On our performance tests, (timed with QualityLogic's hardware and software, the 944 turned in top speed in its price class for photos and reasonable speed for business applications. Most importantly, photo-printing speed and quality are both good, and those are the two most critical issues when the ink hits the paper. The 944 does build in plenty of features geared to photos, starting with a connector that lets you print directly from PictBridge cameras, slots for direct printing from memory cards, and a 2.4-inch LCD that lets you preview photos on memory cards. That's a feature reserved for photo AIOs that cost more than twice as much, notably our Editors' Choice, the Canon Pixma MP760 Photo All-in-One.

At this price, you certainly won't find a transparency adapter for slides. Its control software will let you scan directly to the Microsoft Windows XP fax utility, though, letting you use a fax modem in your PC (which is more than some AIOs offer). Unlike the similarly priced Brother MFC-420cn, the 944 has no network connector, automatic document feeder (ADF) for handling multipage documents, or built-in fax modem to let it work as a standalone fax.

You can also substitute a photo cartridge for the black cartridge to get six-color printing, which adds the usual light cyan and light magenta for better looking photos. It comes with a black and tricolor cartridge for four-color printing using cyan, yellow, magenta, and black. Setup is typical for AIOs that connect using USB 2.0: Simply load the ink and paper, connect the cable and power cord, and run the automated installation routine. The 944 weighs 13 pounds, and at 11.4 by 17.2 by 17.5 inches (HWD), is small enough to fit comfortably on a desk or on a nearby table.

And that's enough to make the total package worth considering as a home or light-duty home-office AIO for anyone with a particular interest in photos. As a printer, however, it offers fast, high-quality photo output, along with reasonable speed and quality for text and graphics.

Best Hosted Endpoint Protection and Security SoftwareĪs an all-in-one printer, the Dell Photo AIO Printer 944 ($149 direct) is highly limited, with only three functions: scanning, copying, and printing.

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