Tally T8006e

UPDATE: This group test has been updated. See Budget colour laser printers

If you've read the Lexmark review, you won't be surprised at how similar the Tally looks. There are subtle differences - Tally's control panel houses a few more buttons and status LEDs.

Although the RRPs of the two printers are the same, the cost of buying a printer can be insignificant when it comes to consumables.

The price of the toner for the Tally is slightly more expensive than Lexmark's offering, while the imaging drum comes in almost twice as much - however, with a life of 60,000 pages it does last for 20,000 more pages than Lexmark's. What's more concerning is the fact that Tally charges £410 for replacement fuser, which is required every 60,000 pages, whereas Lexmark asks for just £172.

Another notable difference between the two is in the warranty that's offered. While Lexmark sticks with the standard one-year support service, Tally offers a five-year on-site warranty that basically covers the life of the printer.

Along with this warranty, Tally supplies a maintenance kit that the 8006e requires after 120,000 pages - Lexmark charges £554 for this. Take note, however, that consumables such as toner and the fuser are not included in this warranty.

Just as with the Lexmark, the 8006e displayed a shiny effect on black areas of the page - whether this is a result of over-application of toner is unclear, but we preferred the non-shiny printouts from the other models.

While mono print speeds are similar to the Lexmark's, the 8006e wasn't nearly as sluggish when it came to the A4 colour photo, although three minutes, 10 seconds is nothing to shout about.

The five-year warranty does a great deal to increase the appeal of the Tally, however the relatively expensive consumable costs when printing in mono, along with steep price of the fuser, will do enough to prompt many to look elsewhere.

Contact: Tally 0800 652 4556
www.tally.co.uk

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