Samsung Launch New Mono Printers - Samsung ML-1630

17/07/2008

The World’s First ‘Sexy’ Printers?

Samsung has launched what are arguably the world’s first ‘sexy’ printers! The new mono Samsung ML-1630 laser printer and the Samsung SCX-4500 multi-function printer break with printer design tradition by boldly marrying function with form. The results are eye-pleasing, eye-catching printers - styled in what Samsung champions as glossy ‘grand piano’ black complemented by blue LED progress lights - which finally put printers in harmony with today’s design conscious world.

Slimline Tonic

The Samsung ML-1630 is billed as the world’s slimmest black and white laser printer but its minimalist, 11cm thick, form still delivers functionality. Small is more than just beautiful. A4 page printing speeds reach 16 ppm (17ppm in letter format) with a first print time of 15 seconds. Effective resolution is up to 1200 x 600 dpi and a host of paper sizes and weights can be accommodated in a semi-automatic push-button 100 sheet cassette tray which makes for easy jam clearance. This new printer is also refreshingly quiet, printing at just 45dB which the Samsung boffins say is 5dB below normal conversation.

Compact Make Up

The multi-function printer clearly can’t compete with its single task cousin in the slimline stakes, but is nonetheless compact, measuring in at around 33 (w) x 39(d) x 16.5 (h) centimetres. As with the ML-1630 some buttons deemed ‘unnecessary’ have been forsaken in favour of soft-touch sensors and the all-in-one matches those 16ppm and first print speeds (and for copying too) whilst again featuring a 100 page semi-automatic cassette supporting the same range of papers and cards. Copy and print effective resolution hits 600 x 600dpi. The colour flatbed scanner offers optical resolution of up to 600 x 2400dpi and enhanced up to 4800 x 4800dpi, with scanning to your PC.

An Aesthetic Injection

Given that most printers are a triumph of function over form, stubby grey boxes there purely to perform robustly, it could be that Samsung has staked a small claim as the Apple of the printer world. The company has certainly given pause for design thought with this welcome injection of aesthetic adventurism.