It is the nature of most computer products to improve over time.
Things we thought were the best at the time now appear inadequate as
we embrace the newer things that replace them. For me, all I have to
do is read a few columns I wrote a scant year ago. So many of the
products I reviewed back then are now either obsolete or definitely
on their way out. But at the time I reviewed them, they were cutting
edge and I thought they were great. And they were, but only for the
moment. Cutting edge is fleeting at best and that span of time keeps
getting shorter with every passing year.
It was only a year ago when I wrote about Epson's newest printing
marvel, the R320. It featured many new and innovative abilities such
as being able to print directly onto printable CDs and DVDs, thus
bypassing the need for labels. And now it's successor is here in the
model R340 and it has it all, well at least for this year.
The R340 really isn't a quantum leap over its predecessor in that
it still has the same 5760 by 1440 resolution and uses the same
6-color photo ink cartridge system. Along with printing speeds,
those are usually the two main areas one checks out before
considering a newer model. Looking at printing samples from each
printer of the same image, I really couldn't tell you which came
from which. But evidently Epson felt the model line needed some fine
tuning and that's exactly what the R340 is. Epson took a really
wonderful printer and made it just a little bit better.
While the R340 has all of the abilities of the R320, it adds some
newer features that I particularly like, starting with it's color
screen. The older model actually had two screens. The smallest one
was a color screen that you could tilt to display the photographic
image and a medium-sized monotone display that showed the menu
commands and modes settings. The R340 dispenses with the two small
screens and combines everything on a single, larger 2.4 inch photo
viewer. The screen has also been repositioned onto the front center
of the printer which in my opinion puts it in a better position and
viewing angle. The printer itself is a bit more squat and somewhat
more angular in its styling. Since my printing cabinet holds the
printer around eye level, it was hard to see what was on the screens
on the former model.
With the R340, I can easily see the menu prompts and the color
image about to be printed.
The front panel control buttons are more logically positioned on
the R340 but access to the variety of memory card slots as well as
the ink cartridges remains mostly unchanged.
I also found the overall operation of the R340 to be much more
quiet in its operation. As the print head glides along, you get a
feeling that this printer is a lot tighter in its operation. So
while the printing speed specifications really don't reflect much of
a speed hike, you really do get a feeling that everything is
happening much more quickly. I guess it's just a quality thing. I've
seen the same thing with cars. Sometimes it's just that the newer
models only look and feel better but the specifications are actually
the same.
Don't get me wrong. The R340 us a definite improvement over the
R320. All I'm saying is that if I owned an R320, I might not want to
rush out and get the R340 as the differences between them are almost
on an aesthetic level.
However, if you don't have an R320 and are now looking to buy a
top of the line consumer-level color inkjet printer, the Epson
Stylus Photo R340 has your name all over it.
Works on both Windows and Macintosh. $179.99.
www.epson.com
