Epson Stylus Color 860 (USB/Parallel) (Epson Stylus Color 860)

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Product:	Epson Stylus Color 860
Date:	01/07/00 (20 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent graphics output; quick speeds.

Disadvantages: Requires ink jet paper to get acceptable text quality

Change is good. Once you put your hands on the Epson Stylus Color 860, which sports a new and improved design over previous Epson printers, we think you'll agree. Not only has the printer's appearance changed, but so has its demeanor: the 860 churns out pages at a greatly reduced decibel level compared to its predecessors. But the charm-school makeover's only half the story. The 860 also offers eye-popping output and blazing speed at an affordable price.
Smooth Operator
The new look and sound of the Epson Stylus Color 860 don't adversely affect its ability to produce good-looking output. CNET Labs' image-quality jury awarded the 860 a score of excellent for graphics output on both plain and ink jet paper. Colors on the printer's plain-paper graphics remained true to the original image, and the printer did a fine job handling complex graphical elements. Switch to ink jet paper, and the colors dance off the page. They're vibrant and rich, and they display only the faintest trace of dithering. Unfortunately we weren't as impressed with plain-paper text printing. Our jury rated the 860's rough and splotchy letters only fair. But using ink jet paper, you'd be hard-pressed to distinguish the Stylus Color 860's output from that of a laser printer.

Quick Prints
In CNET Labs' tests, the Epson Stylus Color 860 clocked speeds of 4.8 pages per minute (ppm) when using its USB port (the printer inludes a parallel port, as well)--more than 1 ppm faster than the pricier ($399) HP DeskJet 970Cse. The $249 Canon BJC-6000 completed the same tests a tad faster, clocking a print rate of 4.9 ppm.

Printing costs for the Epson hit the high side, at 7 cents per page for black-only output and 30 cents per page for color. Many competitors offer much more affordable consumables. The Canon BJC-6000, for example, will cost you 3.3 cents for black-only output and 13 cents per page for color.

A Solid
Midpriced Printer
The Epson Stylus Color 860 provides plenty for its low $279 price tag. The printer ably produces good-looking output, with the exception of plain-paper text. Its quick performance stands out when compared to those of a slew of other ink jet printers, and its output costs are fairly reasonable--especially in light of its stellar image quality. Epson's stylish new design lets the printer look good in any office. If you're looking for rock-bottom, long-term costs, the Canon BJC-6000 might make a better choice, though its output can't hold a candle to that of the Epson.

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