Stylus Photo R320

Color inkjet printer with on-board media support

The Epson Stylus Photo R320 is a cost-effective, photo-printing solution for the advanced amateur who wants more options. With 5760×1440 output in bordered or borderless from sizes 4×6″ to full letter-sized, you can also print onto printable CD-R and DVD-R recordable media.

While the R320 feels a little flimsy, it produces good results. The unit is easy to install and versatile, looks great, and isn’t so large that it might overwhelm most desktops. The R320 is surprisingly quiet as well.

Text is surprisingly sharp; even Illustrator gradients and 2D/3D images come up clean and with little visible bleed. The R320 can print “computer-less” directly from CompactFlash, MultiMediaCard, Microdrive, xD-Picture Card, Memory Stick, MagicGate, SmartMedia, and Secure Digital memory formats. It also has a front USB access port so that you can connect and print directly from external drives or PictBridge-enabled cameras. The LCD screens allow for easy preview and output control. This model supports Print Image Matching (PIM) color correction, and the option for a Bluetooth Photo Print Adapter is available for just under $70.

I found the output to be about 14% oversaturated, particularly on skin tones, on most paper types; however, adjusting such issues is fairly simple using the software provided. The R320 does “spit out” paper once printed and I occasionally found myself picking prints up off the floor.

Only $199 for a six-color inkjet that prints 15 ppm for text and less than 40 seconds for a 4×6″ is a great deal. Printable CDs come out well on either paper-coated or satin-coated types. The R320 has all of the things that make Epson inkjets great, but I’d like to see a pro version that’s a little more solid with the ability to print up to Super A/B sizes or beyond.

PRICE: $199.99
FOR: Mac and Windows
FROM: Seiko Epson Corporation
PHONE: 800-463-7766
WEB: www.epson.com
RATING: 3.5