The HP LaserJet 5200 is a monochrome laser printer designed for small or medium offices that require high-volume printing, without the need for color. The printer boasts speeds up to 35 pages per minute, with a first page out time of 10 seconds, meaning it is fast enough to support a large number of shared users without much waiting time.

Speaking of shared users, the printer includes a USB and parallel port, but not an ethernet port. Sharing the printer across a network will require connection to a PC at all times, or a connection to a printer server. While this is not a major issue, it would have been nice to see an ethernet port included, especially for the price. Also, the printer does not support duplex (double-sided) printing. While this is also not a major downside, as only some users utilize it, many less expensive printers include duplex printing, though they may not have the print quality of the 5200.

Print quality is everything one has come to expect from HP. Text is dark and sharp, even at very small fonts, and graphics quality is excellent. The 5200 can print at a resolution up to 1200 dpi for extremely detailed print quality.

Paper capacity is 350 sheets, divided among a 250-sheet standard tray and a 100-sheet multipurpose tray. The included toner cartridge has a capacity of 12,000 pages, so most users will not have to change cartridges for quite some time.

The unit can handle a wide variety of media sizes, from 3” x 5” up to 12” x 18” if necessary, and a wide variety of media types, including cards, envelopes, labels, vellum paper, bond paper, and transparencies to name a few.

At 44 pounds it is a fairly heavy unit, but its 10.8 inch height and 22.2 inch depth make it a little more compact than many laser printers, making it easier to find a suitable place for it.

Overall, the HP LaserJet 5200 is a relatively compact laser printer with great speeds and print quality that will fit the needs of most office environments nicely.