A generalmindset that people have with colour lasers is that they cost an arm and a leg. However, with the CLP-315, this mindset will change. Priced at Rs.12,500, the Samsung CLP-315 is a colour laser with a footprint that is no larger than a inkjet MFD.

All black in colour, the CLP¬315 is an upgrade of the CLP-31 0 that we had reviewed long back. From the outside, the CLP 315 printer is simple - like a large box with its front edge rounded off and a 150 sheet multipurpose paper tray sticking out from its
base. On the top is a simple control panel, with a single status indicator, ajob cancel button and four indicators for toner level. Pull down the front cover and you see where most of the new design work has been done.

Slotted into the front of the print engine are four rectangular toners. Each is colour-coded and will only fit into its own slot, making maintenance a real doddle. The black toner cartridge is bigger than the colour ones and should last longer. Print speeds are not spectacular, but they're not unduly slow either. We measured around 13 pages per minute (ppm) for black and just under 3.5ppm for colour; surprisingly close to the specified figures.

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The print quality is also good. Black print is just fine, so text looks almost good, while colour, particularly in any photographs, is over-vivid. Images are also slightly too dark, with the blacks, dark blues and greys slightly too gloomy. Results are still quite eye-catching, but the Samsung CLP-315 is a laser printer better suited to black text than to colour image. You can adjust for this to some extent within the printer driver, but it may take some tweaking to get acceptable output. Needless to say, colour lasers aren't suitable for printing high-quality digital photos¬you'll need an inkjet for that.

Samsung has produced a small, colour laser printer with nearly everything right. The CLP 315 is also priced right, making it ideal for people looking to buy their first colour laser.