B710N TONER CARTRIDGE

Okidata B710N Review

Overview:

The Okidata B710N is built for performance. This monochrome printer is capable of cranking out 42 pages per minute of raw, high volume power. The device is network ready out of the box, making it a great choice for a shared printer that can truly handle the needs of more than just one user without hesitating.

Pros:

The Okidata B710N’s 42 pages per minute is quite impressive, and the two other printers in this series from Oki (the Okidata B720N and Okidata B730N) give users options for the even faster print times of 47 pages per minute and 52 pages per minute, though their overhead costs are considerably more.

It is always a pleasant and welcome surprise when a high speed black and white printer is also capable of printing at incredibly high resolution. While the Okidata B710N’s 1200 x 1200 dot per inch quality is not going to blow anyone away, it still results in four times the detail of the all too common 600 x 600 dot per inch document printers that tend to flood the market.

The printer’s RAM is upgradable all the way up to a total of 640 MBs, and its standard memory supply of 128 MBs is good enough for most applications as is. A 512 MB flash kit is also available as an option, as is a 40 GB hard disk. It is fairly rare to see a hard disk option on a single function printer, but if ever there was a printer that could take advantage of built in page storage, it is the Okidata B710N. With the hard disk installed, page data that is commonly used can be stored within the device and printed directly from the device, making it a walk up, stand alone printer of sorts. While most users would have no use for such a feature, it is still admirable for a device to leave the option open.

A USB port and an Ethernet port make up the whole of the standard connectivity options, but a wireless option is also available for the Okidata B710N, further rounding out the device’s expansion options. The built in network card is pretty much a must for a device of this magnitude, as it is almost certain that an individual would not be able to fully take advantage of the device’s power on his own. The unit’s 275,000 page, incredibly large monthly duty cycle further cements the printer as a high volume machine.

Cons:

The Okidata B710N is more expensive than your average personal printer. In fact, the device is so costly, that a buyer could find a printer with, more or less, the exact same features for literally hundreds of dollars less, sacrificing only the 42 page per minute print speed. If over the top print speeds are not absolutely imperative, then it is probably a good idea to look at lower end devices. For users who require the even faster speeds of the 720 and 730 printers from Oki, be prepared to shell out prices that are quite mind boggling for a non multifunctional unit.