Just when you thought single-colored printers are a thing of the past, Samsung realized that there is a market for business people who do not mind having their documents printed in plain old monochrome. Hence, we get the Samsung ML-1630, probably the sexiest monochrome printer…no, make that THE sexiest printer yet.
Just look at the design! How compact and sleek can you get? Now we believe that it is possible for printers not to look clunky and space-consuming. The glossy black finish on a printer is definite breath of fresh air. The exterior is also laudable for using a blue LED, as well as an OLED status screen that is only visible when the printer wants to tell you something. It also has a split-level design, with the bottom section keeping the main mechanics and the top part acts as a lid and control panel in one.
The laser printer also works almost silently. Gone are the days when monochrome printers would make those ear-splitting noises while working, the ML-1630 only goes out at a mere 45dB. Meanwhile, loading paper into it is an astonishing "why-haven’t-other-companies-have-thought-of-this" idea: a semi-automatic paper tray eject mechanism. The ML-1630 prints at a speed of 17 pages per minute on A4-sized paper.
However, like we have been saying…it’s only available in monochrome. Samsung says adding a color cartridge would sacrifice its petite size. Paper jams seem to be more prevalent using this printer, although these are easy to fix. By the way, it does not accept certain materials like envelopes and postcards. And what we think is the biggest blow: it’s not wireless, and your only option is through USB (cable not included). WiFi connectivity would have made this printer a sure-fire showoff.
Overall, despite the basic necessities solved by ML-1630, its lack of connectivity may be its downfall. But hey, it looks good.
