A new academic year has begun, people have reached home from their dachas and south, once more working with documents: reports, abstracts, presentations, statements and other important papers. It’s time to change the old printer for a new one or finally buy a good MFP.
This summer, a multifunctional device arrived to me (if anyone does not know, an MFP is a technique that includes a printer, scanner, copier and even a fax) – Huawei PixLab X1. I mightn’t bypass it.
First, it’s Huawei. Where are we without him, in the end – the breadwinner, provides equipment for review. Secondly, a rather interesting sample with a high printing speed, both classical – via wire, and via Wi-Fi, and remotely. Third, the device crisis.
As for the last moment. I’ve done a little analysis of MFPs and printers in Russia. I came to the conclusion that the choice is actually small. If you sort the equipment according to the criteria “laser”, “MFP”, “adequate brand”, then it turns out that there are only one or two such devices. Well, either you have to buy something from 35,000 rubles.
By the way, the leader in sales and offers to potential buyers is the Chinese manufacturer Pantum. Whatever product aggregator you look at, Pantum is offered everywhere, and only then Canon, HP, Xerox, Brother, and so on.
By the way, my home laser MFP is a Japanese Brother. Has been working for over 7 years. Once I bought a device for 5,000 rubles, today its price is more than 25,000 rubles. But cartridges are available and inexpensive.
And here it is worth saying that the F-1500 cartridge for Huawei PixLab X1 is not so easy to find. It is not available in regular stores. On AliExpress, it sells for regarding 3,500 rubles. And the Huawei MFP itself today can be taken for 20,000 rubles.
Table of Contents
Main characteristics
- Size (H x W x D): 367 mm (H) × 320 mm (W) × 288 mm (D)
- The weight: regarding 9,450 kg
- Stamp mode: laser
- Seal type: black and white
- First Page Print Time: ≦ 8.5 seconds (when the printer is ready to print)
- Print Speed (B&W or Color): up to 28 pages per minute
- Permission stamps: 600 x 600 dpi
- High quality: 1200 x 600 dpi
- Automatic duplex printing: supported
- Printing with a Wireless Network Connection: supported
- Printing using a wired network connection: supported
- Printing by connecting a USB cable: supported
- Remote printing: supported
- Recommended print volume per month: 200-2500 pages
- Working cycle per month: 20,000 pages
- Copy speed: 28 cpm (1-in-n, 600 dpi)
- Port: USB-B (USB 2.0) x 1, Ethernet 10/100M х 1
- Bluetooth: 5.0
- Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
- Other ports: NFC
- Expendable materials: original HUAWEI X-15000 drum unit
- Replacing the Toner Cartridge: original HUAWEI F-1500 toner cartridge
- paper tray: 150 pages
- output tray: 50 pages
- Paper weight: 60–105 g/m²
- Paper size: A4, B5 JIS, A5 (SEF), B6 JIS (SEF), A6
Contents of delivery
- Printer (with preinstalled photoconductor unit and toner cartridge)
- Power supply cable
- USB cable
- Quick User Guide
- Warranty card
Appearance
This is a classic MFP. These devices are relatively large and heavy, typically square or rectangular in shape, with a paper opening on the front and an opening scanning lid on the top.
In this case, I got the device in white. Dimensions – 367x320x288 mm, weighs 9.5 kg. It fits perfectly on my table. An important point that you should pay attention to if you place the gadget close to the wall, that is, it will be close to it with the back. The fact is that the paper tray extends beyond the body of the device by regarding 6 cm, and the power cable sticks out 7 cm behind, so the total depth is 37 mm.
For me, this is relevant enough, since the printer is in a cabinet, the depth of which is limited. Knowing the depth of the printer, I specifically bought both a cabinet and a shelf with certain dimensions.
Most of the MFP body is made of white plastic. The quality is normal, but the device does not seem to be a budget device – quite soundly, without squeaks, backlash.
The interior is made of black plastic. By the way, in the photo you can see that supposedly there is dust on the dark areas of the case. But it’s not, just such a strange plastic.
The device also has glossy elements, where without them … For example, a touch panel on top of the front. Instantly covered with dust and fingerprints. I don’t know what will happen to her following a year of touching. I am for practicality: matte white mechanical buttons are our everything!
Elements on the case
The upper part is available for scanning, but is covered with a thick plastic cover with a notch for gripping. The inside of the lid has a white thin plastic backing to create a white background when scanning documents.
The cover, probably, should be removed for scanning books, but how to actually do this is not described anywhere (it is held literally on two plates that diverge to the sides). In general, for thick documents, the panel is raised by regarding 10 mm. That is, a passport or very thick paper will fit there with the lid closed.
The main part of the top panel is occupied by a touch zone for controlling the device.
Left – Large Huawei Share button. If you have an NFC-enabled device, you can tap the button and download the Ai Life app. Well, continue to work with sending documents without using a cable.
Right – big Start button for photocopying. To the left is a digital screen that shows the modes of the device: for example, when opening the cover of the MFP or choosing the number of copies.
I won’t list the others – the names speak for themselves. I controlled the MFP using Wi-Fi on a PC or sent documents to print directly from my smartphone.
Under the touch area are places to exit the printed document. In order for it not to hang down and fall, a telescopic footrest is provided. It extends another 6 cm. So here, too, be careful with the dimensions when squeezing the MFP into your interiors. For example, in my case, the printer was in a cabinet, and with the footrest extended, the door did not close. Actually, it does not close even using my native printer: it’s just that the door is always open during printing.
