Epson released the RX580 last fall as one their first “hi-definition” models. These models use Epson’s hi-definition Claria inks, which, according to the company, produce “the ultimate combination of photo quality and longevity.” Hyperbole aside, it seems like these newer printers do produce high-quality prints, which does set them aside from some models.

The Stylus RX580 is a six-ink all-in-one photo printer that prints, scans, copies and also prints CDs (like a lot of all-in-ones these days, it does not include fax capabilities). Epson rates it at 30 ppm for both black and color, which would theoretically make it one of the fastest personal inkjets for color printing. Of course, the actual speed is nowhere near 30 ppm and based on reviews and feedback, it seems like the RX580 is merely above-average when it comes to printing speed. So, it seems like this printer does live up to the hype as far as the print quality, just not the speed. In their review of the RX580, Macworld noted that it took about 20 seconds to print a one-page document at normal quality.

The RX580 comes with a 2.5-inch LCD to edit your photos, memory card slots (for CompactFlash, Memory Stick, SD and the not-popular xD) and PictBridge capabilities. This printer offers a couple of different scanning modes, all of which are supposedly hi-definition. In their review, Macworld noted that the scanning process was easy and the results were good. The RX580 is marketed to people who want to scan old pictures and then print out new copies, so you will find that a lot of the features are geared towards that. The ability to print directly onto CDs or DVDs is a pretty nice touch considering that there are still a limited number of inkjets that can do that these days.

The big deal with this printer is the print quality. It uses dye-based inks instead of pigment-based, which is usually the opposite of what you’d expect from a fancy photo printer. Dye-based inks are more common and supposedly fade faster than pigment-based inks. But, dye-based inks are also better generally brighter and have more of a color range than pigmented-inks. Supposedly Epson has taken the good parts of pigmented inks and used them to make a good dye-based ink for the RX580; based on early feedback from reviews and customers, it seems like they have succeeded. But, there is one downside to this printer with regard to the ink as right now, the biggest customer complaint on Amazon is the amount of ink the RX580 uses. This is a common complaint with Epson printers, but one that has become more noticeable lately. This is something to be aware of if you intend to use this printer frequently.

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