Samsung CLP-510 review

The Samsung CLP-510 is a rather large beast, so if you have workspace issues it's worth taking a closer look at how much square footage this printer swallows up before you buy. You will also have to take its weight into consideration - it's not an easy machine to move around.

Connectivity is via high-speed USB 2.0 and the print engine is rated at 600x600dpi; Ethernet is available but only at an extra cost. The Samsung does have duplex printing as standard, though, which is a nice touch at this price point.

There's a 250-sheet paper tray underneath the device and a 100-sheet multi-purpose tray on the side. But using this extra tray will increase the printer's dimensions even further.

Text print speeds are very impressive, with a ten-page document finished and ready to go in just 34 seconds. This excellent performance is let down, however, by less than clear text.

The edges to some text certainly aren't as sharp as you'd expect. Images look overly dark, as though too much toner has been laid down.

Detail is lost in darker areas and colours lack a realistic hue. Worse still, some bright areas look almost fluorescent. One plus point: it runs very quietly, especially considering the rate it spits pages into the output tray.

The low price of the Samsung makes it an attractive proposition, but overall print quality isn't of the highest standard. The device itself is huge and heavy, but at least it's well constructed and feels like it can take a good degree of punishment.

Print speeds are very impressive, but text performance isn't the best and colour documents are far too dark to impress. While the price is attractive, this printer lacks the all-round performance required to satisfy a demanding user.