Lexmark MS331DN Review, Pros and Cons

As an American manufacturer that focuses on imaging products and laser printers, Lexmark has millions of loyal users worldwide. It has launched thousand products ranging from monochrome and color laser printers to various imaging products. And when it comes to monochrome laser printers, the Lexmark MS331DN is one of the noticeable models that gives a new definition to business-oriented printing.

This product is constructed to meet the demands of high-quality office printers for small workgroups. Delivering brilliant design with advanced laser technology, this model competes in mid-range markets with the world’s leading brands such as Epson, HP, and Canon. Keep scrolling and get to know more about this printer product.

Lexmark MS331DN Design

Distinguishing Lexmark from other printers is not difficult. Aside from the visible Lexmark logo on its front, the manufacturer seems to have a specific rule for printer design. The MS331DN holds up the tradition and it comes with Lexmark’s typical design. Don’t get me wrong! I don’t say Lexmark’s design is bad but it has different characteristics that allow users to recognize this brand easily.

The MS331DN has a sleek and compact design with monochromatic nuance that accentuates the modern and professional look. At 8.7 inches by 14.5 inches by 14.3 inches and weighing 20.5 pounds, this printer is relatively small and lightweight. Placing the printer won’t give you so much trouble, even if your working space is narrow.

For the first time, I thought this model didn’t come with a duplexer as it has a clean top. But then I found out it features an integrated duplexer, which is a brilliant idea to wrap the functionality without making the device look bulky. Additionally, the printer features a 2-line APA monochrome LCD display that enables you to control and configure printing operation.

Monochrome Laser Printing

The print-only model is supported by laser technology to ensure output quality. The MS331DN also supports 600 x 600 dpi print resolutions for crisp and legible monochrome text. Enhanced with 2400 Image Quality, this specification is the secret to its dependable output quality.

Not only does it allow you to print simplex documents, but it also supports duplex printing. Thanks to an integrated duplexer that lets you handle double-sided pages without intervention. Simply configure the operation and let the machine do the job for you. For optimized results, the default printable area is 0.1 inches from right, left, top, and bottom.

Impressive Print Speed Won’t Make You Wait

Most laser printers are designed to perform fast print speed and this machine is no exception. Lexmark’s MS331DN speed is rated at 40 pages per minute for simplex and 17 sides per minute for duplex. This rating is very impressive and helpful, especially if you have a tight deadline. Additionally, it has above-average first print out time at 6.2 seconds.

However, print speed is affected by some factors such as connectivity and type of documents. I found that Ethernet and USB connectivity gave the best and fastest performance to the printing machine. Besides, paper size also takes part in determining the speed as this printer’s performance reduces to 38 pages per minute for A4 paper size.

Lexmark MS331DN Input Capacity

Reloading paper every few hours can reduce your productivity. But you don’t have a choice, especially when the printer’s input capacity is relatively low. Thankfully, the MS331DN has generous paper input capacity that gives you peace of mind. No more running out of paper while printing as it can handle more pages than you expect.

This model comes with a standard and multipurpose feeder that offers 350 sheets of total paper capacity. While it’s more than enough for low print volume, Lexmark provides optional paper handling that enables you to upgrade the capacity up to 900 pages. Now, this printer is not only ideal for small workgroups but also medium offices.

It doesn’t stop there. The combination of high input capacity and high page volume makes the MS331DN better than I thought. This product is rated at 500 to 5,000 pages per month with a monthly duty cycle up to 50,000 pages per month. When your print volume is somewhere between the range, your printing tasks can be easily handled by this model.

How about the supported media type and size? This workgroup printer supports a few media types including plain paper, labels, envelopes, and card stock. It can handle a variety of media sizes such as A4, A5, A5, legal, Oficio, and Statement.

Lexmark MS331DN Print Result

Choosing a random printer for office means putting your business at risk. The MS331DN is a printer that won’t make your clients flee because of illegible document texts or messy printings. Combining advanced laser technology and capable print resolution, this product is what you need to produce professional and high-quality output.

After testing the printer, I came to the conclusion that the MS331DN is a capable machine to support your business. I didn’t find weird spacing or misshaped characters which could be troublesome for formal documents. Additionally, it worked well for small-sized texts and I could still read them very well.

In case you need to print PowerPoint slides or Excel charts, this printer can tackle the tasks without difficulties. Though I noticed minor streaking and bandings, it didn’t affect the printer’s overall performance. In short, I don’t have much to complain about its print result as the product can work well for business printings.

Various Cartridge Options

Lexmark’s MS331DN uses Black Return Program toner cartridge that prints up to 1,500 pages. When your print volume is higher, you can opt for cartridge replacement with higher yield. Lexmark offers various cartridge replacement choices to meet your print capacity.

For low to medium print volume, you can choose Lexmark 55B1000 Return Program toner cartridge for Lexmark 55B100E Contract toner cartridge. Both of them print up to 3,000 pages. The manufacturer also provides a High Yield cartridge that yields up to 15,000 pages. Considering the cartridges are just announced, I couldn’t make calculations to determine the print cost.

Under Average Interface

Much like its counterpart, the Lexmark C3426dw, interface is not the highlighted features offered by the MS331DN. The standard connectivity is limited to Ethernet and USB. I can’t explain why this printer does not support wireless connection but it becomes a major drawback to this model. One thing that I know, it will be pretty hard to establish a connection with your mobile device.

Despite its lack of wireless connection, this workgroup printer offers full-spectrum security to ensure the safety of your documents. Thanks to 802.1x Authentication and SNMPv3 that makes your documents and files safe over the network. Additionally, it also supports various network printing methods such as Microsoft Web Services, Enhanced IP, Internet Protocol Printing, FTP, and TFTP.

Lexmark MS331DN Pros and Cons

It has been clear that Lexmark’s MS331DN is not a flawless product despite its popularity. I can easily mention several aspects that will make you fall in love with this model. On the other hand, it also has a few things that make you think twice before making a purchase. The following plus and minus should help you make a wise decision, so check this out!

Lexmark MS331DN Pros

• Outstanding output quality

One of the best things to find in this printer is the outstanding output quality. This is one of few printers you can trust, thanks to laser technology and other capable specs that make it worth trying. It can handle a variety of business documents ranging from presentation handouts to invoices.

• Fast print speed

This is a printer that won’t take much of your time. Thanks to an impressive speed rating that enables the printer to produce up to 40 pages per minute. Whether you are in a rush or have a tight deadline, this printer is a great partner to make your documents ready in a few minutes.

• Expandable paper input

High recommended page volume is supported by expandable paper input, allowing medium-scale workgroups to use this product without reloading paper every few hours. Lexmark provides optional paper handling that lets you upgrade input capacity up to 900 pages. Combined with high print volume, this printer can be a great partner in your workgroup.

Lexmark MS331DN Cons

• Lack of wireless connectivity

Unluckily, this model does not support wireless connectivity. Neither Wi-Fi nor Wi-Fi Direct is supported, so your only choices are Ethernet and USB. This is a major lack that makes the MS331DN less attractive especially among modern users who need to build connectivity to their mobile devices.

• Non-touchscreen monochrome display

Instead of using color LCD, this printer features a 2-line monochrome display. It just gets worse as it does not support the touch screen. The only thing I can say about this display is that it makes you feel like operating a giant calculator.

Conclusion

To sum up, the Lexmark MS331DN is a dependable monochrome laser printer that works well to support your business. It has the ability to deliver high-quality output without spending much of your time. If I should describe this printer in three words, I would choose ‘impressive, fast, and reliable’.

The MS331DN is recommended if you are looking for a printer with ultra-fast speed and above-average output. But if you need one with advanced connectivity options, this model does not sound a good choice for you.