The Dell 3115cn color laser printer is what's known as an "all-in-one." By that, we mean it combines color printing along with fax and scan capabilities. It works well as a standalone unit, or as part of a small workgroup network of computers. The Dell 3115cn toner are also relatively inexpensive and can be found without any problem. This unit has a good print speed and a high maximum duty cycle. It also comes in under 500 dollars, so the initial cost for such a versatile machine is low right out of the box.

Rapid Print Output. Moving along at 31 black and white pages per minute and 17 color pages per minute, the Dell 3115cn is probably adequate for most home-based or small office business challenges. Also, it has a document feeder good for about 50 pages, which makes it a versatile player in the segment.

Durability. The Dell 3115cn has a maximum monthly duty cycle of 60,000 pages, which makes it more than adequate for most home or small office businesses. The included Dell 3115cn laser toner cartridges are good for about 5000 pages for black and white docs and about 4000 pages for color output.

Print Quality. Standard print is good, at 600dpi, 2400 image quality. Colors are sharp and clear, and resolution is well within acceptable ranges.

Additional Info. The Dell 3115cn is also a color-copy scanner and a high-speed fax, so a business owner who doesn't want to purchase a separate machine for each different task may want to look at this unit. Scanning right into your computer can be done easily, and cataloguing files is a breeze with the included PaperPort 10 software. Faxing can be done with or without the use of the 3115cn, too.

Toner Inventories. The 3115cn will notify you through email, if you configure it that way, when your toner is getting low. And you can determine who in your workgroup can or can't use color printing, which helps keep those costs down, too.

Multi-Role Functions. The versatility of the Dell 3115cn and the associated Dell 3115cn laser toner cartridges are evident in the high volumes of print jobs it can handle. As it's an all-in-one, the home or small office business won't have to invest additional money in a separate scanner and a standalone fax machine. The 3115cn uses USB 2.0 and Ethernet interface jacks, and can also take an 802.11 wireless printer adaptor on board, which could help cut down on the number of cables and wires lying around the office.

Storage and Memory. The printer's paper storage can be upped with the addition of a 550 sheet paper tray that bumps total storage to 950 sheets. Standard memory comes in at 128 megabytes, but is upgradeable to 1152 megs, which will handle just about any graphics-rich print job.