Canon’s Cute New Wireless Selphy QX20 Printer Makes Prints Using Heat

Canon unveiled a new compact photo printer, the Selphy QX20. The wireless printer promises high-quality printing and connects wirelessly to a user’s smartphone.

The personal photo printer joins several Canon Selphy series printers, including the larger CP and palm-sized Ivy series. The QX20 also joins the existing QX10, which exclusively prints on square format 2.7 by 2.7-inch thermal paper. On the other hand, the QX20 adds a new card-format printing option to the mix, which makes 2.1 by 3.4-inch prints. Another difference is that the QX20 can produce borderless prints, something the QX10 does not offer.

In both cases, the Selphy QX-series printers utilize a thermal printing system, which Canon says promises rich, vibrant colors and good print longevity (up to 100 years). The QX20 uses heat to precisely vaporize ink on the paper, with shading controlled by temperature. The system promises smooth tonal transitions and no graininess.

The QX20 connects with Canon’s Selphy Print Layout 4.0 app, which not only enables users to customize their photos on their smartphone for printing, including different layouts, stamps, effects, and other photo decorating options, but makes it very simple to get the printer up and running.

Ease of use is a significant focus for Canon with its new printer. When a customer buys the QX20 and opens it up, there’s a QR code on the printer’s side. Scanning this code within the Selphy Photo Layout app instantly connects that phone with the QX20 printer. Once this connection has been established, users can print from the QX20 without connecting the printer and phone again.

The QX20 charges via USB-C, while the QX10 relies on outdated USB Micro-B connectivity. The QX20 charges faster — 80 minutes versus 120 minutes — and prints faster — 40 seconds per page versus 43 seconds for the same size print.

Another difference is new image processing. The Selphy QX20 has new sharpness processing to deliver clearer prints, a feature lacking from the QX10.

With the new features, the QX20 has put on a tiny amount of weight — 10 grams. The QX20 weighs 455 grams (a pound), while the QX10 is 445 grams (0.98 pounds). The QX20 has grown slightly. Its dimensions (height by width by depth) are 102.2 by 145.8 by 32.9 millimeters (4.0 by 5.7 by 1.3 inches).

The Canon Selphy QX20 compact photo printer is compatible with iOS and Android devices. It uses Canon XS-20L, XC-20L, and XC-60L photo paper packs, which include the required ink cassettes in the box. Print resolution is 287 by 287 dots per inch, and it uses cyan, magenta, and yellow ink (256 shades per color).

Pricing and Availability

The Canon Selphy QX20 will sell for $149.99 when it arrives on store shelves in October. This is less than the QX10’s launch price of $159, although that printer is currently on sale for $129. The Selphy QX20 will come in sand white and dark gray colorways, with a third red option available in some markets, but not the United States. Paper packs start at $14.99.

Image credits: Canon