Samsung ML-2545

Any monochrome laser printer that's small enough to share a desk with comfortably, as with the Samsung ML-2545 ($100 street), is an obvious candidate for a personal printer in any size office. In the case of the ML-2545, its relatively slow speed combined with USB as the only connection choice makes the printer definitively personal. What makes it stand out, and also makes it a good fit even if you have relatively heavy duty print needs, is better than expected paper handling for the price.

The ML-2545 is the slower, USB-only, and slightly less expensive cousin to the Samsung ML-2955ND ($130 street, 3 stars), that I reviewed recently. Surprisingly, it's a touch larger, at 7.8 by 14.1 by 15.3 inches, even though it lacks the duplexer that the ML-2955ND includes. However, it's a match for paper capacity, with a 250-sheet tray. It also offers a one-sheet manual feed, so you can print on a different stock without having to swap out paper in the tray. Considering that many personal printers offer only a 100- or 150-sheet capacity, the ML-2545's paper handing is a nice touch indeed.

Setup, Speed, and Output Quality
Setting up the ML-2545 was standard. Its speed, however, was surprisingly slow for the 24 page-per-minute (ppm) rating. For my tests, I connected the printer to a system running Windows Vista. On our business applications suite (timed using QualityLogic's hardware and software), it came in at only 5.1 effective ppm. In comparison, the Editors' Choice Brother HL-2240 ($120 street, 4 stars), which is also rated at 24 ppm, was more than twice the speed, at 11.4 ppm. Even the Dell 1130 Laser Printer ($119.99 direct, 2.5 stars), with its 19 ppm rating, was faster, at 6 ppm.

The ML-2545 did relatively better on output quality than speed, although text quality was just a touch below par for a mono laser. Fortunately, par quality for mono laser text is high enough so that even at a little below par, the text is easily good enough for most business needs, unless you have an unusual need for small font sizes.

Graphics and photo output scores were at the high end of the very tight range were most mono lasers fall. Graphics were easily good enough for any internal use, and potentially good enough for PowerPoint handouts and the like, as long as you're not too much of a perfectionist about the quality. Photo quality was easily good enough to print recognizable photos from Web pages. Most people would also consider the photos good enough for client newsletters and the like.

Unfortunately, the Samsung ML-2545 is a bit underwhelming overall. There's nothing really wrong with it, and it can fill the job of a personal printer well enough. But for most offices, the Brother HL-2240's faster speed at little difference in price gives it a big advantage. That said, the Samsung ML-2545 offers slightly better output quality than HL-2240, which may be more important to you than the difference in speed. It certainly helps to make the printer a reasonable, if not compelling, choice in any case.

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