Design

As most recent Dell printers intended for home use are, the Dell 1700 is a black or dark grey brick. The colour fits in well with modern home computer systems, and while the shape and design won't win any style awards, it does receive high marks in terms of practical use. The Dell 1700 doesn't take up any more space than it needs, which makes it convenient for fitting on small computer desks. The Dell 1700 toner printer is also light enough that it makes a reasonably good option for those who need portability. Like other printers in this series, the Dell 1700 does tend to run a little hot, but this isn't a big issue unless you block the vents that are on the upper sides.

Advantages

As with all 17xx series printers, the great advantage to the Dell 1700 is price, and the 1700 is even cheaper than others in the series are. This printer is also far more substantial than you'd expect at this price range. The Dell 1700 is a workhorse, and it can take some abuse. Cartridge Save sell high-capacity Dell 1700 toner cartridges that really help to make this an excellent buy. Again, this is more cost-efficient than you'd expect at this range. The colour Dell 1700 toner cartridges are not quite as cost-efficient, but they're close.

Disadvantage

The big disadvantages with the Dell 1700 are the lack of support for Linux and Mac OS X and the lack of network-readiness. The Dell 1710 offers both of these things, so customers should carefully consider whether the savings are worth it. Consumers should note that you could still use basic drivers to use the printer with Linux or Mac OS X, but there is no additional software and there will be no technical support.