24 facts in comparison
Epson EcoTank ET-4903 vs Canon PIXMA TR8620a
This comparison puts the Epson EcoTank ET-4903 and Canon PIXMA TR8620a side by side — two printers measured against the same 24-spec sheet, with every meaningful gap scored and explained. On our weighted VS Score the Canon PIXMA TR8620a finishes ahead, 88 to 64 — a decisive result.
The single biggest measurable gap is print speed (black): 11 ppm vs 15 ppm.
Where the Epson EcoTank ET-4903 beats the Canon PIXMA TR8620a
- A higher print resolution ?5,760 dpi vs 4,800 dpi
- Has supertank / refillable ink ?
- A much higher ADF capacity ?30 sheets vs 20 sheets
- A lighter build ?5.5 kg vs 7.89 kg
Where the Canon PIXMA TR8620a beats the Epson EcoTank ET-4903
- A higher print speed (black) ?15 ppm vs 11 ppm
- A much higher print speed (color) ?10 ppm vs 6 ppm
- A much higher input tray capacity ?200 sheets vs 100 sheets
- Has ethernet ?
- Has touchscreen display ?
Key real-world differences
The spec sheet pulls in both directions. These are the gaps big enough to shape the decision — with the actual figures, and what each one means in real-world use.
- Print speed (black)Printing11 ppm vs 15 ppm — 27% more for the Canon PIXMA TR8620a
Black-and-white pages per minute; higher is faster.
- Supertank / refillable inkPrintingYes vs No — only the Epson EcoTank ET-4903 has it
Refillable ink tanks cut the cost per page dramatically.
- Input tray capacityPaper handling100 sheets vs 200 sheets — 2× more for the Canon PIXMA TR8620a
A larger tray needs refilling less often.
- EthernetConnectivityNo vs Yes — only the Canon PIXMA TR8620a has it
A wired network port for reliable office use.
- Touchscreen displayDesignNo vs Yes — only the Canon PIXMA TR8620a has it
An onboard touchscreen makes standalone tasks easier.
Which one should you buy?
There is no single answer — it depends on what you will actually use it for. Match your priority to the pick below.
- Best for printing Canon PIXMA TR8620a takes the category 85 to 48 — driven by print speed (black) (11 ppm vs 15 ppm).
- Best for scanning & copying Epson EcoTank ET-4903 takes the category 100 to 84 — driven by ADF capacity (30 sheets vs 20 sheets).
- Best for connectivity Canon PIXMA TR8620a takes the category 100 to 84 — driven by ethernet (No vs Yes).
- Best for paper handling Canon PIXMA TR8620a takes the category 100 to 23 — driven by input tray capacity (100 sheets vs 200 sheets).
- Best for design Canon PIXMA TR8620a takes the category 63 to 37 — driven by touchscreen display (No vs Yes).
- The safe all-rounder Canon PIXMA TR8620a wins more of the categories that carry real weight, topping the overall VS Score at 88.
Where each one falls short
Epson EcoTank ET-4903
- Print speed (black): 11 ppm vs 15 ppm
- Input tray capacity: 100 sheets vs 200 sheets
- Ethernet: No vs Yes
- 2 specs are unreported (shown as Unknown) and excluded from its scores.
Canon PIXMA TR8620a
- Supertank / refillable ink: Yes vs No
- ADF capacity: 30 sheets vs 20 sheets
- Weight: 5.5 kg vs 7.89 kg
- 2 specs are unreported (shown as Unknown) and excluded from its scores.
What matters to you?
Drag the sliders to weight each category and re-rank the products to suit your priorities.
Score breakdown
How the VS Score works — and what it can’t tell you
Every measurable spec is scored relative to this matchup: the best value here earns 100%, the worst 0%, and everything between scales linearly. Each spec then counts according to an editorial weight that reflects real-world impact — a battery-capacity gap moves the score far more than a colour-options list. The category scores above are the weighted results inside each group, and the overall VS Score rolls all of them together; the evidence line under each category names the specs that actually decided it.
Unknown values are never estimated. A spec a product doesn’t report simply drops out of that product’s scoring — it isn’t penalised with a guess — and a spec only one side reports can never produce a “win”. The trade-off is honest but real: a thinner spec sheet means a score built on fewer data points, which is why the completeness figures are disclosed under About this data.
Most importantly: a spec-sheet lead is not the same as a better product. Megapixels, gigahertz and benchmark points describe capacity, not experience — image processing, software optimisation, thermals, haptics and ergonomics decide how a device actually feels, and no table captures reliability or long-term support quality. Treat the scores as a structured summary of what can be measured, read the caveats under each key difference, and use the weight tuner to re-rank the comparison by what matters to you.
Printing
Laser prints crisp text fast; inkjet handles photos and colour better.
Prints in colour, not just black and white.
Black-and-white pages per minute; higher is faster.
Colour pages per minute; higher is faster.
A higher dot density produces sharper prints.
Prints both sides of the page without manual flipping.
Refillable ink tanks cut the cost per page dramatically.
The maximum recommended pages per month.
Scanning & copying
Scans and copies as well as prints.
Feeds multi-page documents through the scanner unattended.
How many pages the document feeder holds at once.
Scans both sides of a page automatically.
Sends and receives faxes.
Paper handling
A larger tray needs refilling less often.
How many printed pages the output tray holds.
The largest paper format supported (e.g. Letter, Legal, A3).
Connectivity
Print wirelessly over the home network.
Connect devices directly without a router.
A wired network port for reliable office use.
A direct USB connection to a computer.
Print from iPhone, iPad and Mac without extra drivers.
Print and manage the printer from a phone app.
Design
An onboard touchscreen makes standalone tasks easier.
A lighter printer is easier to place and move.
About this data
- Specifications are compiled from each manufacturer’s official spec sheet, cross-checked against trusted specification databases, and normalised into one schema so identical things are compared identically.
- Specifications last verified August 21, 2026.
- Data completeness: Epson EcoTank ET-4903 92% and Canon PIXMA TR8620a 92% of the 24 specs in this category. Anything we could not verify is shown as Unknown — never estimated — and is excluded from all scores.
- Prices and availability come from live retailer feeds via our shopping partners and refresh throughout the day; a missing price means no partner currently lists the product, not that it is discontinued.
- Want the full picture? Our editorial guidelines explain how we research products, weight the scores and stay independent.
- Spotted an error in a spec? Tell us and we will correct the sheet.
What reviewers say
The bottom line
The Canon PIXMA TR8620a is the clear winner, scoring 88 to 64 on our VS Score. It leads on Printing, Paper handling and Connectivity. The Epson EcoTank ET-4903 answers back with stronger Scanning & copying. Pick the Canon PIXMA TR8620a unless Scanning & copying matters most to you — then the Epson EcoTank ET-4903 is the smarter buy.
