The Dell 5210 is a monochrome laser printer designed for the high volume small or medium office environment. It combines expandability, security features, and fast speeds in an easy to use printer.
The Dell 5210 is built to expand with the needs of a growing office. Its initial paper capacity of 600 sheets can be expanded to a maximum of 2,600 sheets by adding up to 4 drawers of 500-sheets each. Even its output capacity can be expanded from its initial 250 sheets to a maximum of 2,000 sheets. Prices for the paper drawer expansions are fairly expensive, however. Memory can be expanded from the standard amount of 64 MB to a maximum of 576 MB, and will be a necessary upgrade as more users are added to the network.
The Dell 5210 toner capacity is just as impressive as the paper capacity. Each black toner cartridge has a capacity of 20,000 pages. With this page yield, the Dell 5210 toner cartridge can easily keep up with the fast paced setting environment this printer was designed for.
The printer measures 15.2 inches by 17.4 inches by 20 inches, and weighs 43 pounds, so it will need at least two people to move it. Adding more paper drawers significantly adds to the size and weight, so this should be a consideration for potential buyers. Connections options include USB 2.0, ethernet, and parallel ports. There is also an optional wireless card to add wifi connectivity, though it’s a bit expensive. The printer has a built-in web server, which can be accessed by any network-connected computer for changing settings, managing print jobs, etc.
The 5210 also includes many security features, which is handy in a large office with many users. The control panel can be locked to prevent unauthorized use. The printer can also hold print jobs until a PIN code is entered, to keep secure documents safe from prying eyes. Print speed is around 40 pages per minute for very fast printing. Print quality is excellent, utilizing a 1200 dpi printing engine for very sharp prints.
Overall, the Dell 5210 offers the speed and capacity that a high-volume office needs, and its security features will appeal to those who routinely print sensitive documents. Expensive upgrades are a bit of a downside.
