The Xerox Phaser 6120/N is a compact, network-ready, color laser printer that, like a growing number of products in this category, costs about $500. But unlike many of those inexpensive printers, the Xerox 6120 also includes some high-end features like PostScript 3, and upgrade options such as an internal hard drive, 500-sheet paper tray, extra memory capacity, and a duplexing unit. And like the Konica Minolta Magicolor 2450 ( ; October 2005 ) that it so closely resembles, the Phaser 6120 does a great job of printing photographic images. But its text is a little on the heavy side.
This printer is easy to handle and setting it up was a breeze. Its four toner cartridges come pre-installed and you can connect the printer to your Mac directly via a USB 2.0 cable, or to a network via the built-in 10/100 Ethernet port. We did all of our testing over the network. The printer does not support Bonjour, Apple’s zero configuration networking protocol, but the printer did show up in AppleTalk and we had no problems seeing, selecting, or printing to the 6120.
In terms of speed, the 6120 is an average performer. Compared to six other inexpensive color lasers we’ve tested over the last several months, it was among the fastest on the Word text tests, among the slowest on the Photoshop test, and just about the same as the others in the PDF test.
The 6210 does a great job of printing photographic images. Its print of our 22MB Photoshop test image could almost have been mistaken for a photo inkjet print. It also did a very good job printing PDF graphics, with smooth color gradients and stable curved lines. Its text, though clear and very legible, does print heavier than most lasers.
timed trials
| 10-page Word test | 0:48 |
|---|---|
| 1-page Word test | 0:21 |
| 22MB Photoshop image | 3:26 |
| 4-page PDF | 1:38 |
jury tests
| Graphics-Fine lines, gradients | Very Good |
|---|---|
| 22MB Photoshop Image Quality | Excellent |
| Text Quality | Very Good |
Scale = Excellent, Very Good, Good, Flawed, Unacceptable
SPECIFICATIONS
| Print Resolution | 2400 dpi (enhanced) |
|---|---|
| Connection | 10/100 Ethernet; USB 2.0 |
| Paper Sizes | up to 8.5×14 |
| PostScript Version | PostScript 3 |
| Installed RAM /Max RAM | 128/640 |
| Cost to replace ink/ toner carts | $499 ($79 for Black, $140 each for C-M-Y per 4,500 pages) |
| Weight (in pounds) | 44.5 |
| Dimensions (height x depth x width in inches) | 13.4 x 15.6 x 17.4 |
| Paper capacity | 200 |
| Duty cycle | 35,000 |
| Special Features | Optional hard drive; paper trays; duplexing unit. |
Macworld’s buying advice
If you’re shopping for an inexpensive color laser printer, you should consider the Xerox Phaser 6120/N. It gives you excellent photographic image quality, networking, and PostScript 3 features, and an abundance of high-end optional upgrades. Though no speed demon, it’s fast enough for most users.
[ James Galbraith is Macworld ’s lab director. ]
Xerox Phaser 6120/N