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Ease of Use (7.50)
The Lexmark X342n is an intuitive printer, with simple, clear, easy-to-operate controls. Paper is easily loaded in the main tray, but single sheets are a little awkward to load in the manual feeder. A tray that allows the user to load more than one sheet would be helpful, especially if it’s a large enough document to make single-sheet feeding awkward, but small enough to not make it worth switching paper from the main tray. Most competing models (see Comparisons section below) provide a better manual feed tray with more capacity. The auto document feeder functions well, pulling documents in and out quickly.
The toner cartridge slips in and out of its seat effortlessly. Although there is no self-cleaning option, the instructions for manually cleaning the printer seem easy enough.
The Lexmark X342n’s menu is relatively simple to navigate on the two-line display, but that also means that the menu options are somewhat limited. A larger screen would be better.
Value (5.00)
At $399, the Lexmark X342n is not the cheapest monochrome multifunction printer in its price class. Print speeds are quicker than many others on the market, so if speed is a primary criterion, this might be a good deal. However, better quality scanners can likely be had on HP and Brother models.
Comparisons
 HP’s Laserjet 3055 All-in-One sells for $100 more, $499, than the X342n and has most of the same features. The major differences are the printing resolution—1200 dpi on the HP as opposed to 600 x 600 dpi on the Lexmark—and the 3055 has a faster processor—a 264 MHz Motorola Coldfire V4e. Despite the faster processor, this HP multifunction has slower manufacturer-reported print speeds. Its paper capacity is equal to the X342n, except for a 10-sheet priority tray in addition to the main tray. This compares to the X342n’s single-sheet manual-feed slot. The 3055 also weighs only 27 pounds, almost 20 pounds less than the X342n.
 The HP Laserjet 3050, the next model down from the 3055, sells for $299, with the main differences being that the 3050 is network optional and the auto document feeder maxes out at 30 sheets. The estimated maximum monthly output is only 7,000 pages, compared to the Lexmark X342n’s 15,000 pages.
 The Xerox WorkCentre PE220 sells for the same price as the X342n ($399) and can produce prints, scans, and copies at 600 x 600 dpi—equivalent to the Lexmark X342n. However, the multifunction printer’s RAM maxes out at 16 megabytes, much less than the 64 mb on the X342n and the 3052. The input paper capacity is less than the Lexmark as well, maxing out at 150 sheets in the main tray and 30 sheets in the auto document feeder. The X342n can accept 250 sheets and 50 sheets, respectively. The PE220 is not network compatible, unlike the X342n and the HP 3055, which come with standard Ethernet capability. On the plus side, the PE220 is Energy Star compliant.
 The Brother MFC-8460N sells for the same price as the Lexmark and the Xerox models. It ships with only 32 megabytes of memory, but unlike the other models, it is expandable to 544 mb. Standard connectivity equipment on the Brother are parallel, USB, and Ethernet ports. Printing and scanning resolutions are greater than any of the other three models, at 1200 x 1200 print dpi and 1200 x 2400 scan dpi. Bit depth is also greater than the other models, at 48-bit. Main tray paper capacity is equivalent to the Lexmark and HP models, at 250 sheets. However, the multipurpose tray can accept 50 sheets, greater than any of the other models. Its max duty cycle is the greatest of the bunch, at 20,000 pages per month—5,000 pages more than the Lexmark, four times that of the Xerox, and nearly three times that of the HP model. Another plus is the 5-line, backlit LCD display, a big improvement over the typical two-line display found on many lasers and all three of its competitors discussed here. Like the Xerox PE220, the MFC-8460N is Energy Star compliant.
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