Lexmark X83 Ink Cartridges

Lexmark X83 Printer Review

The Lexmark X83 is a multifunction inkjet printer aimed at the home or small office user. Its functions are very basic, but it combines a nice array of features for its low price. Print speeds are a bit slow, especially for color, at up to 12 pages per minute for black and 6 pages per minute for color printer ink. Printing at the highest quality settings slows down print speeds even more.

For the user who does a fair amount of printing, the high price of Lexmark X83 ink cartridges could quickly become expensive. Competing models, even those that cost more upfront, tend to be less expensive to operate, because the cost of printer ink is loweror they have better capacities. This is a factor worth considering before purchase, as the cost of Lexmark X83 ink will be the largest over the lifetime of the printer.

The X83 seems a bit larger than most models designed for home usage, however, it isn't bulky. The machine measures 10.6x18.1x14.2 inches and weighs 15 pounds. Its 100-sheet input paper capacity should be a good fit for most, though high-volume users might want more. The unit can also function as a very capable color copier in standalone mode, as there are convenient 1-touch buttons on the front panel for color or black copies. The printing and scanning features are well-supported by the included software, which walks users through the important options for each function. The unit does require users to use their own software interface when scanning, so those expecting full TWAIN support may be disappointed.

In their review of the inkjet printer, Cnet gave it a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5. They liked its low price, fast text printing and easy-to-use control panel. Cnet disliked its lack of faxing, its slow color printing and the high cost of Lexmark X83 ink cartridges.

Overall, this model has a solid feature set, but competing models offer better print speeds and quality for a similar or slightly-higher price, without the high cost of Lexmark X83 ink.