Epson CX6600

Like many of Epson's printers and MFPs, the $200 CX6600 is focused on photography. It includes media card slots for printing photos without going through a PC, and it bundles a photo-oriented software package, including Arcsoft Photo Impression 5.

Both text and graphics printed slower than average at 4.7 ppmand 1.4 ppm, respectively; of our test group. We weren't terribly impressed with the CX6600's print quality, either. Our test photo printed on matte paper earned a score of Good; though its colors looked vivid and realistic, overall the print seemed somewhat grainy and light, and wasn't as attractive as photos printed by the other models on the chart. Color graphics printed on plain paper earned a score of only Fair, looking too dark and grainy. Text was reasonably sharp, but blobs along the edges contributed to a score of Fair.

With the LCD menu you can scan to a memory card, your PC, or e-mail. A scan of a 4-by-5-inch photo at 100 dpi finished in 28 seconds--6 seconds slower than average. Copying was above average at 3.1 ppm. The CX6600 produced some of the most impressive color scans of the MFPs we tested, earning a score of Very Good. Text remained dark and sharp in copies, on a par with the copies of most other inkjet MFPs we tested, but color copies looked garish and overcontrasted.

We were impressed with the sleek looks of the CX6600's rounded case. The front panel is nicely laid out, with copy and scan buttons, as well as a button for printing straight from the media card reader. One design element is just a bit too cute, however: The media card reader sits behind a pull-down door that snaps shut when you let go, requiring you to use two hands to place the card in the slot.

The CX6600's extensive features and top-notch scan quality are well suited to photography hobbyists, but its photo print quality is middling.

Lisa Cekan