Review: Lexmark X4650 multifunction device

Despite the popularity of wireless networks, Lexmark appears to be the only manufacturer pushing wireless printers.

The X4650 is the latest and takes the form of an MFD, providing printing, scanning and copy functions. Lexmark has gone for an all-black colour scheme as opposed to the usual beige, along with a slanted front to the chassis.

The supplied software guides you through the process of setting up the printer and hooking it up to your wireless network. Those who suffer from a poor wireless signal will be disappointed to hear it lacks an Ethernet port, and although the Wifi antenna can be rotated it can’t be replaced with a hi-gain antenna.

A multiformat card reader and Pictbridge USB port allow for quick printing from digital cameras, but the lack of an LCD preview display means you’re best off previewing and editing them on your PC first. There is a small OLED display, but it’s not colour and is really only of use during setup and maintenance tasks.

Photo quality is generally good, with strong, vivid colours, but closer inspection reveals a fair amount of speckling. It’s not the fastest printer either, taking just under five minutes to produce an A4 ‘best quality’ photo, and one minute 45 seconds for a 6x4 print.

However, the biggest problem we have with this printer is that it’s staggeringly similar to the £69 Lexmark X4550 released early last year. Aside from aesthetic alterations and some new software features, including scheduled printing, there are few other changes. And, most importantly, performance both in terms of speed and quality is pretty much identical.

Lexmark tells us the X4550 is being discontinued, although we found it still on sale in various stores and how it can justify a £60 price hike for the X4650 is beyond us.

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