Kyocera FS-4300DN review

£930
Price when reviewed

To look at Kyocera’s new FS-4300DN you wouldn’t think it possible, but this compact desktop mono laser has a quoted top speed of 60ppm. It also offers low print costs of 0.4p per page, has duplexing as standard, and input capacity can be expanded up to 2,600 sheets.

Kyocera FS-4300DN review

It breezed through our speed tests: a 30-page Word document completed in 30 seconds at 600dpi for 60ppm. The driver’s “Fine” 1,200dpi setting didn’t faze it either, with speed remaining constant, while duplexing the same test returned 44ppm. The time to first page was below ten seconds.

Output quality isn’t so clever, and while text was crisp and clear, it struggled with graphics and mono photos. The main problem is excessive banding, evident in our test photos, reports and brochures.

Kyocera FS-4300DN

On a more positive note, Kyocera won’t be beaten for running costs. It achieves this with a combination of low-cost, high-capacity toner cartridges and a ceramic print drum that lasts 500,000 pages. Kyocera’s printer driver offers plenty of features, too, and the print server’s web interface lets you view consumable status, page counts and job queues.

Access to the printer can be secured with user authentication, and there’s also PIN protection for individual print jobs. You can print from USB sticks using the port at the front, although an eight-page PDF document took 2mins 20secs to print using this mode.

There are plenty of extras, with support for four additional 500-sheet lower trays or a 2,000-sheet bulk paper feeder. You can install a 32GB SSD for storing encrypted print jobs, and add Kyocera’s Data Security Kit so they can be released with a swipe card.

The FS-4300DN weighs only 14.6kg, but it’s a fast and cheap text-printing workhorse; only the poor graphics print quality prevents us from recommending this printer.

Basic Specifications

Colour? no
Resolution printer final 1200 x 1200dpi
Rated/quoted print speed 60PPM
Maximum paper size A4
Duplex function yes

Running costs

Cost per A4 mono page 0.4p

Consumables

Drum life 500,000 pages
Standard mono toner life 25,000 pages
Supplied mono toner life 10,000 pages

Power and noise

Dimensions 380 x 416 x 320mm (WDH)

Performance tests

Mono print speed (measured) 60.0ppm

Media Handling

Input tray capacity 500 sheets
Output tray capacity 500 sheets

Connectivity

USB connection? yes
Ethernet connection? yes
Bluetooth connection? no

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