Lexmark X5450 Ink Cartridges

Lexmark X5450 Printer Review

The Lexmark X5450 provides all the basic functions a home or small office user could need in an affordable and compact package. Print speeds are a slow, at 15 pages per minute for black and 5 pages per minute for color (in normal mode), and Lexmark X5450 ink prices are high. It includes a small automatic document feeder for added convenience.

While not the smallest unit in its class, the Lexmark X5450 is fairly compact for its price and feature set. It measures 11.7 inches by 17.9 inches by 20.5 inches with its trays extended, though it can become a bit more compact by folding and sliding in its input and output paper trays. The printer includes a color Lexmark X5450 inkjet cartridge in the box, but users who do a lot of black text will probably want to add a black Lexmark X5450 ink cartridge. Photo users may also want to add the separate photo cartridge, adding even more to the already high ink costs.

The Lexmark X5450 walks the line between a consumer and business machine. It includes user-friendly software and good photo quality that will appeal to home users, but the inkjet also has an automatic document feeder for its copy, scan and fax functions, which should appeal to more business-oriented users. Unfortunately, the Lexmark X5450 ink printer's ADF is limited to only 10 sheets, which may not be enough for many users. Networking support is not included out of the box, but wired and wireless networking upgrades are available, though they are somewhat expensive.

Coming in at a lower price than most of its competition makes the Lexmark X5450 ink printer an appealing choice, but its high ink costs are the main stumbling block. Competing models offer faster print speeds, better quality and lower ink costs for only a little more upfront.

Overall, the Lexmark X5450 ink printer has mostly its low upfront price to offer buyers, but its value is decreased when factoring in high ink costs, which will cost users much more over the lifetime of the unit than competing models.