Many people would like a scanner but would rather not increase the desk space used; that's why multi-function devices are gaining in popularity.

The X85 from Lexmark is a scanner grafted onto a printer, making for a high unit that does not take up any more desktop space.

Installation is very straightforward with just two cables on the back of the device for the USB connection and power.

There is plenty of software for performing basic tasks. The software control panel on your screen replicates the LCD on the printer.

It seems useful in principle but most tasks will be performed from the printer itself. The greatest asset here is that all the options can be viewed at the same time, making it easier to create a job.

The buttons on the printer are clearly grouped for scanning and copying. There are copy buttons for selecting black and white or colour and also buttons for selecting the quality of a scan.

The LCD panel helps clarify options but its small size makes some menu choices confusing.

Unlike some other multi-function devices, there is no fax option on this machine.

Faxing can be done using your PC's modem and the supplied software but it can be tricky to set up. It also means the PC must be on to send faxes, although it can copy without the PC's help.

Printing speed and quality are attributes we have come to expect from Lexmark.

In our tests, pictures on inkjet paper showed a few too many white dots and looked a little blurred but the text quality is as good as the 4800 x 1200dpi resolution suggests.

Scanning from the 600 x 1200dpi scanner also produces good results and is quite quick too.

Commendably, when making a copy, the printing starts as soon as the scanning does, rather than waiting for the entire scan to be made before starting to print.

Due to the picture quality this is not really suited to a home user with a lot of photos to print out. As a sidearm for the small business though, it has lots to commend it.

DETAILS

Contact: Lexmark 0870 444 004

www.lexmark.co.uk