What’s the difference between the new Epson S9170 vs the older S80600?
By Bill Owen – Alder Color Solutions – August 25th, 2025
I’m betting you are just as curious as I was about the new “S Series” Signage Printers from Epson? Let’s take a close look at the differences as they are significant.
The Epson SureColor S9170 surpasses the older S80600 with drastically faster print speeds, a wider color gamut including a new green ink and 99.5% PANTONE coverage, and the innovative addition of a user-replaceable printhead. The S9170 improves upon the S80600’s solid reputation for quality and reliability with key advances that boost productivity, color gamut and reduce downtime.
A New, Modern Look!
Check out the new sleek footprint of the S9170 (left) vs the S80600 (right).
Performance and Efficiency:
| Feature | Epson SureColor S9170 | Epson SureColor S80600 |
| Print speed | Up to 2.5 times faster than the S80600 in comparable quality modes. This is achieved with fewer print passes due to a larger, more advanced printhead. | Production speeds are significantly slower than the S9170, requiring more passes to achieve the same visual quality. |
| Printhead | Features a new, larger 2.6-inch PrecisionCore TFP printhead. It is the first solvent printer in its class with a user-replaceable printhead, drastically reducing maintenance downtime. | Equipped with a smaller dual-array PrecisionCore TFP printhead. Printhead replacement requires a service technician, leading to longer downtime. |
| Productivity | A major boost in productivity, with reports showing it completing jobs in half the time compared to the S80600. | A reliable but slower machine that is less equipped to handle modern demands for high-volume, fast-turnaround jobs. |
Color and Image Quality:
| Feature | Epson SureColor S9170 | Epson SureColor S80600 |
| Ink set and gamut | Uses an 11-color UltraChrome GS3 ink set that adds a new Green ink. This expands the color gamut to achieve up to 99.5% PANTONE® coverage. | Features a 10-color UltraChrome GS3 ink set that includes a Red ink, providing 98.2% PANTONE® coverage. |
| Specialty inks | The new Green ink replaces the Metallic Silver option found on the S80600. It offers optional White and Clear inks. | Offers optional White or Metallic Silver inks. |
| Print quality | Due to its larger printhead and enhanced ink algorithms, it can produce visually identical quality at much faster speeds. Blind tests showed its 4-pass mode matched the quality of the S80600’s 8-pass output. | Maintains a reputation for excellent photographic-quality output but needs more passes for high-quality results. |
Design and Usability:
| Feature | Epson SureColor S9170 | Epson SureColor S80600 |
| Physical design | Features a more modern, compact, and space-saving design that is approximately a foot narrower. | A larger, older-style design that occupies more floor space. |
| Usability | Includes an intuitive 4.3-inch color LCD touchscreen for simple navigation. | Utilizes a smaller 2.72-inch LCD screen for operation. |
| Media handling | Features new front and back loading levers and a media lifter for easier handling of rolls. | Has standard media handling features common in its older generation. |
I hope you’ve found this comparison helpful. The new S Series is super cool in my view!
Contact Bill Owen at Alder Color for more info, pricing and consultation. You may need to upgrade your RIP with a new printer option to drive this new printer. We can help!
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 720-933-4413