Features:
- Up to 15 pages per minute in black, 9 ppm color
- Up to 4,800 x 1,200 dpi photo printing
- 2,400 x 1,200 dpi on non-photo papers
- Automatic cartridge alignment, Accu-Feed paper-handling
- USB interface, cable included; PC and Mac compatible
Description:
Lexmark's Z45SE definitely lives up to its plug-and-play promise. It's easy to set up and use and produces good output, all for a low price. Installation is simple. The drivers are easy to install and the print cartridges readily click in to replace. Unfortunately, the manual comes only on disk, but good support is available from Lexmark's Web site. The printer itself also talks you through the printing process--literally--making it very easy to operate; it even aligns the print heads automatically. From the box to your first print should be less than five minutes. The Z45SE's attractively styled case is compact, measuring 7.3 inches high by 17.5 inches wide by 9.6 inches deep, making it easy to place on your desk. The print tray pulls out easily for paper insertion. The Z45SE is also reasonably fast: an A4 color photo takes less than a minute. For printing photos, higher-resolution images printed using a higher setting (300 dpi or greater) are vastly superior to low-resolution prints, the latter suffering from very noticeable banding. The only downside, as with most budget inkjet printers, is the operational cost. After a few months of replacing the ink cartridges, you might spend as much as a new printer would cost. However, for modest-volume users, the printer's initial low price makes it a good value. This USB-only printer has a resolution of up to 2,400 x 1,200 dpi and, according to Lexmark, outputs up to 15 pages per minute (ppm) in black and 9 ppm in color (the reality is more modest). Despite the Lexmark Z45SE inkjet's low-end price, it doesn't sacrifice quality in the quest for a bargain. --Kristen Bowditch
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