Some all-in-ones (AIOs) cram in a lot more functions than others. The Epson Stylus Photo RX580 ($199.99 direct) is at the minimalist end of the scale, even for a home AIO. It prints, scans, and copies—and that's it. It doesn't even offer choices to scan to e-mail or to a fax program you already have. And you certainly won't find extras such as an ADF (automatic document feeder).

This isn't to say that the RX580 doesn't offer anything beyond the basics. It can, for example, print on ink jet–printable optical discs, and it can print directly from PictBridge cameras and cell phones, memory cards, USB keys, and through its Bluetooth option ($70 street). It also includes a 2.5-inch color LCD for previewing photos. But these are all printer tricks, not AIO features, and they give the RX580 its personality as a home AIO with an emphasis on photos—basically a photo printer with a scanner attached.

The emphasis on photos is only natural for an AIO that uses Epson's new Claria inks, which, according to Epson, offer a wide color gamut for improved photo quality, are water- and smudge-resistant, and have a claimed lifetime of 200 years for dark storage, as in an album, or 98 years framed behind glass. I can vouch for the water and smudge resistance, at least, as a freshly printed photo survived my standard torture test—holding it under water while rubbing it—with no visible effect. In a separate test, a thoroughly dried photo showed water stains from drops left to dry on it, but as a practical matter, you can feel safe passing your photos around for people to look at.

Setup is standard for an AIO that uses six ink colors with a separate cartridge for each one. Find a spot for the 7.7- by 18.2- by 13.9-inch (HWD) AIO, plug it in, turn it on, load ink and paper, connect the USB cable, and run the automated installation routine.

I wouldn't call the RX580's performance awful, but it's on the sluggish side, at 19 minutes 40 seconds for our business applications suite (timed with QualityLogic's hardware and software, www.qualitylogic.com). The similarly priced Editors' Choice Canon Pixma MP600 Photo All-In-One took just 12:13, while matching the RX580 for quality across the board. For photos, the RX580 averaged 2:03 for each 4-by-6 print and 4:23 for each 8-by-10, compared with 51 seconds and 1:49, respectively, for the MP600.

Because Epson boasts that the RX580 can print a 4-by-6 in draft mode in 13 seconds, I tried one run with draft mode also, timing it at 16 to 29 seconds, depending on the photo. That's a pretty good clip, but to be kind about it, the quality was less than stellar. Colors were off, and the photos had a soft-focus effect. At best, I'd reserve draft mode for photos partly hidden under a magnet on a refrigerator door.

On the other hand, with our standard test settings—using the defaults as shipped for text and graphics and the highest quality for photos—the output is among the best available for ink jet–based AIOs. Every photo qualified for true photo quality, suitable for framing. The only issue I saw worth noting was a slight tint in a monochrome test photo.

Text was surprisingly good for an ink jet. Most of the standard business fonts we test were easily readable, with reasonably well-formed characters at 4 points. All standard fonts were easily readable at 6 points, and even the most stylized font with thick strokes was easily readable at 20 points. Edges weren't as crisp as you would get with a laser, but you'd have to look closely to see the difference. I wouldn't use the RX580 for desktop publishing, but for most business purposes, it can print any text document you're likely to need.

Graphics were good enough that I wouldn't hesitate to hand the output over to an important client or customer I wanted to impress. The RX580 even printed the kind of thin lines that most ink jet printers have a problem with. Full-page graphics on our standard multipurpose test paper tended to curl just a bit, however. To avoid this, you may have to invest in a higher-quality paper.

The RX580's one real shortcoming is that you can get more AIO for the same price elsewhere. In particular, the Canon MP600 offers essentially the same output quality, faster speed, and additional features (including two paper trays instead of one). If you must have the ability to print on printable discs, the RX580 is the right choice, and you won't be unhappy with it. But it's hard to recommend it otherwise, unless you find it at a lower-than-expected price.

Benchmark Test Results

Check out the Epson Stylus Photo RX580's test scores.

Compare the printers mentioned above side by side

More AIOs Printer Reviews:

