Lexmark E450 Toner Cartridges

Lexmark E450 Printer Review

The Lexmark E450dn is a compact monochrome toner based laser printer that would fit in well in a small to medium office environment. One feature that stands out immediately is the capability for duplex (two-sided) printing, a feature not often found in a printer of this price and class. Also, included is an ethernet port, an option that is becoming increasingly common, but still a very welcome feature. The built-in ethernet port eliminates the need for the printer to be connected to a PC in order to be accessed across a network. This saves time and power, and when combined with the sleep mode of the printer, is a much greener method of network sharing.

The compact size of the Lexmark E450 is an asset as well. At 14 inches wide by 15.6 inches deep by 10.2 inches tall, and weighing only 25 pounds, it is easier to place and easier to move than bulkier printers, while maintaining the quality and speed. The printer ships with a 6,000-page toner cartridge, and can be upgraded to a 9,000-page cartridge for more economical page costs. The printer also includes an EcoMode, which uses less ink with some sacrifice in quality. For interoffice memos and non-critical printing, the EcoMode is usually enough, and can save quite a bit of money in the long run. The EcoMode option can be turned on either on the printer's front panel or from the printing options as a per-document setting.

Print speed is very fast for the price, at around 25 pages per minute. Print quality is also excellent, with very sharp text. Graphics and photo quality suffers slightly, but a monochrome laser printer is designed with text as a priority, and this is a common downside for all laser printers.

Overall, the Lexmark E450dn is a budget-conscious, eco-friendly choice for small to medium offices that will end up saving money and time over many older models. If you need similar speed but color prints, consider the Lexmark C534 toner printer. The included ethernet port makes network sharing simple, and print quality is excellent, making it a great choice.