Flatbed Scanner Offers Well-Rounded Package

Jon Pepper

Hewlett-Packard's ScanJet 5p adds improved image quality, a sleek new design, a wide range of software, and Plug and Play installation. The color flatbed scanner, which replaces the company's entry-level scanner, the 4p, should sell for about $399 ($449 for the Mac).

The 5p's Plug and Play support, along with a 40 percent smaller footprint than the 4p, and new installation software available on a single CD-ROM (instead of floppy disks) make it easy to get the 5p up and running. An other nice touch: Recessed SCSI and power- cable connections let you place the scanner flat against a wall.

The image quality from the 5p was quite good in the beta unit I previewed, and photos looked fine when incorpor ated into Web graphics or as images in a newsletter. The 300-dpi optical scanner (24-bit) has an interpolated resolution of up to 1200 dpi and accepts documents as large as 8.5 x 11.7 inches.

Competitors such as Umax and Microtek offer higher optical-resolution scanners for about the same price, but the higher image quality is more of a plus for graphic arts than typical home and business users. The real appeal of the 5p is the overall package's design and integration, ease of use, and included software.

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Product Information

Hewlett-Packard ScanJet 5p...............$399


.........................................$449 Mac version

Hewlett-Packard Co.
Santa Clara, CA
Phone:    (800) 722-6538
Internet: 
http://www.h
p.com

Circle 997 on Inquiry Card.

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ScanJet 5p

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