Frequently Asked Questions
How does $138.32 translate into a monthly toner budget for our 5350dn?
Spread the cartridge across its rating. The 330-6968 is rated at 21,000 pages, so the toner cost works out to about 0.66 cents a page. If your 5350dn prints 3,000 pages in a month, the toner consumed that month costs roughly $20 — the $138.32 purchase simply prepays about seven months of that consumption in one box. Budgeting by the page instead of by the purchase makes the number stable month to month.
What does "high yield" on this cartridge actually mean?
It means the rating: 21,000 pages at the standard 5% coverage test, the highest-capacity supply Dell specified for this printer family. It is not a marketing adjective — it is the page count the cartridge is built and filled to deliver, and it is the number to compare when you are deciding between cartridge options for the 5350dn.
Will one spare be enough for a shared 5350dn?
For almost every office, yes. A spare 330-6968 covers a full cartridge cycle — months of printing at departmental volumes — which leaves ample time to reorder after the spare goes in. Keep it sealed, stored flat in a dry cupboard, and the swap takes minutes whenever the installed cartridge reaches the end of its pages.
Does the 5350dn take the same cartridge as other Dell models?
It does: part number 330-6968 serves the whole 5230 and 5350 family, including the 5230, 5230n, 5230dn and 5350. Checking the code on your current cartridge against 330-6968 is the definitive confirmation before you order.
Why do prints sometimes fade before the rating is reached?
Coverage. The 21,000-page rating assumes pages at 5% coverage — ordinary text. A department printing dense forms, shaded tables or full-page graphics can use two or three times the toner per page, and the cartridge empties proportionally sooner. That is not a short cartridge; it is heavier pages. The rating still works as your comparison standard, because every cartridge in this class is measured the same way.
What warranty and returns apply?
This compatible 330-6968 carries a 1-year warranty and 1-year free returns if it does not perform as it should; the complete terms are on our shipping and returns page. Support is available Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM CST.
How does duplex printing on the 5350dn affect the cartridge's page count?
The rating counts printed sides, and duplexing prints two sides per sheet — so a 330-6968 rated at 21,000 pages delivers roughly 10,500 double-sided sheets, not 21,000. The toner math is unchanged: each side carries its own coverage. Where duplex does pay is paper, storage and postage weight. When you estimate how long this cartridge will last the 5350dn, work from the machine's impression counter, which counts sides, and the rating will line up with reality.
Is it worth ordering by the cartridge code rather than the printer's name?
Yes, because the code cannot drift. The 5350dn's supply is 330-6968, the same code the 5230, 5230n, 5230dn and 5350 take — one number covers the family, while printer names multiply across variants and regions. Reading the code off the cartridge you just removed, or off the machine's supply screen, and ordering against that number removes the most common cause of a wrong-box delivery. The label check takes seconds and is definitive in a way the model name never quite is.
The first pages after a swap look pale — is the cartridge faulty?
Usually not. A fresh 330-6968 can print its first few pages lightly while the toner inside settles into an even layer, particularly if the box stood on end in transit. Print a short run of ordinary documents and judge the cartridge from page five or so, not page one. If density is still uneven after that settling run, reseat the cartridge once. Only output that stays pale after reseating is a genuine problem — and that is what the 1-year warranty is there for.
If we buy the spare early, does sitting on the shelf use up its life?
No. Sealed toner does not age the way ink does — the powder inside the 330-6968 stays stable in its sealed bag, kept flat in a dry cupboard away from heat and sunlight. A spare bought months ahead installs with its full rating intact, which is why one spare is a sound policy for a shared 5350dn. The only discipline required is rotation: if a second spare ever joins the shelf, the older box goes into the machine first.
About This Dell 5350dn Cartridge
The Dell Laser 5350dn uses the 330-6968 high-yield black cartridge: 21,000 pages at about 0.66 cents per page, priced at $138.32 as a compatible unit. It ships from one of our four US warehouses in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Georgia or California, and it is covered by our 1-year warranty and 1-year free returns. The rest of the compatible Dell range is on our Dell toner page.
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