A colorful photo-print took about 1 minute and 36 seconds. The printer can handle gradients really well. Unlike most photo printers we've reviewed, the R290 managed to churn out the prints without any visible banding.
The black was true enough, which means there's no blue tinge etc. Even the font test was quite satisfactory; there was no ink spillage. I did notice a couple of prints where the blacks spilled a bit, but that was only in the first and second picture. That reminds me, you have to align the cartridge before you start printing for the first time.
The Epson R290 costs Rs 11,500, and is a good deal if you need an easy solution to those printing blues. Consider this: you throw a birthday party, and right after the cake is cut you can simply print pics and distribute them. It’s that simple. As far as performance is concerned, we liked what we saw. I'd say, go for it.
@igmaer 
