HP vs. Epson - How Do These Photo Printers Compare? Review

With the enormous increase in the use of digital cameras, going to get photos professionally developed is decreasing hugely.  With consumers becoming more tech savvy and wanting to take the helm, it's not a stretch to see the rising popularity of dedicated photo printers.  While most color printers can print to photo paper, there is a new kind of printer dedicated to nothing but 6x4 prints or smaller.  They are easy to use and you don't have to worry about things like cropping and resizing as you do with the normal size printers.  I have been interested in purchasing one of these compact printers and I originally bought the HP Photosmart A526 Compact Photo Printer for $99.  I tried it out, and promptly returned it.  This time I did a little research and after toying with a friend's, I ended up buying the Epson - PictureMate Dash PM 260 Compact Photo Inkjet Printer  for the same price but with much better quality. 

Here is how they compare...

The Epson PictureMate Dash's ink type is 4-color dye as compared to HP's Tri-color.  The maximum resolution of 5760 x1440 dpi is the same on both printers.  The print speed, which was the overall determining factor of the printer I chose, is only 37 seconds on the Epson compared to over a minute on the HP.  It may sound like a small difference but when I was trying to print multiple photos, the difference in timing was a huge issue for me.  The layouts and templates for the Epson also have several more options than the HP such as classic borders, mini-wallets, and portrait packages.  Another plus with the Epson is that there is a USB connection for external CD-R/RW drives, zip drives, and Bluetooth (with optional Bluetooth Photo Print Adapter).  The HP is a little smaller and weighs a little over a pound less which some people may prefer.  The control panel is minimal but usable.  The tilted, 2.4-inch LCD is adequately sized for viewing images and navigating menus though smaller then the 3.6 inch screen of the Epson.  Photos I printed on the HP looked good except flesh tones tended to look a little orange.  Replacement photo paper for the HP only includes 120 prints and no ink cartridge for $40 compared to the Epson's refill package that includes 150 sheets and an ink cartridge for $37. Huge difference there!

And the winner is...

In my opinion based on my personal experience, my choice is the the Epson - PictureMate Dash PM 260 Compact Photo Inkjet Printer.

The Photosmart A526's minimal-options approach to printing photos will be a relief for some, a frustration for others.  Nevertheless, it's the slow printing and increased overall expense that makes me chose the Epson - PictureMate Dash PM 260 Compact Photo Inkjet Printer over the HP Photosmart A526 Compact Photo Printer.