Small office and home office users looking for a printer that yields vibrant and sharp documents and images, needn’t look any further, because Lexmark International Inc.‘s Interpret S405 all-in-one printer does it all.
The beauty of the Lexmark Interpret S405 all-in-one product is that it can print, copy, scan and fax, all using a single device.
The printer comes with an install software and user guide CD, which makes setting up the unit fairly quick and easy. There are step by step instructions for the user to follow, along with matching diagrams.
I really liked that the printer uses separate ink cartridges, instead of just one, so when the time came to refill the appropriate colour of ink, the replacement was easier and more cost-effective.
The printer measures 8.03 x 18.78 x 13.31 inches in height, width and depth, making it suitable for any desktop or other table-top setting. The printer comes in a predominately black exterior casing, with gray along the top of it.
The Lexmark Interpret S405’s control panel is located on the front of the unit with four silver buttons to choose copy, scan, fax and photo printing functions. Below this is a LCD display which supports up to two lines of text, each with 16 characters.
The paper output tray is located at the front of the printer and when it’s extended all the way, the user also has the option of lifting up a part of it to stop paper from flying all over the place.
On the front right side of the printer is a slot for an SD card, a memory stick, or an xD picture card. Located just below that is a USB and Ethernet port to connect the printer to the computer. The printer also comes with built-in 802.11g/b Wi-Fi capabilities, giving users the flexibility to print wirelessly as well.
When it came to printing, Lexmark claims the maximum print speed in the normal setting for black and white print jobs is up to 17 pages per minute (ppm). While I did not test this claim, I’m a believer because any documents that I’d send to the printer would come out quickly. For colour prints in the printer’s normal setting, Lexmark says the S405 can produce up to 11 ppm. The printer also features a print resolution of up to 4800 x 1200 dpi (dots per inch), therefore ensuring vivid, quality prints.
What impressed me the most about this printer was its ability to print and copy high quality, professional-looking photo prints. I used my digital camera’s SD card to print photos on the printer and used Lexmark’s high-gloss Perfect Finish Photo Paper. The prints that came out were amazing. I’d even go as far to say they looked just as good as the prints I’d take to any photo finishing place, or even better. Images were crystal clear and the colours were bright and very detailed.
My only qualm with this printer was that because the photo printing capabilities were so good, I found myself printing lots of photos, therefore, running out of ink quickly. While the cost of the printer is only $149.99, the print refill cartridges are very expensive.
On the Lexmark Web site, the three-pack of 100XL colour high yield return program ink cartridges are listed at $66.65. Ouch!
All in all, the printer is a good choice for users who want to produce sharp, professional-looking documents and images. But it may not be the wisest choice for those who are looking to use this solely as a photo printer because of its high-consumables costs.
The Lexmark Interpret S405 all-in-one printer is now available and comes with a three- year warranty, which includes a one-year limited warranty and a two-year extended limited warranty, when registered within 90 days.
