built-in 35mm film adapter, but its 600-dpi resolution limits its ability to enlarge transparencies. |
| Rank | Corporate scanner | Street price (3/16/01) | Overall rating | Scan quality | Scan speed (seconds per page), black-and-white | Scan speed (seconds per page), color1 | Comments |
| 1 | Best Buy HP Scanjet 7450c 800/722-6538 www.scanjet.hp.com | $7604 | 94 | Good | 17 @ 300 dpi | 687 @ 2400 dpi | FEATURES: USB and SCSI5, 2400 by 2400 dpi, 12.3-by-22.6-by-7.3-inch case3, 13.8 pounds, 8.5-by-14-inch scanning area; includes transparency adapter and ADF. SUMMARY: This high-resolution, $700 unit handles legal-size documents and transparencies at 48-bit color, but a SCSI card and cable cost $60 extra. |
| 2 | Microtek ScanMaker 8700 800/654-4160 www.microtekusa.com | $10004 | 92 | Excellent | 29 @ 300 dpi | 83 @ 1200 dpi | FEATURES: IEEE 1394 and USB6, 1200 by 2400 dpi, 22.3-by-15.25-by-6.3-inch case2, 25.5 pounds, 8.5-by-14-inch scanning area; built-in transparency adapter; optional ADF. SUMMARY: Costly but offers great scan quality and blazing performance. The ScanMaker 5700 is a more affordable option. |
| 3 | Epson Perfection 1640SU Office 800/463-7766 www.epson.com | $500 | 92 | Good | 17 @ 300 dpi | 423 @ 1600 dpi | FEATURES: USB and SCSI3, 1600 by 3200 dpi, 11.4-by-17.4-by-9.2-inch case2, 14.8 pounds, 8.5-by-11-inch scanning area; optional transparency adapter; includes ADF. SUMMARY: 1600-dpi, 42-bit color powerhouse produces sharp and rich scan images. A $299 version omits the ADF. |
How We Test: Scanners are tested with default settings under Windows 98 on a Gateway GP7-550 (Pentium III-550) PC with 128MB of RAM, using each scanner's bundled software. Overall score is based on scanned image quality (25 percent), scanning speed (SOHO 22 percent; corporate 25 percent), ease of use (SOHO 17 percent; corporate 10 percent), features (SOHO 16 percent; corporate 20 percent), support (10 percent), and price (10 percent). Speeds are timed from start of scanning until cursor control is regained. Data based on tests designed by the PC World Test Center.
1At unit's maximum optical resolution.
2In order: width, depth, height.
3Tested with USB interface.
4Priced with SCSI or IEEE 1394 adapter.
5Tested with SCSI interface.
6Tested with IEEE 1394 interface.