HP LaserJet P3005dn review

When it comes time to replace your spent toner, you have two options. HP offers a 6,500-page cartridge for $129 and a 13,000-page cartridge for $215. This works out to about 1.9 cents per page and 1.65 cents per page, respectively--both very low numbers. The Lexmark E352dn's per-page costs are nearly twice those of HP's: Lexmark's high-yield cartridges average out to about 3 cents per page. While the toner savings could be significant over time, it's not enough to make up for the huge difference in initial price between the two printers (comparing the equivalently featured HP P3005dn and the Lexmark E352dn).

Performance
For this review, we tested the base model, the HP LaserJet P3005, over a USB 2.0 connection. Performance should be similar among the five configurations, though the high-end versions may be slightly faster due to having more built-in memory. As we haven't reviewed many single-function, mono laser printers lately, it's tough to make direct comparisons to the competition, but the P3005 is pretty fast. It printed black text at a rate of 23.33 pages per minute (ppm) and black graphics at a rate of 20.99ppm. The Lexmark E350 series of mono lasers edges it out, though, scoring 24.13ppm for black text and 25.47ppm for black graphics (with more features, to boot).

We were generally happy with the P3005's print quality. The text printed up sharp and clean, though we would've liked it to be a bit blacker. A peek through the jeweler's loupe showed some problems handling very small point sizes (three points and smaller), though this is a nonissue for most people. The black graphics print also displayed sharp text, as well as good graphics handling. The photo elements on the page showed good detail, though they were beset by the cross-hatching that most lasers can't escape.

Service and support
Hewlett-Packard backs the LaserJet P3005 with a standard one-year warranty, which is on par with the competition, but you can extend the warranty. While under warranty, you can get free, toll-free phone support 24-7. HP's Web site has downloadable drivers, software, and manuals; e-mail tech support; online chat with tech support; FAQs; and a troubleshooting guide.