LEXMARK C530DN

LEXMARK C530DN
Pros: Built in double, fast prints, network ready, eco-friendly.
Cons: No expandable paper option;minor cross- hatching prints.

The Lexmark C530dn is a fast, high-quality color laser printer that's network-ready and features a built-in duplexer for automatic double-sided printing. Using a 375MHz processor and 128MB of RAM (expandable to 640MB), the C530dn is equipped with a USB connector and an Ethernet jack for net work printing. An optional Wi-Fi adapter is available for wireless printing. The C530dn is fast for its class and delivers high-quality prints. It prints black text at a speedy 17ppm and black-and-white graphics at 16.4ppm. Black text is clean, sharp, and dark what you would want from a laser printer. Graphics are detailed, though with some slight cross-hatching evident. Color print speeds are good, with the C530dn cranking out text at 15.9ppm and graphics at 13.6ppm.
Color text exhibits a slight hint of cross-hatching, but color graphics show smooth color gradients and sharp details. Our only complaint is that the colors are overly red. like those of the Dell3110cn. Part of Lexmark's line of printers it dubs "green machines" the C530dn has environment-friendly features such as duplexing (saves paper), mechanics that require fewer moving parts, and ef ficient toner cartridges. The C530dn comes with a 250-sheet input tray and a 100-sheet multipurpose feeder. Although paper-expansion options are nil, the printer's capacity should be sufficient for home users. (For small office environments, Lexmark has other models in the C530 series that offer more-business-friendly options, such as additional paper trays.) A regular 4,000-page black cartridge costs $131, while regular 3,000-page color cartridges cost $144 each. High-yield color car tridges (5,000 pages) cost $180, but no equivalent exists for black. Lexmark has a cartridge -return program that offers customers a discount if they return spent cartridges for recycling.