Review: Lexmark P350 portable printer

Lexmark claims it is moving away from dedicated photo printers and further towards the all-in-one multifunction market, but the P350 Photo Printer appears to be the exception to the rule.

Rather than the traditional desktop-type inkjet, the P350 is a portable device, complete with carry handle.

It’s certainly small and light enough to go walkies and the built-in multi-format memory card reader (including slots for Compactflash, Memorystick, SD card and XD card, among others), Pictbridge compatibility and a pop-up 2.4in colour screen all allow the printer to be used independently of a PC.

Owners of Bluetooth camera phones can also buy an optional dongle for direct wireless printing. The P350 can connect to a computer too, although it is limited to photo-size prints and won’t be suitable for day-to-day document printing.

We can’t say in all honesty that we fully appreciate either the practical or the aesthetic values of Lexmark’s design. The bright white body looks cheap and plasticky, with unfashionable squared off corners and a somewhat flimsy feel.

A device like this that’s intended to go with you while you’re out and about should have a sturdier build quality, not to mention a less embarrassing appearance.

Unfortunately, despite a reasonably high resolution (4800 x 1200dpi), print quality is pretty poor. Our test prints looked grainy and washed out, with a strange yellowish hue to the colouring. Fleshtones look particularly unrealistic and detail is spoiled by the grain.

None of this is helped by Lexmark’s own-brand photo paper, which lacks the professional-looking gloss of competitor’s premium papers.

In its favour, the P350 is amazingly simple to operate and some basic photo-editing software is included in the package.

Overall, however, the device’s weak performance makes it very hard to advocate, particularly when there are many other portables available at the £100 price point.

Also consider:
Canon Pixma mini260
A good quality compact photo printer, but it's a little on the heavy side

Sagem Photoeasy 110
Wireless dye-based photo printer, but, despite its name, it’s not easy

Canon Selphy CP730
Print your digital photos with ease

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