Sections
- Page 1 Epson Expression Premium XP-615 Review
- Page 2 Performance and Verdict Review
- Page 3 Print Speeds and Costs Table Review
Epson Expression Premium XP-615 – Print Speeds
Epson rates the Expression Premium XP-615 at 13ppm in mono and 10ppm in colour, both to ISO standards. Our 5-page test gave 7.7ppm, but this rose to 11.7ppm on the 20-page test, which is close to the claim. The printer is a little inconsistent in how long it takes to perform checks and ready itself to start printing. In some cases it took over 20s before the first page started to feed.
Duplex print is quicker than from some competitors, probably due to faster-drying inks. The same 20-page test printed duplex gave a speed of 5.4 sides per minute, still some way short of the single-sided result.
A colour copy took a nippy 25s and 15 x 10cm photos took 1:19 in best print mode from a PC and around 50s in normal mode from an SD card, a PictBridge camera and from a Samsung Galaxy S3 Android smartphone.
Epson Expression Premium XP-615 – Print Quality and Costs
Print quality is good, though we still notice some spread on text characters on plain paper, which gives a slight fuzz to the page. Colours are well reproduced in graphic elements and black text over colour is clean.
With the printer’s strong support of photo enthusiasts, it’s good to see photo reproduction is one of its strongest points. Images are clear and sharp, colours blend well from shade to shade and look both natural in landscapes and vibrant in artificial surroundings.
The cartridges are available in two capacities and using the XL versions at the best prices we could find, page costs come out at 3.8p for black and 10.1p for colour, including 0.7p for paper. Both of these are high, when compared with direct competitors in the same price range.
Should I buy an Epson Expression Premium XP-615?
This is a crowded market and there are lots of all-in-ones to choose from. Models you might consider include Canon’s https://www.trustedreviews.com/canon-pixma-mg3550_Printer_review PIXMA MG3550 and HP’s https://www.trustedreviews.com/hp-officejet-6700-premium_Printer_review Officejet 6700 Premium. The Canon has better plain paper print, but slower duplex and is noisier, too. The HP has faster print, lower running costs and an ADF, but no support for memory cards or PictBridge.
Verdict
The Epson Expression Premium XP-615 is a fine, compact all-in-one which is well suited to keen photographers, particular those that like to store images on labelled DVD/CDs. It’s not that cheap to run, but is quite quick and easy to use. It’s dual paper trays are an advantage and its mobile print facilities make it a flexible tool.
Next, read our best printers round-up
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Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
