Evaluation Reveals Lexmark Z52 Ink Jet Performs Faster and Offers Lower Costs.

Business/Technology Editors

NEWTONVILLE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 6, 2000

A rigorous battery of tests conducted as part of the Lyra Research/CompuMetric Labs Printer Evaluation Series reveals that Lexmark's newest entry in the hotly contested ink jet field--the Z52 Color Jetprinter--offers significantly faster print speeds on almost all print tasks compared to its predecessor, the Lexmark Z51 Color Jetprinter. The Printer Evaluation Series tests reveal that most text pages print between 30 and 50 percent faster on the Z52, while color composite pages showed a 25 percent increase in performance. The Z52, which has a street price of $179, incorporates a 50 percent print head ink drop firing rate of 18KHz, compared to the Z51's 12KHz, and exhibited print output speeds comparable to the market leader, HP's DeskJet 970C, which typically offers a street price of $299.

The report also found that the Z52's ink cost per page was about 25 percent less than the Z51 model but still somewhat higher on average than competitors from HP and Xerox. The Z52 also incorporates a higher print-resolution capability of 2,400 x 1,200 dpi, the printer's "Maximum" print-quality mode. The Printer Evaluation Series reveals, however, that this mode severely slowed printer performance without providing any measurable improvement in print quality.

"The Printer Evaluation Series tests offer a balanced and in-depth examination of new competitive product introductions in the hard copy industry," commented Peter Speen, Research Manager at Lyra Research, Inc. "The test series' detailed process and competitive test library allows readers to assess test results in a complete competitive context."

The Hard Copy Printer Evaluation Series, a subscription series produced in cooperation with CompuMetric Labs of Mobile, AL, examines 12 important new printers each year, six each in the following three modules: Low-End Color, High-End Color, and Monochrome Laser.

These reports focus on quantitative analysis of performance, print quality, and consumables life. Each printer is tested using a proprietary testing system, and every report includes a thorough analysis of significant new technologies and an evaluation of critical design/performance trade-offs. Virtually every printer technology has been evaluated in the more than 60 reports already published since 1995 in this series, including monochrome and color ink jet, monochrome and color laser, solid wax, continuous tone, and dye sublimation. Recently tested products in the series include the Lexmark Optra C710, the HP Color LaserJet 8550 MFP, the Canon BJC-8200, and the Xerox DocuColor 4CP and M750.

For more information about the Hard Copy Printer Evaluation Series, visit Lyra's Web site at www.lyra.com.

Lyra Research, Inc. is recognized worldwide as the leading provider of publications, market information, conferences, and custom research services focused on the imaging industry. Lyra now provides imaging industry market research, publications, advisory services, and consulting services to more than 2,000 clients in more than 40 countries worldwide. More imaging professionals rely on publications, market information, and research services from Lyra than any other source.