The Lexmark X6575 is such an All-In-One (AIO) printer, touting the standard print, copy, scan and fax functions, while incorporating wireless connectivity to stand out from the crowded multifunctional inkjet printer market. To accommodate higher printing load, there are also optional higher capacity ink cartridges. Unfortunately, it lacks a color LCD to preview pictures before printing from flash memory media.
Upside
Printers suited for office use typically come with good connectivity options. The Lexmark X6575 ships with Wi-Fi so anyone can print using the inkbox over a wireless network. This removes clutter in workspaces, which presents a neater appearance.
If your office runs on a wireless network, the X6575 might be a good choice for its Wi-Fi capabilities.(Credit: Lexmark)
To help consumers be more eco-friendly, Lexmark has incorporated automatic duplex printing in the X6575. Small businesses can make use of this feature to cut costs by printing on both sides of the paper.
As with most AIOs, the Lexmark is capable of printing directly from common memory media such as CompactFlash, SD/SDHC, xD-Picture card and Memory Stick PRO. The US company added another USB port in front for thumbdrives, and you can print PDFs and Word documents straight off this.
The ink system runs off four cartridges, but for more realistic photo printouts, there is an option for six-color printing by purchasing a different photo ink cartridge. Heavy-duty users can purchase the high-yield cartridges. We like the idea of a customizable ink system as it can help minimize costs by conserving on ink usage.
As with conventional AIOs, the X6575 is capable of fax, scan, copy and print. The fastest print speed is rated at 28 pages per minute (ppm) in draft mode for black-and-white output, and 24ppm for colour with the same settings. There is also an automatic document feeder function.
Downside
Despite having direct document and photo-printing functions, the X6575 lacks a colour LCD for previewing files before printing. We find this important because it can be difficult to find the photos you want to print based on file names alone, and there may be hundreds of pictures on the memory card.
The paper tray is capable of storing only 100 A4 pages. This is quite little for an office printer, and it means there is the hassle of refilling the tray almost every other day if the inkbox is used extensively.
We may be nitpicking here, but the lack of an Ethernet port means that users can print only via the wireless network or through USB2.0. If the printer is already connected to another terminal, those using computers without Wi-Fi capability won't be able to print off it.
Outlook
For an office machine, the X6575 has a very reasonable price tag of AU$299. In general, printers with wireless capabilities cost more. If you have a tight budget but still wish to get a printer for sharing in the office, this Lexmark might be the answer. The high-yield ink cartridges sweeten the deal, especially if you use the inkbox frequently. However, it may be confusing to print straight from the device because you cannot preview the files. But if that doesn't daunt you, give this printer some thought for your next purchase.
