The Real Speed Difference Between the Epson CW-C6500 and Afinia L701 Color Label Printers

If you are looking for a  color 8-inch label printer that is both fast and affordable, then you may be considering either the  Epson CW-C6500 or the Afinia L701. These two printers are great for printing large, full-color labels, but there is a big difference in their print speeds.

While the printers’ draft print speeds tend to be adequately fast, the real test between the two printers comes down to print speeds when printing in production mode. After all, you probably don't want to wait around all day for your labels to print, and you want them to look their absolute best.

Speed Test in Production Mode

We tested both printers in production mode, which is 1600x1600dpi for the Afinia L701 and 1200 dpi for the Epson CW-C6500. What's the verdict? Check out the video below to see for yourself:

Yes, the Afinia L701 prints much, much faster than the Epson CW-C6500 at 6 inches per second versus 0.20 inches per second. This is about a 30-to-1 advantage for the L701 when using an 8-inch-wide label.

Serial Tech vs Memjet Tech

Why test with an 8-inch-wide label? The CW-C6500 uses serial printing technology and a printhead that must travel across the width of the label and back, slowly laying down ink droplets. Its print speed is much faster for a narrower label because the printhead has less distance to travel. The Afinia L701, on the other hand, uses Memjet technology and a page-wide stationary printhead that delivers millions of droplets of ink as the label passes through its so-called "waterfall" of ink. As a result, it can print at ultra-fast speeds regardless of label width.

If you only need to print 1-inch labels or just a handful of labels each day, then the slower speed of the C6500 will be less of a hindrance. However, if you are printing hundreds of labels per day or lots of 4-to-8-inch labels, then the L701 would be the better choice. The Afinia L701 is the most affordable Memjet label printer available.

Print Quality

The Afinia L701's production-mode print speed advantage is even more pronounced when you consider that it prints at 1600x1600dpi, while the CW-C6500 is limited to 1200 dpi. That means the Afinia L701 can print better-quality labels as well. Plus, its dye inks are more vibrant than the pigment inks used by the CW-C6500, resulting in labels that really "pop."

So, if you need to print large quantities of high-quality labels up to 8 inches wide quickly, the Afinia L701 is the obvious choice.

Want to see the print quality before you decide? Send us your design file and we'll print a free label sample on both printers for you to compare. Just click here to get started.