LEXMARK FORMS 2581 OEM RIBBON CARTRIDGE (CHARACTER YIELD)

Lexmark Forms 2581 Review

Overview:

Capable of producing forms up to 6 parts thick and withstanding considerable environmental abuse in harsh work spaces, the Lexmark Forms 2581 is the ideal dot matrix impact printer for auto shops, shipping houses, and other, similar work environments. While the printer is far from cheap, its impact print technology allows it to produce material that laser printers simply cannot.

Pros:

In general, dot matrix printers have very limited uses, but the Lexmark Forms 2581 is one that stands out among the rest to some degree due to its well rounded feature set that makes it somewhat versatile for a dot matrix. The printer can print to material that is up to 6 parts thick, consisting of one original and 5 carbon copies. While there are printers out there that can punch up to 7 or 8 copies deep, the Lexmark Forms 2581’s 6 should suffice for almost any user.

The Lexmark Forms 2581 comes complete with only 512 MBs of RAM, which is actually sufficient for this simplistic device. It also has 2 MBs of flash memory that allows features such as bar code support to be active. Its language simulation includes that of EPSON, Okidata Microline, and IBM PPDS so it is compatible with a variety of dot matrix printing systems. Each of the unit’s print heads can produce about 300 million characters so replacement cycles will be long and consumable costs relatively low.

A serial port is an optional accessory that is available for the Lexmark Forms 2581, but most users will be able to get by with the standard USB and Parallel ports for basic single PC connectivity. As a modern dot matrix device, the unit is equipped with a variety of convenience features such as push/pull switching. The device also includes an automatic sheet feeder that is compatible with cut sheet media, while Tractor 2 type continuous paper can be used as well. Envelopes and multiple layer forms are also compatible with the sheet feeder, as are non paper special media types.

Cons:

The Lexmark Forms 2581 is quite expensive. While many prefer to buy brand new printers, this printer’s new in box purchase price has not dropped a reasonable amount over its lifespan. The printer is now quite old and, while dot matrix technology does not really age, it is always preferable to get a newer model when they are priced the same as older ones, which is the case with the Lexmark Forms 2581.

Dot matrix printers always have much lower resolutions than any other type of printer, be it inkjet, laser, or another kind, but the Lexmark Forms 2581 in particular can produce a particularly low maximum print resolution of 240 x 144 dots per inch. This is due to the 9 pin design of the unit that cannot compete with the higher res 24 pin types. This means that the printer is restricted to pretty much only text printing, as even a basic company logo or simple chart would look blocky and unprofessional when printed from this device.