Lasers In the Jungle…

Apple has finally released the new Personal LaserWriters, the SC and the NT. Ours is on back order, so we can’t comment personally, but they are based on the same Canon engine as the HP LaserJet IIP, which means they print at 4 pages per minute (ppm) at top engine speed. In theory, the LaserWriter II’s print at a top speed of 8 ppm, but seldom reach that throughput in reality. The Personal LaserWriter SC will retail for $1999 while the NT will list at $3299, although the educational discount for the NT drops its price to about $2200. At that price point, a LaserJet IIP with extra memory, AppleTalk, and a PostScript cartridge is only minimally less expensive. The competition will also come from the QMS-PS 410, a PostScript printer based on the same Canon engine, but with a faster processor (68020 vs.. 68000), a later version of HP’s Printer Control Language, and a better method of switching between Macs and PC-clones. The QMS printer will list for $2795, $500 less than the Personal Laser NT.

QMS — 800/631-2692

Information from:
Adam C. Engst — TidBITS editor
Apple spec sheets
QMS technical support

Related articles:
MacWEEK — 10-Jul-90, Vol. 4, #25, pg. 1
Macworld — Aug-90, pg. 128