Liene 4×6 Immediate Picture Printer (2022) Overview

After the spectacular debut of the Liene Immediate Picture Printer final yr, what does the corporate do for an encore? Whereas Liene, which sells by Amazon, nonetheless affords its unique 4-by-6-inch dye-sublimation printer for $136.99, the brand new $159.99 mannequin sports activities a chargeable battery. That distinction—the power to function with out an out of doors energy supply—makes this revised picture printer way more adept at working with handheld smartphones and tablets. Like its predecessor, the 2022 version prints effectively, but it surely prices extra to purchase and to function than our present favourite 4-by-6-inch dye-sub printer, the Canon Selphy CP1300 Wi-fi Compact, which was launched in 2019. That is sufficient to maintain the Liene from an Editors’ Selection nod, however not by a lot. 

Newer Transportable Printer, New Methods

At 3.4 by 8.1 by 4.9 inches and weighing 2.5 kilos, the brand new Liene Immediate Picture Printer (also called the Amber M200) is similar measurement as its predecessor however weighs a few third of a pound extra. Amongst its a number of dye-sub rivals—versus zero-ink (or “Zink”) picture printers, which I will get to a minute—the Canon Selphy CP1300 is barely smaller and about half a pound lighter; the HP Sprocket Studio is a few inches larger however the identical weight because the Canon; and 2017’s Kodak Picture Printer Dock is an inch or so smaller in all instructions however two kilos heavier than the battery-powered Liene.

Zink pocket picture printers usually retailer their paper contained in the machine (left), however the dye-sublimation Liene Immediate Picture Printer has a removable 20-sheet paper tray.

Then there are the quite a few Zink pocket picture printers, together with a few HP gadgets such because the Sprocket Choose and Sprocket Second Version (PCMag Better of 12 months winners in 2019 and 2018 respectively) and merchandise from Canon, LifePrint, and others. Sometimes, Zink machines churn out smaller pictures than their dye-sub counterparts, with most print pics measuring about 2 by 3 inches. (The Sprocket Second Version’s are 2.3 by 3.4 inches.)

We have not come near exhausting the checklist of transportable picture printers, with many extra variants and exceptions obtainable. A current Editors’ Selection award winner, the Kodak Mini 3 Retro, is a dye-sublimation machine that prints 3-by-3-inch sq. pictures.

Zero-ink machines produce photographs in a single cross by the printer, utilizing particular paper permeated with bits of ink launched by the applying of warmth. Dye-sub printers take 4 passes—laying down cyan, magenta, and yellow inks plus a transparent coat. The final helps colours pop and protects photographs from mud, scratches, and fingerprints.

This Liene diagram demonstrates the dye-sub layering of three colours (cyan, magenta, and yellow) and a transparent coat to guard the picture.

A take a look at the Liene printer reveals a meager management panel up entrance, made up of an influence button and an array of standing LEDs (Energy, Battery, Service, and Wi-Fi). Although you should use the machine together with your laptop computer or desktop PC, like its predecessor, the brand new Liene is optimized for printing out of your Android or iOS telephone or pill with the Immediate Picture Printer cell app (extra about that in a second). In accordance with the corporate, a totally charged battery is sweet for about 40 prints. That is versus 54 for the Selphy and 35 to 40 for the Sprocket Second Version.

The management panel consists primarily of standing LEDs: Energy, Battery, Service, and Wi-Fi.

Not all pocket picture printers include batteries, nonetheless. To take HP’s Sprocket Studio outdoors, as an example, you should spring for a $90 exterior energy financial institution good for (based on HP) about 40 prints. Not solely does this add considerably to the printer’s value, but it surely additionally means carrying an extra, comparatively heavy gadget round with you.

Ink cartridges slide right into a compartment on the suitable facet of the machine.

Ink cartridges slip right into a compartment on the printer’s proper edge. Every cartridge of waxy ink prints 40 photographs. The removable paper tray holds as much as 20 sheets of 4-by-6-inch shiny picture paper, and a slot on the again facilitates the back-and-forth of the paper’s 4 passes by the printer. When packing the unit for journey, you’ll be able to detach the paper tray and retailer it on prime of the printer; a magnet holds it in place.

Connectivity consists of USB-C and Wi-Fi, together with the power to make as much as 5 simultaneous peer-to-peer wi-fi hyperlinks.

