Lexmark Network-Ready Black-and-White Laser Printer review

Performance
The Lexmark E250dn's performance was a mixed bag. Its text prints were dismally slow, 11.15 pages per minute. The equivalently priced Samsung ML-2571N printed text at a much faster 16.71ppm. On the other hand, the E250d sped through graphics prints scoring a blazing 20.95ppm, besting all the competition in its price range.

CNET Labs' monochrome laser speed tests (in pages per minute)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)

Black graphics

Black text

Samsung ML-2571N

18.19 

16.71 

Konica Minolta PagePro 1350W

16.03 

16.49 

HP LaserJet 1022

15.3 

15.91 

Brother HL-2040

13.57 

14.12 

Lexmark E250dn

20.95 

11.15 

As for quality, the Lexmark E250dn excelled in both categories. Its text prints were crisp, dark, and clean. The graphics print showed excellent detail, a nice progression through the grayscale (better than the E350d, in fact), and only minor cross-hatching in graphics. Overall, we liked its print quality better than that of the Samsung ML-2571N.

CNET Labs' monochrome laser quality
(Longer bars indicate better performance)

Black graphics

Black text

Lexmark E250dn

Excellent 

Excellent 

Samsung ML-2571N

Good 

Excellent 

Konica Minolta PagePro 1350W

Good 

Excellent 

HP LaserJet 1022

Good 

Good 

Brother HL-2040

Fair 

Good 

Support
Lexmark backs the E250dn with a one-year warranty. Free and toll-free phone support is available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m. ET for the length of the warranty. Lexmark's Web site includes a knowledge base, downloadable drivers, and a resource center to help get you started on new printing projects.