The Epson PictureMate Pal ($150 street) is the least expensive model in Epson’s second-generation PictureMate line, but it’s by no means a low-end printer. Granted, it cuts a few corners, leaving out things such as photo cropping tools. But when it comes to the two core issues for any dedicated photo printer—output quality and speed—it’s among the best I’ve seen. That makes it less of a low-end printer than a tremendous bargain for the price.

Photo quality is among the best available from current printers, which isn’t a surprise, given that earlier models also offered true photo quality. One minor issue is that colors are a little on the punchy side in some of my test photos. Professional photographers or serious amateurs may find this bothersome, but many, if not most, people actually prefer slightly punchy colors.

The new generation of PictureMate printers also uses a new generation of ink. The cost per photo works out to 27 cents, based on $40 (street) for packs with enough ink and paper for 150 photos. Epson says the new inks yield photos that are more resistant to scratches and offer a wider color gamut (or range of colors) than the first-generation inks. Whatever the changes, the new ink is just as waterproof as that of the first-generation printers, which I proved by holding a freshly printed photo under water and rubbing it with no harm done.

Priced at 50 percent more than the A516, the Pal doesn’t deliver quite enough more to take over the slot as low-end Editors’ Choice for dedicated photo printers. But it comes close. And if your budget is $150, the Pal should be high on your short list.

Via pcmag.