SPRAY me with your FLUID (Epson Stylus Color 740)

Member Name: Russbot

Product:	Epson Stylus Color 740
Date:	05/12/02 (316 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap cartridges, Varibale quality settings, Fast printing

Disadvantages: Doesn't work with only one cartridge installed, High quality means slower printing

The Epson 740 is one of nature's little wonders. As I write this opinion, it is sitting here on my desk just doing nothing. It is a wonder, because I wonder how it can be so useful and yet so annoying at the same time!

Allow me to explain further, with a bit of background history. I bought this printer when I first got my PC, over three years ago. At the time it cost me £179.99 from Argos, but I am sure it will be cheaper now; especially if you look in second hand PC stores.

For an inkjet printer, it does everything you would expect of a colour printer. It has a good quality print, ranging from 720 dpi (dots per inch) up to 1440 dpi. You can select the quality and speed of the printing from your print menu. The faster you go, the lower the quality will be, and vice-versa.

The cartridges come in the form of one black and white cartridge, and one colour cartridge. These slot inside the printer, and changing the cartridges is very simple. Lift up the flap, change the cartridge (they drop in like an APS film) and then close the flap again. The only annoyance about this product though is that it will not print if one of the cartridges is empty. This is what I meant about it being a little wonder, earlier. So while I have a full colour cartridge, until I get a new B&W cartridge the printer is rendered useless.

As you can see from the picture at the top of the op (hey, that rhymed) the printer is fairly box-like. To let the paper out when printing, the front flap folds down, and then acts as a stand for the printed sheets. Paper going in is supported by a detachable support at the back of the printer, on the top (again, see the picture).

It is very easy to operate. The manual that comes with it gives pictured instructions on how to do everything from connecting it to your computer, to cleaning the print heads (done through the computer menus), doing a self-maintenance test (self fixing - cool!), and changing the cartridge. <
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There are only three buttons on the front anyway, so it is easy to tell what is what. One is the power button, one loads more paper if you run out mid-way through printing, and the other loads the new cartridge, again if you run out during printing.

Cartridges for this printer vary enormously. I have seen them range from about £8 in dodgy avenue shops, to £25 in big PC shops. The colour cartridge is always abut two or three pounds dearer though. They last fairly well, and I use about two of each a year. Please note that I am a university student and print out a lot of stuff.

The manufacturers claim that this beast can print 8 pages a minute black and white, and 5 pages a minute colour, but I have found it to be a couple of pages less than that if you want a fairly decent quality (as in the type for a report you could show your boss, not draught copies).

For those of you with different machines out there, it can run with either a parallel or USB connection, and full manuals are provided for both. It is also compatible with the Mac.

Overall though, I have been very happy with this printer. When I bought it, it came with a free pack of photo paper and stickers, so that I could print, well, photos and stickers. I don't find it particularly impressive as there is only enough for about one page's worth of printing. They do still send out this 'media pack' with their new printers though.

The verdict is that this is recommended for anyone who wants a good printer that doesn't mind being transported and will still work three years and 12 cartridges later.

More information on this printer and the entire range can be found at www.epson.com, along with a healthy dose of support documentation.

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