Lexmark Genesis S816 All-in-One Printer Review

Scanning and Faxing

The Genesis S816 prints, copies, scans, and faxes. It performs all of the functions admirably, but scanning is its forte.

The scanner on the Genesis S816 is unlike any other all-in-one that we’ve seen, and the scanner is the part that gives this printer its unique taller-than-wide appearance.

The Genesis S816 has a 10-megapixel CMOS sensor with a wide-angle lens like those found in digital cameras. This is essentially a digital camera with a wide-angle lens. Using such a lens lets the scanner shoot the entire image at once instead of incrementally scanning the document. Lexmark calls this their Flash Scan Technology. It allows for instant scan previews and faster than normal digital conversion of the document.

In our testing, we found that scanner lived up to Lexmark’s claims that it can convert a document to digital in three seconds. We especially liked not having to wait for the scan preview.

At 8.5 x 11.7 inches (216 x 292 mm), the flatbed scanner is even large enough for many books. One nice feature is that the cover pulls out slightly to accommodate thicker items. The angle of the scanner lets gravity align the bottom edge of the document so all you have to do is place it in the corner which is marked by a red edge. Our only complaint is that it is difficult to position several small objects on the scanner platen as you can with most flatbed scanners.

You can scan directly to SmartSolutions, e-mail, memory card, USB flash drive, or to a computer. Users can also use the quick Flash Scan Technology to send faxes or make copies.

The fax function worked seamlessly, and you can also scan directly to the fax so you can send out scanned documents quickly and easily. The Genesis S816 can also fax in color if your recipient has color equipment too.