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Hands-On Test Report, Photos, and Video: Epson’s WorkForce Pro WF-4630 A4 All-in-One

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Build Quality
In typical Epson fashion, build quality is above-average for a device in this class. It also has a comparatively sturdy media tray and one of the most accurate and high-quality touch screens that we have tested to date.

Reliability
We experienced no misfeeds, image-quality anomalies, or maintenance difficulties while testing. This, coupled with above-average build quality, indicates that the WorkForce Pro WF-4630 should provide competitive reliability throughout its lifetime.

Cost per Page and Total Cost of Ownership
At 1.6¢ (black) and 8.2¢ (color) respectively, the Epson 786XL high-yield ink cartridges provide highly competitive Cost per Page (CPP) and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Moreover, at virtually all monthly print volumes, monthly supply costs for both black and color print output are markedly lower than that of a typical A4 desktop color laser All-in-One, as is Total Cost of Ownership, making the WorkForce Pro WF-4630 very economical to operate. Also keep in mind that color inkjet devices have considerably lower energy costs than competitive laser devices, with the WF-4630 operating at a maximum of 20 watts. This is considerably less than that of color laser All-in-Ones, which typically consume 350-500 watts of power during operation, and further lowers the WorkForce Pro WF-4630’s cost of operation.

 

Recommendations
The Epson WorkForce Pro WF-4630 is an outstanding value for low volumes of prints (<2,000/month) and scans in any home office or micro workgroup that needs a contemporary, versatile, and economical desktop color All-in-One.  However, its minimal manageability and security protocols precludes its use in larger companies and enterprises. Additionally, it offers no customizable apps, or scan to email servers or network folders, and isn’t intended for complex workflows. Moreover, it’s not designed for fleet or device management, as it offers no user authentication or print-job tracking. That said, most of these business-class features are provided by the company’s upscale but similarly priced WorkForce Printers for Workgroups (WF-5110 Color Printer; WF-5190 Color Printer; WF-5620 Color AiO; WF-5690 Color All-in-One).

 

Nevertheless, the Workforce WF-4630 is a high-quality unit that displayed admirable overall performance in our tests and is well-suited to the digital-communication needs of a majority of home and small-office users. Plus, as a bonus, it provides a very low comparative cost of operation that is sure to please. In summary, if you’re in the market for a practical and economical color All-in-One, we advise you to seriously consider one of these–especially while they’re still on sale!

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