Epson is famed for its inkjet technologies, so its recent foray into the laser space is a notable development. The CX11NF can print, scan, fax, and multipage photocopy in both mono and colour.
The stated figures for first page to print (nine seconds for mono and 17 seconds for colour) are accurate, but as with the other models on test, it's a different story when it comes to image-rich documents; it took one min 30 secs to output our killer file in colour. Its ppm numbers proved accurate; it rips along in mono at 25ppm but in colour this plummets to 5ppm. There is such a big disparity between colour and mono ppm figures because the CX11NF uses multipass technology, meaning each colour page makes four passes.
Epson's claimed stats for time to first copy are 12 seconds in mono and 29 seconds in colour. Using a print out of our killer file, it took 29.5 seconds to copy in colour and 12.5 seconds in mono. However, its copy speed of 22ppm (mono) and 5ppm (colour) was accurate across both text and image-heavy printouts.
On consumables, the CX11NF is the second most expensive printer on test to run. There are standard (1,500 pages) and high-capacity (4,000 pages) CMY toners available. Standard costs 45.18, giving a CPP of 0.030 pence, while the 75.29 high-capacity CMY cartridges give a CPP of 0.018 pence. Replacement black toner costs 43.22 and has a capacity of 4,000 pages (0.010 pence CPP), but cheekily, the black toner that ships with the model is half empty, and is able to output only 1,500 pages.
The network-ready CX11NF is well served with configuration and management tools. EpsonNet Config (for PC and Mac) lets you control network interface settings, and you can access printer settings and status information via any web browser. EpsonNet WebManager, meanwhile, offers features including printer group management, consumables status, driver distribution and email notification.
In terms of quality, the CX11NF performs well on print and copy, but we found the HP LaserJet's colour printing to be superior; by comparison, the CX11NF's colour output was over-inked in darker areas. Its standout performance is its scans, which are true and vibrant. The trouble is, scanning is not a core activity in most workplaces.
Warranty options include: optional extension to three years, 264.38; one-year enhanced warranty, 163.33; two-year enhanced warranty, 323.13; and three-year enhanced warranty, 468.83.
Verdict
An able model, but for top-notch laser colour it's bested by the magicolor 2490MF.
