subject: Lexmark C520 Series Of Color Laser Printers [print this page] The Lexmark C520, or Lexmark C52x, series of printers offers color laser printing solutions that would be appropriate for either a very small workgroup or a personal user with heavy color printing needs. Each of the four models in the series offers slight variations on the base hardware, giving buyers the option to choose the device best suited for their personal volume demands.
For the entire Lexmark C520 line, print speed is universal for both black and white and color printing, topping out at up to 20 pages per minute for either. Other features, such as connectivity and duplexing, vary from device to device. Interestingly, all four models in the series (the Lexmark C522n, Lexmark C524n, Lexmark C524dn, and Lexmark C524dtn) include networking built in, and they all also offer a wireless connectivity option. The Lexmark C524 models (n, dn, and dtn) also offer a very wide range of alternative connectivity options that include Lexmark C520 gigabit, fiber optic, token ring, and serial connections.
Aftermarket cartridge yields are available in 4K for black and white on all models and 8K for the Lexmark C524 models. Aftermarket color yields come in 3K for each model and 5K for Lexmark C524 models. Duplexing is only standard on two out of the four units, the Lexmark C524dn and Lexmark C524dtn, while the dtn model also includes and additional paper tray.
The base model Lexmark C522n does not offer hard disk support, while each of the other three do. The Lexmark C524 units also boast a higher maximum monthly duty cycle of 65K pages, whereas the Lexmark C522 can only print up to 45K. The printers in the series all provide 100% front access for supplies and controls making the devices easy to work with, and they use spherical processed toner for vivid color and imagery.
First page out times run at 13 seconds for either color or mono printing, while the base processing speed is 313 MHz. The upgraded models yield a 400 MHz processor. With 4800 color quality and 1200 x 1200 dot per inch print resolution, the Lexmark C520 series printers are more than qualified to print photographic imagery as well as graphics, and 128 MBs of standard included memory, which can be further upgraded up to 640 MBs, ensures that complex printing tasks will not cause slowdown.
Standard paper handling comes in the form of a 250 sheet paper storage tray and a single sheet bypass slot for special media types. While the t models include a 500 sheet additional tray standard, the other models in the Lexmark C520 series can have one added on for a total of 750 sheets of storage. Output capacity is locked at 250 sheets.
A variety of paper types, including glossy paper, can be used with the Lexmark C520 printers to adjust the look and feel of the output, while a one year on site repair warranty ensures ones investment. These four color laser printers run at moderate speed, for a fairly decent price.
