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Multifunction devices are the ideal way to save on money and desk space. The Dell A940 crams a scanner, copier, fax machine and printer into one unit. You'd be forgiven for thinking that setting up such a device would be complicated but it was a breeze. Once the USB cable is connected and the software loaded, you'll be printing, scanning and faxing very quickly.
For once, the manufacturer's published print speeds held true and the A940 managed 17 pages per minute in black and 12 in draft colour mode. The scanning facility is also very quick, taking just 35 seconds to scan a colour A4 image at 1,200dpi, although the imge produced wasn't as crisp as we'd expect from such a high-resolution scan.
The photocopy facility managed to reproduce an A4 page in 30 seconds and while this isn't very fast it is still a useful option, if a little taxing on the ink cartridges. Unfortunately, we found the results of our colour photo-printing tests to be a little lacklustre and the A940 didn't produce the vibrant colours we expect from a 4,800 x 1,200dpi printer.
Unlike the vast majority of printers on the market, the A940 affords you a lot of control via a panel on the case, allowing you to perform all its functions (including sending faxes using your PC's modem) without even touching the PC. However, if you do use it with a PC, it will only work with Windows XP or 2000.
There is one aspect that really stands out about the A940 - it's ugly. Little effort has been made to disguise the fact that it is essentially a scanner and printer glued together, so the style-conscious should give it a wide berth. It's also quite large, which will pose problems for people who are very short on space.
The A940 strikes us as a jack of all trades. The results from our tests point to a distinctly average product but the benefit of four products in one at a sub-£100 price is hard to ignore.
Contact: Dell 0870 152 4649
www.dell.com
See also:
All Inkjet Printers
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