Accurate color output is a requirement for graphic arts and business presentations. With that in mind, we limited our evaluations in this category to dye-sublimation, ink-jet, and thermal-wax-transfer printers designed primarily for producing high-quality four-color images. We set a price limit of $8000, because models above that amount are generally meant for more narrow market niches (e.g., color proofing and photographic-quality output).
Of the 14 color printers tested in this category, nine were thermal printers, two utilized dye-sublimation technology, and three were high-end ink-jet printers. The Tektronix Phaser 220e finished third in the Best Overall and second in the High Quality categories. It costs $2395 less than the Phaser 220i (the leader in those two groups), and its color-quality scores matched those of the
220i. The highest color quality of the ranked printers came from the DECcolorwriter 1000.
The unranked Fargo Primera and PrimeraPro offer inexpensive dye-sublimation printing, although their speed is slow.
Rankings for Best Overall and Low Cost Considered
PERFORMANCE 60%
Color Quality 50%
Mono Quality 40%
Color Speed 10%
FEATURES 25%
EASE OF USE 15%
Rankings for High Quality Considered
PERFORMANCE 60%
Color Quality 80%
Mono Quality 10%
Color Speed 10%
FEATURES 25%
EASE OF USE 15%
Need the best color quality and PostScript speed?
BEST OVERALL
Tektronix Phaser 220i
This was the best thermal-wax-transfer printer we tested. Its high-quality and relatively fast output (0.23 ppm for color PostScript) combined with its high ease-of-use score to push it over the top. The printer comes standard with SCSI and Apple L
ocalTalk interfaces.
Speed (PPM)
Color Native Mono
PostScript Color PostScript
BEST Tektronix Phaser 220i # 0.23 N/A 0.85
RUNNER-UP HP DeskJet 1200 C/PS ## 0.58 0.97 3.39
RUNNER-UP Tektronix Phaser 220e # 0.21 0.84 0.83
RUNNER-UP DECcolorwriter 1000 # 0.21 1.01 0.83
RUNNER-UP Lexmark IBM PS 4079 ## 0.31 N/A 1.80
Quality Index Features Ease
Mono Color score of Use
BEST Tektronix Phaser 220i 7.86 8.33 *** ***
RUNNER-UP HP DeskJet 1200 C/PS 7.01 6.67 *** ***
RUNNER-UP Tektronix Phaser 220e 8.11 8.33 *** ***
RUNNER-UP DECcolorwriter 1000 7.89 8.67 ***
*
RUNNER-UP Lexmark IBM PS 4079 6.66 6.67 *** ***
Price DPI
BEST Tektronix Phaser 220i $6390 600 x 300
RUNNER-UP HP DeskJet 1200 C/PS $2749 600
RUNNER-UP Tektronix Phaser 220e $3995 600 x 300
RUNNER-UP DECcolorwriter 1000 $3999 600 x 300
RUNNER-UP Lexmark IBM PS 4079 $3199 360
KEY
Excellent ****
Good ***
Fair **
Poor *
PRINTER TECHNOLOGY:
Thermal # Ink-jet ##
N/A = not applicable
When price and quality matter
LOW COST
HP DeskJet 1200 C/PS
Compared to its competition, this $2749 ink-jet printer is a bargain. It's the least expensive color printer ranked for this application. In return, it posts the fastest color PostScript score and solid quality ratings. The HP DeskJet 1200 C/PS had the highest color-quality rating of all ink-jet printers tested. The ability to produce high-quality c
olor output has improved to the point where ink-jets compare favorably with thermal printers. While this printer costs four times as much as some of the ink-jet printers ranked in Draft Quality (see page 277), it is worth the extra money if you need its output quality.
Speed (PPM)
Color Native Mono
PostScript Color PostScript
BEST HP DeskJet 1200 C/PS ## 0.58 0.97 3.39
RUNNER-UP Tektronix Phaser 220e # 0.21 0.84 0.82
RUNNER-UP DECcolorwriter 1000 # 0.21 1.01 0.83
RUNNER-UP Lexmark IBM PS 4079 ## 0.31 N/A 1.80
RUNNER-UP General Para. Spectra*Star GTx # 0.22 N/A 0.85
Quality Index Features Ease
Mono Color score of Use
BEST HP DeskJet 1
200 C/PS 7.01 6.67 *** ***
RUNNER-UP Tektronix Phaser 220e 8.11 8.33 *** ***
RUNNER-UP DECcolorwriter 1000 7.89 8.67 *** *
RUNNER-UP Lexmark IBM PS 4079 6.66 6.67 *** ***
RUNNER-UP General Para. Spectra*Star GTx 7.62 7.33 *** ***
Price DPI
BEST HP DeskJet 1200 C/PS $2749 600
RUNNER-UP Tektronix Phaser 220e $3995 600 x 300
RUNNER-UP DECcolorwriter 1000 $3999 600 x 300
RUNNER-UP Lexmark IBM PS 4079 $3199 360
RUNNER-UP General Para. Spectra*Star GTx $4995 300 x 600
KEY
Excellent ****
Good ***
Fair **
Poor *
PRINTER TECHNOLOGY:
Thermal # Ink-jet ##
N/A = not applicable
Need a quality leader?
HIGH QUALITY
Tektronix Phaser 220i
The DECcolorwriter 1000 offers slightly better co
lor output than the Phaser 220i, but we give Tektronix the nod because its color PostScript speed score was faster, and the printer was among the easiest-to-use color models we tested.
Speed (PPM)
Color Native Mono
PostScript Color PostScript
BEST Tektronix Phaser 220i # 0.23 N/A 0.85
RUNNER-UP Tektronix Phaser 220e # 0.21 0.84 0.83
RUNNER-UP HP DeskJet 1200 C/PS ## 0.58 0.97 3.39
RUNNER-UP DECcolorwriter 1000 # 0.21 1.01 0.83
RUNNER-UP Lexmark IBM PS 4079 ## 0.31 N/A 1.80
Quality Index Features Ease
Mono Color score of Use
BEST Tektronix Phaser 220i 7.86 8.33 *** ***
RUNNER-UP Tektronix Phaser 220e 8.11
8.33 *** ***
RUNNER-UP HP DeskJet 1200 C/PS 7.01 6.67 *** ***
RUNNER-UP DECcolorwriter 1000 7.89 8.67 *** *
RUNNER-UP Lexmark IBM PS 4079 6.66 6.67 *** ***
Price DPI
BEST Tektronix Phaser 220i $6390 600 x 300
RUNNER-UP Tektronix Phaser 220e $3995 600 x 300
RUNNER-UP HP DeskJet 1200 C/PS $2749 600
RUNNER-UP DECcolorwriter 1000 $3999 600 x 300
RUNNER-UP Lexmark IBM PS 4079 $3199 360
KEY
Excellent ****
Good ***
Fair **
Poor *
PRINTER TECHNOLOGY:
Thermal # Ink-jet ##
N/A = not applicable
High-Quality Color
