tremlabs
This is my forth hp laserjet printer, and by far the lightest and smallest (I bought my first laserjet model II, in 1990, and it cost $2000!) It replaces an hp 2055dn, which unfortunately had started smearing pages, probably due to a bad fuser unit. Unfortunately, it is cheaper to upgrade than face the expense and uncertainty of fixing the old one (fuser unit costs $110-190!). This new unit performs well. I set it up to be "IT Managed", so it wont auto-update (a.k.a auto-break) its software over the internet. I set the IP address manually to match the old printer, and then just started printing. I didnt have to change any print drivers on our macs. I have printed single sided and duplex using print dialog settings with no problem, and have tested OSX 10.6 (snow leopard) and OSX 10.8 (mt. lion). Once it is on the network, you manage it via its built-in web interface, just like the older models. It has lots and lots of options, but I just set the IP address. (You set the management mode from the control panel when it first boots up). One nice surprise is that this one handles legal-size paper; the old 2055dn did not. Very fast! Finishes printing short jobs before I can walk over there. Mostly use this printer for dumping documentation, and so speed is important. It comes with the basic toner cartridge, which I believe is good for about 3,000 pages. One annoyance, as others have noted, is the flashing beacon when it is in sleep mode. It is a bright white light, and flashes like a traffic signal. You can see it from outside my house at night! It could even help burglars find the loot in the dead of night, so good job HP designers! Solved for now by covering the bright LED in the switch with sticky notes. I dont advise using electrical tape, because the adhesive might eventually impact the operation of the switch. I guess you could lean a clipboard in front of it, or maybe paint over it, or get creative with stickers. Other than this human factor design error, happy to have a lighter, faster, more capable, inexpensive, plug replacement printer, especially with the new school year coming up. :)
