As explained in the Cartridge section, we couldn’t run our full yield test suite because of the particular cartridge setup in this printer. Therefore, our results only show the cost of operation of photo printing, which is the expected use for this printer. While this means you can’t simply compare this printer’s score with others, the results are more representative of what you can expect when printing photos, which is this printer’s intended use. To estimate this printer’s efficiency, we ran the photo printing task by printing this test image on 4″ x 6″ photo paper, with default print settings, and only adjusted the paper type to Epson Glossy photo paper and the size.

We ran the test with all full cartridges until the printer couldn’t print anymore, and noted the results. In this case, the light gray cartridge was the first one to get emptied, while the other cartridges were about half-full. This will definitely vary if you choose to use matte paper instead. In that case, the printer won’t use nearly as much light gray, as it won’t need to coat the photograph. We then monitored ink levels and extrapolated the results to get our average ink use for photo printing. This screenshot gives you an idea of the ink levels close to the end of this test.

All this considered, the Epson SureColor P700’s cost-per-print is excellent. Even if the cartridges are relatively expensive for their capacity, the printer’s Piezo printheads and pressurized bladder make for very efficient ink use. The Epson 770 cartridges are also sold individually, which will allow you to only buy the cartridges you need and save money on the cartridges you don’t use as often.

For people who print in large quantities, investing in the larger Epson SureColor P900 variant may be worthwhile. It delivers the same outstanding efficiency, but its T46Y cartridges contain twice as much ink and are only around 15% to 20% more expensive.