Lexmark C3426dw: short-body touchscreen color printing review

Touchscreen color printing in a short body

The Lexmark C3426dw is an earlier color printer reference for a small office that wants network sharing, automatic duplex and touchscreen control without a scanner body. The standard arrangement includes Wi-Fi, gigabit Ethernet and a 250-sheet main tray. The deciding paper distinction is between that confirmed included stack and optional expansion, for which the manufacturer's own materials contain conflicting maximum figures.

Lexmark marks exact US part 40N9310 discontinued. This reference describes the documented configuration rather than current stock, warranty coverage or an individual machine's condition. Verify the actual suffix, regional unit, supplied trays, compatible software and consumables when comparing a specific offer. A similar CS model can have different wireless and cartridge limits.

The panel and print mode are separate capabilities

The exact original brochure identifies a 2.8-inch color touchscreen, and the original user guide places C3426 in its touchscreen-control group. That specific documentation and the maker's touchscreen setup topic corroborate the panel despite an inconsistent generic web field. The control display helps operate the printer; it does not supply a scanner or copier.

Lexmark declares up to 26 one-sided Letter pages per minute in black or color. Automatic print duplex is separately rated at 13 Letter sides per minute. These are manufacturer specifications, not measured results from testing for this article. Letter, Legal and A4 are positively supported in the ordinary main input and automatic duplex path. Envelopes instead use their instructed one-sided media routine.

Count the standard input and verify any added drawers

Included input is consistently stated as 250 sheets plus a one-sheet manual feed on the 20-pound or 75-gsm basis. The manual slot serves an occasional alternate item rather than another substantial stack. The original options diagram and narrative identify two optional 250-sheet trays and 751 sheets total, while the same brochure's maximum-capacity table and the US page repeat 250+1.

That discrepancy matters if the purchase depends on adding trays. Confirm the exact supported drawer parts and real installed configuration before paying for an expanded package. This reference counts the confirmed standard stack rather than treating optional equipment as supplied. Lexmark recommends 600–2,500 printed pages monthly, separate from its 50,000-page maximum duty ceiling; do not borrow the higher recommendation of an MC3426 multifunction variant.

Computer, network and peer printing routes

Included interfaces are USB Type-B, gigabit Ethernet and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. The computer uses the Type-B interface, so a separate Direct USB field should not be read as denying that explicitly listed connection. AirPrint and Mopria are documented shared-network printing routes, while the original guide also provides a Wi-Fi Direct computer setup.

A compatible Print and Hold driver can submit confidential PIN jobs for release at the panel. Verify the actual driver and release procedure; a mobile protocol does not mean every application can create the same protected job. Network, direct computer and peer arrangements have their own setup requirements, and historical cloud-service listings do not guarantee present availability.

Print-only scope, supplies and the useful comparison

Lexmark's support classification explicitly identifies C3426 as print-only color hardware. Some app descriptions mention phone capture or saving scans, but those do not establish a scanner, document feeder, copier or fax in this printer. Choose actual multifunction hardware if paper originals must be captured at the machine.

Supplied toner is declared at 1,500 pages for each CMYK cartridge under ISO/IEC 19798. Exact US C341XK0, C341XC0, C341XM0 and C341XY0 extra-high-yield replacements are each rated at 4,500 pages. Match geographic compatibility and Return Program conditions without substituting CS431 cartridge codes or deriving today's running cost from yield alone. The body is 16.2 inches wide, 15.5 deep and 9.6 high at 35.5 pounds before working clearance. Check the actual electrical label and cord. This configuration fits modest shared color printing; verify the complete paper package if expansion is the deciding requirement.