Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2001/06/21/epson_perfection_1240u/

Epson Perfection 1240U

Scanner

By PC Advisor

Posted in On-Prem, 21st June 2001 15:40 GMT

Review Although Epson's latest scanner isn't the cheapest model on offer, the Perfection's consistently high performance and unsurpassed scan quality make it the obvious choice for the professional user. It isn't a small unit, but the Perfection's trio of one-touch buttons allow for quick operation. We were also impressed by the 1240U's resolution support – the higher the resolution, the more detail packed into each image.

Epson Perfection 1240UThe optical, or hardware, resolution – in this case 1200x2400dpi (dots per inch) – refers to the scanner's physical capabilities. Software driver tweaks can fool most scanners into producing resolutions far beyond their physical capabilities. These figures can be useful, but can also be erratic, so they should be taken with a pinch of salt. Epson scores highly on both the hardware and software resolution fronts. The optical resolution of 1200x2,00dpi gives it a comfortable advantage over the majority of scanners, while the software interpolated resolution of 9600x9600dpi is bettered by few.

The Epson can scan up to A4 size in 42-bit colour. When it comes to scan quality, the Epson is a winner, capturing the detail of every photo and picture across all resolutions. That it did this in double-quick time was an extra bonus – it reproduced an A4 page at 300dpi in under 30 seconds. For the budget-conscious home user or beginner, one of the Visioneer models might be a better choice, but for sheer scan quality and performance the Epson Perfection 1240U is a clear winner. ®

Info

Price: £144
Contact: 0800 220 546
Website: www.epson.co.uk

Specs

Software interpolated resolution: 9600x9600dpi
Interface: USB
Scanning area: A4 (216x297mm)
Colour depth: 42-bit
Weight: 2.8kg
Dimensions: 269x435x93

This review is taken from the July 2001 issue. All details correct at time of publication.

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