Lexmark T430dtn
The Lexmark T430 squeezes high laser-speed claims and business expandability into a tight package.
If you need a printer that spits out black-and-white pages in a hurry, the Lexmark T430 is vying to join your office. This expandable, fairly priced machine claims to produce an impressive 32ppm (pages per minute) of text; while other lasers that approach 30ppm demand nearly double this $549 price. The $150 option to add 802.11g wireless capability is attractive, too.
Upside: The T430 is small and weighs just 32 pounds, compact for a rapid machine. Plus, its penny-per-page toner estimate is as cheap as cartridges come. With businesses in mind, Lexmark pairs a roomy 100-sheet multipurpose feed, for envelopes or letterhead, with the main 250-page tray. The T430 agrees with Apple, Windows, Unix, or Linux PCs.
Downside: The paper-handling add-ons could bust stressed budgets, but even the $840 networkable, duplexing model costs less than other workgroup lasers. Our reviewers were less than thrilled with Lexmark's previous small-office lasers, such as the E332n, but we'll withhold judgment on the T430 until CNET Labs completes its tests.
Outlook: If this laser performs well in our tests, we'll give the T430 a thumbs-up for any thrifty office pressed for space. Our hope? That the T430's performance might approach that of the impressive, deluxe Lexmark C762--only in a scaled-down package.