Reader Question: Does the Canon MP640 have a built-in print head?

Subject: Canon MP640 Printer Hello, I’ve got two questions about the Canon Pixma MP640: 1- Are the print-head nozzles on the cartridge or built-into the printer? 2- Does Canon or another manufacturer make a lower-priced version of this printer with the same ‘print-shop’ print quality and the same basic performances but without all the gimmicky extras like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth etc.? I look forward to hearing from you soon.

1- Ever since Lexmark and HP decided to switch to fixed-head printing systems, originally pioneered by Canon, Epson and Brother, it’s much less frequent to find print heads and nozzles in print cartridges. This is the case of the MP640, which has a block of print nozzles built into the printer.
The main advantage is that this makes ink cartridges much cheaper to manufacture and therefore much cheaper to buy. The downside is that around 10 to 20% of ink is wasted as cleaning cycles have to be carried out more frequently. Plus, there’s also a risk of the ink drying and clogging up the nozzles when the printer’s not used frequently enough. Sometimes, but not always, the 'Clean the Print Head' option in the driver can help bring a clogged-up printer back to life.


2- Canon does actually make a printer that offers the same print quality and the same performances but without all the bells and whistles of the MP640. This model is the Pixma MP550, and we’re due to test it soon.

Canon MP550: separate ink cartridges and a colour screen but no Wi-Fi
 

Basic Spec: Print speed: 9.2ppm (b&w), 6ppm (colour) Ink drop size: 1pl Colour screen, Wi-Fi, Duplex: yes/no/no Cost per page: 7.6p (XL cartridges Cost per photo (excl. paper): 13.6p (XL  cartridges)

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