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Roland has been setting the standards for printing and cutting machinery in the sign making industry for many years. The VersaEXPRESS RF-640 is Roland's new printer on the market and it boasts some great features. But does it live up to expectations?
Impressive print speed, outstanding print quality, advanced productivity features and unmatched reliability and support makes the new Roland VersaEXPRESS RF-640 four-colour printer the smart choice for your business. The genius behind the RF-640 is in its ability to produce high quality graphics and prints, while keeping the cost of operation low. - RolandDG
"The smart choice for your business." Of course Roland would say that .... but is it true? Sign Trade Supplies have been looking at the specs of the machine and comparing it to other models on the market to help you decide whether the VersaEXPRESS really is the smart choice.
The VersaEXPRESS RF-640
Specifications:
Max Print Width: 64 inch (1625mm)
Max Print Speed: 48.5m²/hr
Colour System: CMYK
Ink Type: Eco-Sol max 2 Inks (8 440 ml cartridge set up)
Max Resolution: 1440 dpi
Price: £9,999
Extras: Seamless ink cartridge replacement, Print management from Ipad App, Media Rolls up to 40kg,
Mimaki JV300-160
Specifications
Max Print Width: 64 inch (1610mm)
Max Print Speed: 105.9m²/hr
Colour System: 6 Colour or 9 Colour options + White ink.
Ink Type: Eco-Solvent Inks (440ml cartridge or 2 litre bulk system)
Max Resolution: 1440 dpi
Price: Around £15,700
Extras: 2 litre bulk ink system, 3 Way intelligent heater, media rolls up to 40kg, 92% of pantone covered with new ink technology.
Mutoh ValueJet 1624
Specifications
Max Print Width: 64 inch (1615mm)
Max Print Speed: 29.1m²/hr
Colour System: CMYK
Ink Type: Eco-Solvent Inks (440ml or 1000ml cartridge)
Max Resolution: 1080 dpi
Price: Around £13,950
Extras: media rolls up to 30kg.
Conclusion
All 3 models laid out above have their own strengths and weaknesses. The VersaEXPRESS boasts an amazing array of specs for the bargain price of £9,999. The Mimaki has a very impressive print speed, which for a busy print shop is one of the most important factors. The Mutoh does not boast any of the high end features of the Roland or Mimaki but has very little to go wrong.
So which printer is the smartest choice?
We have come to the conclusion that the smartest choice is the JV-300, the increased productivity at the highest speed clearly out performs the roland by more than double. It has the option to use a brand new 9-colour ink system and also manages the heavy 40 kg media rolls. It may not have an iPad app, but it does have pure power on its side.
That being said the VersaExpress RF-640 is undoubtly a solid bet for any company starting out in the printing world, or for an exisiting company to add to their printing fleet. The rock bottom price of £9,999 means the printer is reachable for all size companies and the print speed is still far superior to the Mutoh alternative.