Epson Stylus SX525WD review
An inexpensive MFP that's cheap to run, but its great scanner is let down by a disappointing printer
Specifications
36ppm print speed, USB, 10/100 Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n wireless, 164x455x359mm
Fortunately, the SX525WD has an excellent scanner with a decent 2,400dpi resolution that suits creative work. It didn’t produce the sharpest results we’ve seen, but it was exceptionally good at capturing the details from very light and very dark regions in original documents, and also reproduced colours accurately. Colour photocopies were above average quality, while mono copies were good apart from a loss of contrast among the darkest shades.
Overall this MFP has several strengths and is priced competitively, making it a better choice than the Advent AWP10 Wireless Multifunction Inkjet Printer. With low running costs it’s a strong rival to the Kodak ESP C310, reviewed last month, but it’s so-so print quality makes it hard to love. If you don’t need the network connectivity we’d recommend the Canon PIXMA MG5150, which produces better prints on plain or photo paper.
Basic Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Rating | *** |
| Maximum native print resolution | 5,760×1,440dpi |
| Max optical resolution | 2,400×2,400dpi |
| Output bit depth | 24-bit |
Quoted Speeds | |
| Quoted speed, mono A4 | 36ppm |
| Quoted speed, colour A4 | 36ppm |
Tested Print Speeds | |
| Time for two 10x8in photos 1.0 | 9m 43s |
| Time for six 6x4in photos 1.0 | 15m 4s |
Physical and Environmental | |
| Standard printer interfaces | USB, 10/100 Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n wireless |
| Optional printer interfaces | none |
| Size | 164x455x359mm |
| Weight | 6.2kg |
| Noise (in normal use) | 53dB(A) |
Paper Handling | |
| Maximum paper size | A4/legal |
| Maximum paper weight | 300gsm |
| Standard paper inputs | 1 |
| Standard paper input capacity | 150 |
| Maximum paper inputs | 1 |
| Maximum paper input capacity | 150 |
| Duplex (code, cost if option) | Yes |
General | |
| Printer technology | piezo inkjet |
| Supported operating systems | Windows XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X 10.4.11 or later |
| Other inkjet features | 6.3cm colour screen |
| Other inkjet options | Three year warranty |
Buying Information | |
| Price | £65 |
| Consumable parts and prices | £10 |
| Price per colour A4 page | 4.1p |
| Quoted life of supplied black cartridge | 325 pages (ISO/IEC 24712) |
| Quoted life of supplied colour cartridge(s) | Cyan 474, magenta 378, yellow 616 (ISO/IEC 24712) |
| Quoted life of supplied photo cartridge(s) | N/A |
| Warranty | one year RTB |
| Supplier | http://www.amazon.co.uk |
| Details | www.epson.co.uk |
Print Quality | |
| Number of ink colours | 4 |
| Number of ink cartridges | 4 |
| Maximum number of ink colours | 4 |
| Maximum number of cartridges | 4 |
| Quoted photo durability | 105 years |
| Quoted photo durability source | Wilhelm Imaging Research |
Tested Scan Speeds | |
| Full scan area preview | 6s |
| A4 document at 150dpi | 12s |
| A4 document at 300dpi | 16s |
| 6x4in photo at 600dpi | 18s |
| 6x4in photo at 1200dpi | 1m 0s |
Tested Copy Speeds | |
| Time for single A4 mono copy 1.0 | 12s |
| Time for single A4 colour copy 1.0 | 30s |
| Time for 10 A4 copies using feeder 2.0 | N/A |
Photo Features | |
| PictBridge support | No |
| Borderless printing | A4 |
| Direct (PC-less) printing | Yes |
| Supported memory cards | Memory Stick Pro/Duo, SD, MMC, xD |
| CD printing | No |
Copy Features | |
| Maximum number of copies | 99 |
| Max mono copy resolution | 2,400×2,400dpi |
| Max colour copy resolution | 2,400×2,400dpi |
Fax Features | |
| Max mono fax resolution | N/A |
| Fax memory (maximum mono pages) | N/A |