Epson America Inc. has refreshed the entry-level monochrome portion of its WorkForce Pro inkjet printer portfolio.
The new WF-M5299 single-function unit and WF-M5799 multifunction unit both deliver a 20 percent print speed improvement over their predecessors, to 24 ISO pages per minute, and a 300 percent maximum ink yield gain, to 40,000 ISO pages.
More ink capacity translates to less administrative hassle for channel pros and their SMB clients, according to Scott Marsic, a business imaging product manager at Epson, which is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.
“We’re really doubling down on that low intervention message in the monochrome space,” he says.
Equipped with Epson’s Replaceable Ink Pack system, the latest additions to the WF-M5000 line offer a wider range of ink capacity options too. Along with the 10,000-page ink pack that older WF-M5000s supported and the new 40,000-page pack, the upgraded printers can accommodate a 5,000-page pack as well.
Other enhancements in the new printers include a 100 percent increase in paper tray capacity, from 250 to 500 pages, and a 14 percent decrease in size. Both the WF-M5299 and WF-M5799 are 36mm less wide and 85mm less deep than the units they replace.
“This is very important for commercial, retail spaces where people place these printers below checkout counters or in kiosks or booths,” Marsic notes.
Additional shared features in the new WF-M5000 series printers include wireless, USB, and Ethernet connectivity; a PrecisionCore print head; and Epson’s nozzle verification technology, which automatically detects and compensates for clogged print nozzles.
Both products also feature support for the PCL and PostScript 3 standards and compatibility with Nuance Equitrac Office/Express, Nuance eCopy ShareScan, PaperCut, nddPrint, and a variety of other third-party software solutions.
The WF-M5799 scans 24 pages per minute, a 300 percent improvement over the earlier WF-M5694, which it replaces. The new unit has a 4.3-inch color LCD touchscreen with an updated interface, as well, and a 50-page automatic document feeder. It lists at $399.99.
The single-function WF-5299, which replaces Epson’s WF-M5194, features a 2.4-inch color LCD interface and a $209.99 MSRP.
According to Marsic, monochrome printers like the newest WF-M5000s are a good fit for chain stores, convenience stores, and offices in search of cost-effective, low-maintenance options for printing basic documents and reports. They also position Epson resellers to sell customers on using higher-capacity color inkjet devices in place of the laser units many buyers think of as synonymous with business printing.
“They allow us to discuss the Epson inkjet value proposition and message with customers, get them familiar with the product, and then we can begin to have a conversation around affordable ink printing,” Marsic says.
Epson’s office print strategy is based entirely on inkjet technology, which the company says reduces consumables spending and maintenance overhead, because it utilizes fewer moving parts.
Epson shipped two new midrange color WorkForce Pro inkjets, the single-function WF-C8190 and multifunction WF-C8690, in May.
Earlier this month, meanwhile, the company introduced two affordable new additions to its SureColor T-Series line of wide-format color technical printers.
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