HP Scanjet 3670

Hewlett-Packard's Scanjet 3670 offers basic features for budget-minded students and home users and a low $80 price. True photo fanatics, however, should spring for a scanner with a higher optical resolution and more capabilities, such as the Epson Perfection 1670.

The Scanjet 3670 could use a more streamlined, stylish design; its body is on the boxy side, and it's colored in dull gray shades. The convenient sliding hinges on the scanner's lid accommodate books or albums, but they feel a little unstable when opening and closing the top. Handy features include the built-in Transparent Material Adapter for scanning slides and 35mm negatives and the one-touch buttons lining the scanner's front for scanning, printing, and sharing images.

A clear, step-by-step instruction sheet makes setting up the scanner easy. Like most HP scanners, the Scanjet 3670 comes with HP Photo & Imaging software, a no-frills photo- and image-editing app. You also get Hemera's Greeting Card Creator software, a fun little addition for creating and printing cards. The scanner's 90-day limited warranty, however, is unimpressive.

We tested the Scanjet 3670's scanned image quality on a 19-inch Samsung SyncMaster 957MB flat-screen CRT, and we were not disappointed. It picked up on detail, matched color nicely, and created clear photo scans. There were, however, minor geometry issues along some curved and diagonal lines, causing some text (especially color text) to appear slightly blurry on the edges. Overall, the Scanjet 3670 gives you reasonable bang for your buck, but it won't impress serious digitizing enthusiasts.

Editor's note: We have updated the ratings of this product to reflect changes in this category.