INK & TONER
Gestetner DSc-428 Review
 
Editor's Review
Gestetner DSc-428 by Rob Jara 08/29/2010 OVERVIEW: The Gestetner DSc-428 is a multifunction device that promises to deliver “networked color” for printing, scanning, faxing and copying documents, plus a whole range of features and customization functions that helped Gestetner printers make their mark on the market. Add Gestetner’s penchant for high volume production, the Gestetner DSc-428 is sure to make a lot of offices and businesses seriously consider getting one for the workplace.
Editor's Pros & Cons
PROS:
The Gestetner DSc-428 boasts improved color performance on its toner, which offers sharper image and better quality prints. Resolution for the Gestetner DSc-428 now comes in at 1200 dots per inch, a great improvement from the paltry 600 maximum dpi of previous models. Operating system also increased, with a variety of Windows, Linux and MAC OS platforms supported now by the Gestetner DSc-428. Print speed is indicated by the last two digits of the model’s name, 28, which means 28 pages per minute for monochrome, and 24 pages per minute for a full color print production. The interface of the Gestetner DSc-428 is also quite impressive, with a standard USB 2.0, Ethernet 10 base-T/100 base-TX, Firewire, wireless LAN and even bluetooth. This wide array of interface makes the Gestetner DSc-428 a very ideal multifunction device for offices that prefer diversity and versatility in printer connectivity.
The Gestetner DSc-428 continues support for high volume productivity with its standard 2 x 500-sheet trays and an output paper tray capacity of 2,600. And if this doesn’t seem to suffice, the Gestetner DSc-428 also has a 100-sheet bypass tray.
The scanning feature provides a maximum of 50 originals per minute, quite fast for a multifunction device. Resolution for the scanning function is at 600 dpi maximum for full color, and 1200 dpi for grayscale scans. Copy speed on the other hand is the same with its print speed, both for monochrome and color, which still appears competitive among multifunction devices. Maximum copy resolution stands at 600 dpi, with a multiple copy option up to 999 copies. Faxing function, which is optional for the Gestetner DSc-428, boasts a modem speed of 33.6 Kbps, with a scanning speed is at 1.1 seconds with a 200 x 100 dpi resolution for A4 paper type. There is an option to increase the scan resolution to 400 x 400 dpi, but will slow the scanning speed. Memory capacity is at 4MB for standard, upgradable to a maximum of 28MB. It also comes in with a memory back up, a handy feature for power outages and busy fax lines.
CONS: With all its features, it’s hard to figure any improvements that can be applied to the Gestetner DSc-428. Though the size can still be an important issue, especially for offices who are concerned with space-saving in the workplace, it can be argued that the Gestetner DSc-428 is built for high volume productivity, hence its hefty and bulky design. And while resolution can be improved on full color scanning and faxing, the resolution the Gestetner DSc-428 currently provides is adequate as per industry standards. The maximum power consumption is an issue though, even if the Gestetner DSc-428 has a power saver mode. Utilizing the power saver mode affects the performance of the machine, thus slowing production. And for maximum performance, high power consumption is the price to pay.
INK/TONER NEEDS:
The Gestetner DSc-428 comes in with a new toner cartridge that not only provides better quality for print production, but also yields a more reliable and cost-efficient solution for the workplace. Toner cartridge for the Gestetner DSc-428 comes in with a 19,000-page yield for monochrome, while color toner cartridges have 10,000-page yields each. Such high capacity yields for the Gestetner DSc-428 toner cartridges allow for maximum usage and productivity for businesses and offices with high volume output demands. 
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