Epson 3800 Ink
Stylus Pro 3800 Ink Cartridges

Epson 3800 Printer Review

Designed to meet the needs of graphic artists and photography businesses that handle large size media on a large scale, the Epson Stylus Pro 3800 is a big player. Utilizing cut-sheet media up to 17 inches wide, it will produce 8" x 10" complex prints in less than 8 minutes and larger banner style prints in the 15-minute range. A 3-shade black technology enables crisp black and white prints for special effects. The sophisticated 9-color print head and fast speed allow for quick turnaround times.

Because of the demanding standards of the photo/graphic arts industry, the inkjet technology in this printer is built to high standards. Resolution is up to 2880 x 1440 dpi, and colors are clear and deep due to the 1-inch print head with pressurized nozzles. Even with the sizes of media it uses, at 27" x 15" x 10" and 47 pounds, it is a very manageable size. Large 80 ml cartridges lessen the replacement intervals. Almost all cut-sheet media up to 22 inches in width is usable. Because of the varied nature of the prints made, the print yield of the cartridges cannot be measured in pages per minute. Borderless photo prints are made from 4" x 6" to 13" x 22" with photo lab quality.

This inkjet utilizes a USB interface as well as a 10/100Base-T ethernet for computer linkage. Windows 2000/Mac10.4 and up platforms are supported. Setup software is included to allow for an easy installation.

When reviewing this machine Luminous-Landscape.com was fairly impressed with quality and performance and mentioned the larger 4800 for comparison, Very little print quality differences were found. The 3800 was noted to have better colors in some areas. Printer ink cost was determined to be higher due to smaller capacity tanks.

As the lowest price printer in its class, it was perceived to be of good value.