On the again of the printer, you may discover a USB Sort-C port and an AC adapter port. Moreover USB, connectivity choices embrace Wi-Fi and a peer-to-peer wi-fi hotspot. 

Utilizing the 2022 Immediate Picture Printer App

Whilst you can join a laptop computer or desktop through USB cable, you are extra probably to make use of the Liene Immediate Picture Printer with Wi-Fi. Appearing as a hotspot, the unit permits you to join as much as 5 computing gadgets (Android, iOS, macOS, or Home windows) to the printer concurrently. You possibly can join a number of extra by your Wi-Fi community router, however I doubt many situations would require greater than 5.

You possibly can join as much as 5 cell gadgets concurrently.

Accessible for each Android and iOS, the Liene Picture Printer app permits you to edit and apply easy filters to your photographs, in addition to including textual content, drop shadows, and borders. You may also print immediately out of your favourite cloud web site, your telephone’s picture gallery, or from most PC packages (USB cable not included).

The 2022 Immediate Picture Printer is a wonderful cell companion.

Testing the Liene: Respectable Print Speeds, Output High quality

As these little picture printers go, the Liene is fast, averaging about one minute per picture. I ran my assessments over a USB-C connection from our Intel Core i5 PC testbed utilizing Home windows 10 Professional. I repeated the assessments over a wi-fi connection to my Samsung Galaxy Notice smartphone and received very related outcomes each when it comes to pace and print high quality.

The Canon Selphy was roughly as quick, however the HP Sprocket Studio took twice as lengthy (2 minutes and 5 seconds). As for Zink picture printers, regardless that their prints are often smaller than 4 by 6 inches, they usually take longer than their dye-sublimation rivals. HP’s Sprocket Choose, for instance, churns out a 2.3-by-3.4-inch picture in a minute and 1 / 4, about as quick as Lifeprint’s 2-by-3-inch Zink printer. (Lifeprint’s 3-by-4.5-inch mannequin takes a minute and a half.)

Velocity isn’t dye-sub picture printers’ solely leg up on their Zink counterparts. Output high quality is healthier, too. Identical to the 2021 mannequin, the 2022 Liene Immediate Picture Printer produced good, correct colours with wonderful element. The place Zink media feels skinny and flimsy, Liene’s 4-by-6-inch shiny sheets (like most different dye-sub media) really feel just like the premium picture papers they’re.

To make sure, these pictures aren’t a match for the standard you may get from a full-fledged, five- or six-ink desktop client picture printer from Canon or Epson. As transportable picture printers go, although, the Liene prints effectively and at a good clip.

Aggressive Working Prices

Whereas penning this evaluate, I discovered three 2022 Immediate Picture Printer bundles. The fundamental $159.99 package deal comes with the printer, an AC adapter, and sufficient paper and ink for 20 photographs. An additional $6 buys you the printer and sufficient consumables to provide 60 photographs, and for $169 the highest bundle provides you 100 prints. When it comes time to purchase substitute consumables, a package deal of 40 4-by-6-inch sheets and accompanying ink sells for $19.99, or about 50 cents per print.

Consumables promote in packs of 40 for about half a greenback per print.

That is about 8 cents extra per picture than Liene consumables value in October of final yr (although I did discover a two-pack bundle for $38, or 47.5 cents per print). The Selphy CP1300 is significantly cheaper to make use of at 35 cents per print, and the HP Sprocket Studio splits the distinction at 44 cents. Once more, these numbers embrace each ink and picture paper, besides they’re dearer than a photo-optimized inkjet such because the five-ink Canon Pixma TR8620.

Regardless that they’re smaller, Zink photographs value extra. The Lifeprint 3×4.5 and the HP Sprocket Choose use packs of their particular ink-free paper that sells for $1.25 and 65 cents per sheet, respectively. The Liene’s 50 cents per picture is not dangerous, although the Selphy’s 15-cent financial savings may add up if you happen to print numerous pics—print 100 photographs monthly, and the CP1300 will prevent $180 every year.

Nonetheless a Stable Worth, Now With Transportable Energy

As we mentioned about its batteryless predecessor, the 2022 Liene Immediate Picture Printer is a no-frills machine that churns out handsome snapshots out of your telephone, your PC, or the cloud. It is a snap to arrange and use, and it helps a number of connectivity choices. Its consumables are form of expensive, although, so you may wish to maintain a watch out for gross sales. However in any other case there’s loads to love concerning the Liene for each private and household picture printing, particularly if it is advisable do it away from an influence outlet.