On the right side of the case there is an inconspicuous mechanical button. Pressing it opens the bottom of the housing for access to the cartridge and drum. The mechanism has a clear fixation in the upper position, like the hood in a car.
You can also open the wide bezel to access the cartridge. That is, the first case is important for replacing the drum, and the second is for easy access to the cartridge.
To replace it, you just need to open the cap on the cartridge: “bolt” to the left – open, “bolt” to the right – close. Next, pull towards you. Simply and easily. Instructions are on the inside of the lid.
Even lower is the pallet with paper. However, it is not inserted in the classical way into some compartment, from where it is taken by the mechanism, but is located inside the case.
This tray holds 150 pages, which is enough for a small office or home use. My graduation project was regarding 300 pages long. So, it would have to fill twice. At one time I printed on an inkjet printer for regarding an hour, and even with the replacement of a cartridge!
Now on Huawei PixLab X1 you can print up to 5 graduation projects in the same 60 minutes.
There are notches on the right and left of the MFP case, thanks to which the device is easy to carry.
On the reverse side there is a power button, a connector for connecting a conventional power cable (the same as for PCs, monitors, and so on). On the right – RJ45 and USB-Type B. In the comments, you can write why this particular type of connector is still used for MFPs and printers.
The back panel opens, thereby providing access to the drum – the paper suddenly jammed …
Working with Huawei PixLab X1
I mainly used an MFP paired with a PC. Since the USB cable was too short, I decided to use Wi-Fi. In the end, we have a modern device in front of us, and we will always have time to get a long cable.
With such a connection, you need to download the software from the Web. It would be nice, of course, if it were located in the printer itself (in Windows, the printer is detected as a new disk where programs and drivers are stored).
In general, I got access to the PixLab Series _ Huawei Print program on the PC. If anything – here is the link.
When printing documents in the future, you will need to select Huawei PixLab X1 in the print settings. In short, there were no connection problems.
If you use a smartphone, then you need to install Ai Life on it. In general, the program is useful, especially if you often “torment” Huiwei gadgets. I connected the MFP with Mate Xs 2. It is very convenient to do this on a large screen.
The settings for the printer are classic – no revelations. Usual parameters for any similar gadget.
The speed measurements are as follows:
- Scanning b/w 100 DPI – 10 seconds
- Scanning b/w 200 DPI – 12 seconds
- Scanning b/w 300 DPI – 15 seconds
- Scanning b/w 600 DPI – 25 seconds
- Scan color 600 DPI – 55 seconds
- Print 75 DPI – 8 seconds
- Printing 100 DPI – 9 seconds
- Printing 300 DPI – 8 seconds
- Printing in toner save mode (first page) – 4 seconds (preparation – 9 seconds).
- Printing in toner save mode (subsequent pages) – 2.4 seconds per page, or approximately 25 pages per minute.
As you can see, the resolution didn’t affect the print speed in any way. One second is an error. In the toner save mode, the picture quality hardly suffers (the print becomes slightly lighter). In my Brother, this mode turns the text into a daub, especially if there is a font less than 10th. The Huawei PixLab X1 MFP is capable of outputting 4-5 text without difficulty. You can print cheat sheets!
The maximum scanning resolution is 9921×14031 pixels. The quality is excellent, but at 80-100% magnification there are already slight distortions in terms of sharpness.
In general, I liked the quality of printing, its speed. Although the last parameter is important in some special situations, for example, when printing a large number of documents urgently: the same diploma, abstract, course project, and so on. But once once more I repeat that at home, even 15 pages per minute is enough.
Impression
Once upon a time there was a golden rule when buying a printer: be sure to pay attention to the cost and availability of ink! The printer may be expensive, but consumables are easy to get at your nearest store for a penny.
With Huawei PixLab X1, the situation is so-so, frankly. At the moment, the F-1500 cartridge can only be bought on AliExpress (I found right here).
Wandering through the forums and reviews in stores, I came across the same points:
– The printer is cool – you have to take it!
– Lying idle because I can not buy a cartridge.
Surely the situation will improve over time, but for now it is best to buy ink for future use. From experience I can say that for household chores 1500 pages will be enough for two years, if not more.
But if you are a happy student, then you need to take a device that produces at least 5000 pages.
Let me summarize. I would be happy to advise the device for purchase, but the situation with the replacement of the cartridge stops. However, if it’s easy for you to order cartridges for 3,500 rubles from AliExpress – go, Huawei PixLab X1 for 20,000 rubles is quite an interesting MFP.
Competitors:
- Pantum M6507. It costs regarding 12,000 rubles. The most popular model. Prints 22 pages per minute, 1200×1200 DPI, has Wi-Fi. The cartridge costs 3,600 rubles (resource – 1600 pages).
- Brother DCP-1602R. It costs 25,000 rubles. This is what I use. Reliable. No WiFi. Cartridges cost around 500-700 rubles (resource – 1500 pages).
- HP LaserJet Pro MFP M28w. It costs 26,000 rubles for the version with Wi-Fi. Printing 18 pages per minute. The cartridge costs 4,000 rubles (resource – 1,000 pages).
What MFPs or printers do you use, how much does refilling or cartridges cost, what is the average cost?
