Printing The Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 prints using inkjet technology, which sprays liquid ink onto the paper from a moving head. Its text quality is not as good as most printers. It prints text very slowly, 5 pages took 36 seconds, costing 11.1 cents per page. It prints color graphics well enough for most purposes, such as school reports, costing 66.3 cents per page. It prints excellent photos on glossy paper, making it one of the best models for photographers. It has auto-duplex printing to print both on sides of the page. Individual cartridges for each color let you change only the ones that are empty. The capacity of the main paper tray is 100 sheets, a typical amount. There's a second input tray that can hold another 20 sheets.
Scanning and Copying This is a multi-function printer. Scanning performance was very good, fine for general-purpose scanning. It can scan or copy paper up to letter.
Controls and Display The printer has a color display screen 4.3-inch diagonal size, touch-input capability, and can be tilted.
Connectivity and Networking It can print documents via USB, USB thumb drive, WiFi and an SD memory card. We found it relatively easy to setup the WiFi connection on this printer.
Cost of Ownership and Ink When this page was last updated, the printer's purchase price was about $315, high for a all-in-one cartridge inkjet printer. Printing uses up ink and the costs add up over time. This printer uses six (6) cartridges. When the ink runs low, you replace the empty cartridge. The inks we used in testing were the Epson 340 BK, 340 C, 340 M, 340 Y, 340 LC, and 340 LM cartridges—at the time, the prices were all $12 each. We estimate each cartridge of ink to last at least 6 months—a short time—following a typical monthly printing amount of 19 text and 8 graphic pages. After 2 years of typical use, we estimate your total equivalent cost to be $637—very high for a inkjet. The estimated yearly cost is $161, which is very high for a inkjet type of printer. The theoretical total cost after 5 years is $1120. The printer uses up very little space.
Printer Firmware Firmware is software that exists inside the printer. All models are evaluated using the latest firmware version available at the time of testing. The firmware version of the Epson Expression Photo XP-8800 was CM10P1.
Software The collection of software accompanying the printer may include: the printer driver, printer applications, electronic user manual and scanning, faxing, and OCR apps. These get installed on your personal computer. All models are evaluated with a PC and the Windows operating system, using the latest version of printer software (driver) and printer support apps available at the time of testing. The software version was 3.50.0.0.
About the ink, software and firmware Our test results are valid only for the Epson-brand ink, and the software and firmware versions indicated. If your printer's software or firmware differ from the ones shown, you either have an older or a newer version of these. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the printer's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware updates are downloadable directly to your printer via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable). You can check your printer's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware: Either (1) run the Epson printer-update app on the PC, or (2) access the "Settings" section of the printer menu and navigating to the firmware update option. Consult the user manual or Epson's website for further guidance.
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