Lexmark Pro715

The Lexmark Toolbar gives you a shortcut bar on top of your Web browser for "easy-access" printing. Lexmark's Productivity Studio and Imaging Studio programs provide way to autoedit or crop your photos and include them in projects, and the Lexmark Service Center is intended to help in troubleshooting any snags in the printing process. We also enjoyed using the onscreen progress bar that automatically pops up when you print. It shows you the progress of your job in an easy-to-read percentage bar (the LCD on the control panel also shows the progress) and displays a graphic representation of your ink depletion with a warning when the paper trays are running low.

Performance
The Lexmark Platinum Pro715 performed at an average speed in our comparison testing, nowhere near the chart-topping Epson WorkForce 845. In all four benchmarks, the WorkForce 845 nearly cut the Pro715's print time in half, which will certainly add up if you're constantly using the device at work.

Print speed (in pages per minute)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)

Black text

Color graphics

Photo

Presentation

Epson WorkForce 845

12.52

4.55

0.89

6.73

Epson WorkForce 520

12.51

2.26

2.61

2.73

HP Officejet Pro 8500A Plus

12.21

5.84

1.52

5.94

Lexmark Pro715

7.49

3.34

1.51

3.75

Canon Pixma MX870

7.18

2.55

0.8

3.5

However, we will say that the quality of the Pro715's black and color prints in both our graphic and text-document tests surpasses that of the first version of the Vizix brand of inks. Perhaps not enough to warrant a $10 increase in the price of each cartridge that will need to be replaced, but the current Lexmark printers' permanent print head with separate ink tanks continues to impress us with the vibrancy and solidity of its output. We noticed very few blurred lines and imperfections, and we wouldn't hesitate to use the Pro715 professionally. Then again, the Epson didn't disappoint us either, and since they cost the same, we're sticking with our recommendation of the WorkForce 845.

Service and support
We're wagging a big finger at Lexmark for downgrading the Pro705's generous five-year warranty to just one year for the Pro715. The extended limited warranty that used to cover ownership transfer in case you wanted to sell the printer in five years is now downgraded to one year as well, even for the more expensive Pro915. We're disappointed at Lexmark's unwillingness to support its users beyond the standard warranty term.

Conclusion
With limited upgrades to its design and severe downgrades to the warranty program and cost of consumables, we recommend staying far away from the Pro715 in favor of the Epson WorkForce 845. Though it also only carries a one-year warranty and the quality of its print output is about the same, you get a much larger paper tray and access to Epson's mobile printing suite of applications.

Find out more about how we test printers.

Editors' note: This review was updated with correct information about the included print cartridge.