Lexmark Z45 Ink Cartridges

Lexmark Z45 Printer Review

The Lexmark Z45 is an inexpensive inkjet printer with solid specs and performance. It has the compact size and affordable price that most home buyers seek, and its print speeds are quite good at up to 15 pages per minute black and 9 pages per minute color, though printing at normal or high quality will be slower than these rated speeds. Lexmark Z45 ink is expensive, however. The Lexmark Z45 and Z45se have both been discontinued.

As with many Lexmark models, the cost of Lexmark Z45 ink cartridges is its main drawback. Although the upfront price is very affordable, the long term cost of ownership will likely be much higher than more expensive models due to the high cost of Lexmark Z45 ink cartridges. Furthermore, to get the best photos possible, users will have to purchase a separate printer ink for photos..

The unit measures only 20.3 inches by 17.5 inches by 10.8 inches and weighs 10 pounds. While this is larger than some models in its class, it will likely be small enough for most home and small office spaces. Both PC and Mac platforms are supported, and the unit can connect via either USB or parallel port for extra flexibility. Maximum printing resolution is 2400 by 1200 dpi, which can produce very sharp prints. A wide range of media types and sizes are supported, which is somewhat surprising for its affordable price.

PC World's review of the inkjet printer is mainly positive. PC World liked its very fast text printing speeds, especially given its low price. They found text quality to be a little grayish, but found both text and photo quality to be quite good. They disliked the high cost of Lexmark Z45 ink, however, finding its printer ink costs to be much higher than competing models, reducing its overall value.

Overall, the Lexmark Z45 is an excellent printer with good print quality and solid speeds, but its cost of ownership is higher than any others in its class, making it a poor value for home users, especially those who do a lot of printing.