When comparing Epson WorkForce ES-300W vs Epson WorkForce ES-200, the Slant community recommends Epson WorkForce ES-300W for most people. In the question“What are the best portable document scanners under $300?” Epson WorkForce ES-300W is ranked 1st while Epson WorkForce ES-200 is ranked 2nd. The most important reason people chose Epson WorkForce ES-300W is:
You will manage to scan and save around 700 double-sided pages before the battery runs empty.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Amazing battery life
You will manage to scan and save around 700 double-sided pages before the battery runs empty.
Pro Great for accurate text analysis
The ES-300W comes with ABBYY software, meant for turning your paper documents into editable text. Scanners don't always read the text correctly, some of them only get 3/4 of the words right. This model was tested and didn't make a single mistake - it read 100% of the words correctly (according to Wirecutter's tests). It's capable of reading fonts down to 4p in size, with a few mistakes when reading smaller fonts. If you scan documents with font sizes 6p and up, you will not have to make any manual corrections.
Pro Very portable
The ES-300W fits in a small bag and is easy to carry around. It measures only 11.3" x 3.5" x 2.6". However, it weighs 2.9 lbs, which is a bit heavier than some other models that don't come with a battery. You can choose to power it by AC, built-in battery or USB, so you can use it practically anywhere, without having to worry about the availability of a power supply.
Pro Scan files to several computers over Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi support means that you don't have to save the files to a memory card or connect the scanner to a computer. You can scan the files to one or several computers over Wi-Fi.
Pro Very fast scanning
At 200 PPI(pixels per inch) scan quality, the ES-300W can scan 23 pages per minute according to Wirecutter's tests. This is 3 times faster than the average portable scanner.
Pro Very portable due to its small size
Due to the lack of a battery, it's even smaller in size than it's bigger brother, the Epson ES-300W. The scanner fits in a small bag and can conveniently be taken anywhere, since it measures only 11.3" x 3.5" x 2.0" and weighs very little — just 2.4 lbs.
Pro Very fast scanning
When powered by AC, and with a 200 PPI(pixels per inch) scan quality, the ES-200 can scan 23 pages per minute, according to real-life tests by Wirecutter that were run on a scanner with identical parameters — the ES-300W. This scanner is 3 times faster than the average portable scanner.
Pro Affordable
Since the ES-200 does not include a battery and it does not support Wi-Fi connections, it's much more affordable than many other portable scanners. If you know you will always be able to connect the scanner via USB to your computer, then this budget scanner might be a great option for you.
Pro Extremely accurate text analysis
The ES-200 comes with ABBYY software, meant for turning your paper documents into editable text. Scanners don't always read the text correctly, some of them only get 3/4 of the words right. This model is identical in parameters to the Epson ES-300W, which was tested and didn't make a single mistake — it read 100% of the words correctly. It's capable of reading fonts down to 4p in size, with a few mistakes when reading smaller fonts. If you scan documents with font sizes 6p and up, you will not have to make any manual corrections.
Cons
Con Handles receipts poorly
Epson's scanning preset called "receipt" gives you a scan error when the receipt is longer than 11 inches. Also, the scanner does not come with receipt management software, unlike some other scanners, so if you need one, you will have to look for a third-party solution, like Expensify.
Con Bends documents/photos when scanning them
You can't place the document flat, but have to roll it through the scanner. The Epson ES-300W can bend the paper and this not desirable when for example scanning originals of some valuable documents.
Con Expensive
This scanner is more expensive than it's brother, the Epson ES-200, because it comes with a battery and Wi-Fi support. If you know you will always connect the scanner via USB to your computer, then it might not be worth getting the more expensive ES-300W.
Con Complaints about setup and flaky software
Many comments on the wirecutter article for this product mention that setup requires two separate software to accomplish setup. That the software is flaky on Mac OS.
Con Bends documents/photos when scanning them
You can't place your documents flat, but have to roll them through the scanner. Doing so, the Epson ES-200 can bend the paper - and this is not desirable when for example scanning originals of some valuable documents.
Con No battery
Though this scanner is portable, you have to have a power supply on the go. It can be powered via USB from your laptop.
Con Can't use Wi-Fi
This scanner doesn't support Wi-Fi and therefore you can only scan to one PC via USB.
Con Handles receipts poorly
Epson's scanning preset called "receipt" gives you a scan error when the receipt is longer than 11 inches. Also, the scanner does not come with receipt management software, unlike some other scanners, so if you need one, you will have to look for a third-party solution, like Expensify.
Con Scans slowly when powered via USB
The scanning process gets 3 times slower when you power the scanner just using USB. To achieve maximum scan speed, you need to plug in the AC adapter.