Written by The HP LaserJet 5n printer using HP LaserJet 5n toner is one of the workhorse printers in the Hewlett-Packard lineup of network workgroup machines. It is a monochrome black and white printer that will work nicely in a small business or as the primary printer in a workgroup within a large organization, for the most part. It can juggle multiple tasks with ease and also comes at a nice price.
Print speed for the 5n is more than adequate at around 12 or so pages per minute in black and white. For media sizes of up to legal-sized paper it can go a bit faster, turning out copy at nearly 14 pages per minute. These are more than adequate standards for the kind of work that this particular printer will be expected to accomplish.
Network interfacing is a relatively easy activity to accomplish, too, and the printer offers a variety of different methods for doing so. There are parallel, Ethernet and USB input ports and getting it running can be done fairly quickly and with little drama. Someone spending just a few minutes with the owner’s manual and the included CD-ROM installation disc will have no problem.
The printer features 600 dots per inch (dpi) for printing. With this type of print resolution, the completed projects will have a clean and precise appearance, which is more than many other printers in this particular segment are capable of pulling off. Font types are exceptional, with more than 45 types available for a myriad of application choices.
The 5n comes standard with a workmanlike 33 MHz microprocessor, which is usually sufficient to handle the needs of small business or workgroup multi-taskings. This is another reason why the 5n is probably best-suited to small business and large workgroups within a business than as a large network printer.
Standard memory is 2 MB, and it can be upgraded to 66 MB, which it should be when possible. Large simultaneous print tasks may cause a slight delay before they’re prioritized, but that problem’s easily handled once memory’s been increased to a level sufficient to handle the number of total print jobs that the printer will be expected to handle on an average basis.
No matter the printing media selected, the HP 5n should be able to take up the job and handle it. It prints out on envelopes, transparencies, standard paper and labels in a competent, no-nonsense manner, too. As far as how much paper the 5n can store, it’s rated at 350 sheets in the included trays. Monthly duty cycle is also excellent, at 35,000 pages before any maintenance will be needed.
The HP LaserJet 5n printer works well with many different Windows-based operating systems and has a transport protocol called “Apple Talk” that enables it to communicate with Mac machines. Currently, prices for this very versatile and reliable printer are as low as $150, although other retail outlets are listing it for around $400, so keep that in mind when shopping for it.
Value, as in dollar to performance, is a consideration for operation of a printer and it’s here where the HP LaserJet 5n toner cartridges shines. Reprints due to smudges are costly, however, HP printer toner cartridge seems to eliminate that worry. Using great toner cartridges makes your overall costs lower.
