The Epson SureColor P800 is the direct replacement to the Pro 3880. Both are 17" wide desktop printers using nine inks to produce professional quality photography, fine art, and graphic design prints. The two printers are very closely related and share most of the same features.
Similarities
- Nine UltraChrome pigment based inks
- Wide color gamut prints
- Black & White driver system for neutral or toned prints
- Use of Photo Black or Matte Black ink depending on media
- Compatible with many different papers
- Able to use thick stocks
- Able to use custom sizes
- 80mL capacity ink tanks
It is not surprising that the 3880 and P800 are similar in many respects. The 3880 fullfills most requirements for a pro level inkjet printer. Differences in the P800 can be seen as polish on an otherwise excellent platform
Differences
| Pro 3880 (shop for 3880 papers) | SureColor P800 (shop for P800 papers) |
|---|---|
| UltraChrome K3 Pigment Inks | UltraChrome HD Pigment Inks** |
| Uses sheets 3.5" x 5 up to 17" x 37.5" | Uses sheets 3.5" x 5" up to 17" x 590" |
| No roll capability | Roll capability via optional roll adapter |
| Three sheet feed paths: - Top auto-load - Rear fine art path - Front specialty media path - for heavy and thick papers / canvas |
Two sheet feed paths: - Top auto-load - Front specialty media path - for heavy and thick papers / canvas |
| Front specialty media path limited to 16" width | Front specialty media path allows for 17" width |
| Ships with full set of inks filled to 80mL | Ships with starter set of inks filled to 64mL |
| Standard button driven on-printer controls | Touch screen, interactive on-printer controls |
** Epson markets UltraChrome HD as an updated version of the long standing UltraChrome K3 system. The biggest claimed benefit is darker blacks. Evidence suggests that the P800 may offer darker black density, mainly with matte coated papers. However, it is important to note that in Japan, the P800 is still marketed as an UltraChrome K3 printer. The new name is probably a marketing refresh along with updated drivers that are able to extract better performance from the venerable K3 ink set.
Bottom Line Recommendation
The Epson Stylus Pro 3880 is one of the best inkjet printers given its size, cost of operation, and capabilities. The Epson SureColor P800 is a worthy replacement with some nice additional capabilities. We issue a strong buy recommendation for either printer to those needing a 17" wide photo and fine art inkjet printer.
SHOP for SureColor P800 and Pro 3880 Inkjet Papers
Continue to our selection of papers for the P800 and Pro 3880
Last updated: June 12, 2021
