It connects to a PC via a parallel port or USB interface. Cabling exits neatly through a cut-out portion of the side panel. The A4 paper tray has a capacity of 300 sheets and slides in at the front of the unit, its lid acting as a priority input feed for single sheets, envelopes or letterheaded paper. Opening a flap at the rear allows straight paper path printing, which is a welcome surprise on a printer of this class. The 2,500-page toner cartridge sits above the paper tray, although its cover is both awkward and flimsy.
Installation is straightforward and the printer produces a test sheet automatically.
You can also print test sheets by pressing the Go key on the front fascia. This clear, LED-lit control is accompanied by two smaller green and amber status LEDs. The LaserJet 1200 comes with a copy of Read IRIS 6.0 for optical character recognition. For a 14ppm monochrome laser printer, the LaserJet 1200 from HP represents good value for money. In addition, the flexibility offered by the available options, such as the colour scanner attachment, means that it will still serve your company's printing demands well if you decide you need your printer to do more.