In a study on reliability in 2008 made by PCWorld magazine, printers were found slightly more reliable than desktops or laptops. About 3 in 10 respondents reported having one or more significant hardware or software problems with their printers during the preceding year. That figure correlates neatly with customer satisfaction: Two-thirds of users said that they were either very satisfied or extremely satisfied with their printers.

Canon is to printers what Apple is to desktops and laptops: Simply put, our readers love their products. Like last year, the vendor garnered high marks in eight of nine categories, missing only on the “Problem was never resolved” measure.

Meanwhile Hewlett-Packard, which earned five below-average scores, stays on the schneid. Indeed HP’s printer grades in 2008 are worse than they were last year, when it collected subpar marks in just two areas (”Any significant problem” and “Average phone service”). Readers deemed HP printers average–up from below average–in usability this year. In any event, despite its poor showing, HP retains a commanding share of the market: Of the 16,000-plus readers who participated in the printer assessment, half use an HP inkjet or laser printer.

Lexmark didn’t fare much better than HP did, though it did improve on last year’s results. Our readers slapped it with it four subpar grades, down from six last year. Specifically, our readers indicate that Lexmark still needs to upgrade its printers’ usability and reliability; its phone support is improving, however, as is its ability to resolve customer problems.

Kodak dropped a bit this year, too, slipping to a below-average score (for three total) in ease of use.

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Fuji Xerox Printers starts the new year with the launch announcement of its latest A4 monochrome laser printers, the Phaser 3124 and Phaser 3125/N. Intended for the budget-conscious home and SME markets, both printers are capable of printing up to 24 pages-per-minute and boast powerful yet user-friendly features.

The Phaser 3124 is a standalone desktop laser printer, whereas the Phaser 3125/N could be installed in a network environment providing excellent value for small workgroup use. The printers are ideal for individuals or organisations that intend to upgrade from an inkjet printer to a laser printer that will be a better partner at work.

The entry-level printer segment is seeing a continual strong demand as SMEs and home users form a substantial fraction of hardware buyers. According to IDC Q308 Laser Printer Forecast (AP), 1.5 million units of printers in this category are expected to be sold in Asia Pacific next year and this market is predicted to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19% up to 2012. The Phaser 3124 and Phaser 3125/N are poised to meet this demand with its perfect combination of user-friendliness features and great affordability.

Installing the Phaser 3124 and Phaser 3125/N is a breeze even for a non-IT trained personnel. It could be easily completed within four mouse clicks. ‘Green’ features such as a ‘toner save mode’ helps to maximise toner usage, while the ‘power save mode’ ensures that electricity consumption is kept to a minimum.

Both printers boast unmatched reliability and performance. They have a high monthly duty cycle of 20,000 pages and intelligent built-in printing features such as N-up/ Poster/ Booklet/ Overlays/ Fit to Page printing and Favorite layout. A 250-sheet cassette also means that it could support large print jobs with minimal user’s intervention.

The Fuji Xerox Printers Phaser 3124 and Phaser 3125/N are retailing at S$159 and S$299 respectively (recommended retail price, 7% GST included) and are available in the market through its authorised retailers now. In celebration of the launch, customers will be entitled to Fuji Xerox Printers teddy bear worth $29.90 absolutely free with every purchase of either model.

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