New York, NY -- Reviewed in late 2009 by PC World, the LaserJet P3015d from HP is the latest model in their Enterprise line of laser printers. In speed tests, it performed remarkably well, attaining a speed of almost 37 pages per minute, very close to HP’s claim of 42 pages per minute. It offers above average paper handling for a machine of this type. It comes standard with a 100-sheet multipurpose tray, and a 500-sheet paper tray. For $300 ($150 each) you can add two more 500-sheet paper trays, for a maximum capacity of 1600 sheets at a time. The 3015d also comes with a built-in automatic duplexer for two-sided printing.
It is not an overly large machine, measuring 12.4” x 17.6” x 16.2” (H x W x D). It also offers a USB drive for printing photos or files directly. The 3015d boasts a monthly duty cycle of 100,000 pages. The PC World reviewer noted that the installation instructions reference an Ethernet port, which she could not locate. The HP website indicates that the connected comes from the internal print server which is installed on the back of the machine, but customers will have to check for themselves. It is an additional accessory that runs about $400.
It is set up to run with your PC or Mac and includes drivers for both Windows 7 and Snow Leopard, though it would pay to continue to check for updated drivers, as they are both relatively new operating systems. In terms of ink, the 3015d ships out of the box with a 6,000-page toner cartridge (HP 55A), which is the standard yield cartridge and replacements cost $145. A high-yield 12,000-page cartridge (HP 55X) will cost $224, and is a better deal in the long run. It should be noted that this machine does not ship with a USB cord, so you will need to provide your own. Overall, if you can deal with average to worse than average graphics, the printer’s other features make it a worthwhile purchase.
