« Return to: Top 10 Scanners
| Rank | SOHO scanner | Street price (1/20/02) | Overall rating | Scan quality | Scan speed (sec per page): Black-and-white | Scan speed (sec per page): Color1 | Comments |
| 1 | Best Buy Microtek ScanMaker 4800 | $100 | 90 | Good | 41 @ 300 dpi | 249 @ 1200 dpi | FEATURES: USB, 1200 by 2400 dpi, 11.3-by-17.1-by-3.1-inch case,2 6 pounds, 8.5-by-11.7-inch scanning area; includes transparency adapter; no automatic document feeder. SUMMARY: Great price for a high-resolution scanner, but tech support is free for only 90 days. (  Feb 02) |
| 2 | Canon CanoScan N1240U | $149 | 89 | Good | 40 @ 300 dpi | 303 @ 1200 dpi | FEATURES: USB, 1200 by 2400 dpi, 10.1-by-15.1-by-1.3-inch case,2 3.3 pounds, 8.5-by-11.7-inch scanning area; no optional transparency adapter or ADF. SUMMARY: Compact unit offers glorious color and ample software, but it isn't as speedy as many other USB scanners. ( Nov 01) |
| 3 | New Compaq S200 | $100 | 89 | Good | 33 @ 300 dpi | 257 @ 1200 dpi | FEATURES: USB, 1200 by 2400 dpi, 11.6-by-18.2-by-3.2-inch case,2 5.5 pounds, 8.5-by-11.7-inch scanning area; no optional transparency adapter or ADF. SUMMARY: Low-priced unit features high resolution, but image quality could be sharper and free phone support ends after 90 days. |
| 4 | Visioneer OneTouch 8920 | $150 | 89 | Good | 23 @ 300 dpi | 429 @ 1200 dpi | FEATURES: USB, 1200 by 4800 dpi, 16.7-by-11.7-by-4.5-inch case,2 7.2 pounds, 8.5-by-11.7-inch scanning area; includes transparency adapter; no optional ADF. SUMMARY: This scanner has 48-bit color and high resolution but is the slowest SOHO model here for color scans. (  Jan 02) |
| 5 | Epson Perfection 1650 Photo | $249 | 88 | Good | 18 @ 300 dpi | 417 @ 1600 dpi | FEATURES: USB, 1600 by 3200 dpi, 10.9-by-17.7-by-4.6-inch case,2 6.8 pounds, 8.5-by-11.7-inch scanning area; includes transparency adapter; no optional ADF. SUMMARY: High-resolution scanner makes zippy black-and-white scans--but it doesn't come cheap. ( Dec 01) |
| 6 | Microtek ScanMaker 5700 | $380 | 88 | Good | 29 @ 300 dpi | 88 @ 1200 dpi | FEATURES: USB and IEEE 1394,3 1200 by 2400 dpi, 11.4-by-19.7-by-4.5-inch case,2 10.4 pounds, 8.5-by-11.7-inch scanning area; built-in transparency adapter; ADF optional. SUMMARY: The only IEEE 1394 model on the SOHO chart offers speed and strong image quality, but at a hefty price. |
| 7 | Canon CanoScan N670U | $99 | 88 | Good | 39 @ 300 dpi | 93 @ 600 dpi | FEATURES: USB, 600 by 1200 dpi, 10.1-by-15.1-by-1.4-inch case,2 3.3 pounds, 8.5-by-11.7-inch scanning area; no optional transparency adapter or ADF. SUMMARY: Slim unit has ample software, but bargain price is offset by mediocre performance and low resolution. ( Dec 01) |
| Rank | Corporate scanner | Street price (1/20/02) | Overall rating | Scan quality | Scan speed (sec per page): Black-and-white | Scan speed (sec per page): Color1 | Comments |
| 1 | Best Buy HP Scanjet 7450c | $7604 | 95 | Good | 17 @ 300 dpi | 687 @ 2400 dpi | FEATURES: USB and SCSI,5 2400 by 2400 dpi, 12.3-by-22.6-by-7.3-inch case,2 13.8 pounds, 8.5-by-14-inch scanning area; includes transparency adapter and ADF. SUMMARY: High-resolution $700 unit handles legal-size documents and transparencies; it blazed through our text speed tests. |
| 2 | Epson Perfection 2450 Photo | $399 | 95 | Excellent | 18 @ 300 dpi | 983 @ 2400 dpi | FEATURES: USB and IEEE 1394,6 2400 by 4800 dpi, 11.9-by-18.7-by-4.8-inch case,2 12.8 pounds, 8.5-by-11.7-inch scanning area; includes transparency adapter; no optional ADF. SUMMARY: Dual-format unit with ultrahigh resolution and a great price, but slow on color. ( Jan 02) |
| 3 | Microtek ScanMaker 8700 Pro Design | $1100 | 94 | Excellent | 29 @ 300 dpi | 83 @ 1200 dpi | FEATURES: USB and IEEE 1394,3 1200 by 2400 dpi, 22.3-by-15.3-by-6.3-inch case,2 25.5 pounds, 8.5-by-14-inch scanning area; built-in transparency adapter; ADF optional. SUMMARY: Powerful imaging software, great scan quality, and blazing performance. ( Dec 01) |
How We Test: All scanners are tested at default settings under Windows 98 on a Gateway GP7-550 (550-MHz Pentium III) PC with 128MB of RAM, using each scanner's bundled software. Overall rating is based on image quality (25 percent), 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. For more details, see "A Guide to PC World's Star Ratings."
1 At unit's maximum optical resolution.
2 In order: width, depth, height.
3 Tested with IEEE 1394 interface.
4Priced with SCSI adapter.
5Tested with SCSI interface.
6 Tested with USB interface.