Epson WorkForce Pro WP-4023

From a casual glance at its features, or even the results on our tests, the Epson WorkForce Pro WP-4023 ($299.99 list) doesn't seem all that different from the much less expensive Editors' Choice Epson WorkForce Pro WP-4020 ($149.99 direct, 4.5 stars). Both are aimed at micro and small office, both offer WiFi and Ethernet, both have similar speed and output quality, and at the base price for each, both offer essentially the same paper handling. But although the differences are relatively subtle, they're enough to justify the higher price for those who need them.

If you think of the WP-4023 as a beefed up version of the Epson WP-4020, you won't be far off. For paper handling, for example, both include a duplexer (for printing on both sides of the page), a 250-sheet tray, and an 80-sheet tray, for a total 330-sheet input capacity. However, only the WP-4023 lets you add an optional 250 sheet tray for a total of 830 sheets.

Similarly, both can use the same ink cartridges. But only the WP-4023 can also use higher capacity cartridges, with a higher yield per cartridge?at 3,400 pages each, rather than 2,400 for black and 1200 for each color?and a slightly lower cost per page.

The potential savings per page isn't much. The difference is for color pages only, and it's just 0.4 cents per page, so you'd have to print 37,500 color pages to make up the difference in initial cost between the two printers. The real advantage of the higher capacity cartridges in this case is the convenience of not having to change cartridges as often. However, that convenience, along with the potentially higher input capacity, makes the WP-4023 a better choice for heavier duty printing.

The Basics, Setup, and Speed
Like most of Epson's WorkForce printers the WP-4023 offers support for Epson Connect Email Print and Google Cloud Print for printing through the cloud, as well as support for Apple AirPrint for printing over a WiFi connection. As with other WorkForce printers also, the WP-4023 doesn?t come with setup instructions for Google Cloud Print or AirPrint, so you have to find them on Epson's Web site.

The WP-4023 is large for an inkjet, at 11.2 by 18.1 by 16.5 inches (HWD), but assuming you have room for it, set up I standard fare. For my tests, I connected it to a wired network and printed from a Windows Vista system.

The printer's speed counts as a strong point. I timed the WP-4023 on our business applications suite at an effective 6 pages per minute (ppm). That makes it essentially tied with both the Epson WP-4020 and the Editors' Choice HP Officejet Pro 8100 ePrinter ($149.99 direct, 4.5 stars), with all three printers well into laser territory for speed. They're also much faster than the vast majority of inkjets at anything like the price. The speed for photos wasn't as impressive, but still counts as reasonably fast, averaging 1 minute 12 seconds for a 4-by-6.

Output Quality
Output quality for the WP-4033 is typical for an inkjet overall, with slightly lower quality text than most, but slightly higher quality photos. Text quality is at the low end of the tight range where the vast majority of inkjets fall, which makes it good enough for most business purposes, unless you have an unusual need for small fonts.

Graphics is dead on par for an inkjet, making it suitable for any business need, including PowerPoint handouts, for example. Depending on how much of a perfectionist you are, you may also consider it good enough for output going to an important client or customer when you need to convey a sense of professionalism.

Photo quality is at the upper end of the tight range were virtually all inkjets fall. By definition, that makes it better than you'd get with some drugstore prints and far better than you'll get from a color laser. This counts as overkill for most offices, but it can be a useful extra for real estate offices and other businesses, that need to print photos.

If your print needs aren't heavy duty enough to make you long for the convenience of the WP-4023's high-capacity cartridges, its optional paper tray, or both, count the printer as an unnecessary luxury. You'll be better off spending half as much on the Epson WP-4020 or the HP Officejet Pro 8100. On the other hand, if you print enough so those features sound more like necessities you can't do without, the Epson WorkForce Pro WP-4023 is clearly the better choice. More important, its balance of speed, output quality, paper handling, and support for features like Email Print and AirPrint make it easy to recommend.

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