Epson C6500 vs. Primera LX4000 vs. Afinia L502 – Full-Color Label Printing Powerhouses Compared
11th Jun 2025
What’s the true cost of choosing the wrong label printer for your growing business?
Whether you’re printing compliance labels for hazardous materials or designing vivid branding labels for retail shelves, selecting the right color label printer isn’t just about performance specs—it’s about consistent quality, media flexibility, integration, and long-term efficiency. A misstep could lead to wasted materials, unreadable barcodes, or non-compliant packaging.
At OmegaBrand Sales Corporation, we understand how critical labeling is for industries like food packaging, chemical production, and manufacturing. That’s why we offer some of the most reliable color inkjet label printers available today. In this comparison, we’re reviewing three mid-range machines built for serious performance: the Epson ColorWorks C6500, Primera LX4000, and the pigment-ink version of the Afinia L502.
Mid-Range Full-Color Label Printers Built for Business
Before comparing features, let’s clarify what makes these three printers suitable for growing businesses.
- Epson CW-C6500: Built for industrial-scale output with ZPL emulation, this 8-inch wide color label printeris ideal for 4x6 shipping label applications, GHS labeling, and high-volume compliance tasks. Priced at $3,499 USD.
- Primera LX4000: This Primera label printeris designed with a dual ink system that supports both dye and pigment cartridges, letting users switch based on need. It's made for businesses looking for flexibility in branding and product packaging. Price at $3,499 USD.
- Afinia L502 (Pigment): The pigment-only version of the L502 is a workhorse for chemical labels and other durable label applications. It’s built to handle tougher environments while maintaining color accuracy and water resistance. Priced at $2,799 USD. It's also interesting to note that the L502 allows the end user to switch between dye and pigment inks, as needed, so that they can print prime product labels with vibrant colors or GHS BS5609 compliant chemical labels with the pigment inks installed.
Let’s get into the specifics.
Print Speed and Resolution: Efficiency vs. Quality
Epson C6500
Print Speed: Up to 3.9 inches per second at 300 x 600 dpi for 6-inch wide label
Resolution: Up to 1200 dpi and print speed of 0.3 ips
Notably, this printer maintains resolution without sacrificing much speed, making it a solid choice for batch printing.
Primera LX4000
Print Speed: Up to 4.5 inches per second
Resolution: 4800 dpi
The LX4000 offers extremely high resolution, but its speed may decrease with more complex graphics or higher dpi settings.
Afinia L502 (Pigment or Dye)
Print Speed: Up to 5 inches per second
Resolution: 4800 dpi
Although the resolution is slightly lower than the Primera, the L502 delivers excellent durability and print clarity for regulatory labels.
Verdict: If ultra-high resolution for branding is the priority, the Primera LX4000 stands out. For balanced speed and quality in compliance labeling, the Epson C6500 and Afinia L502 are both highly capable. The main difference is that the L502 uses 4 separate CMYK ink cartridges and the LX4000 uses 3.
When printing in the best print quality modes, like 1200 dpi or 4800 dpi, Epson C6500, Primera LX4000, and Afinia L502, all print at the same print speed. The print quality of all three printers is also good. Therefore, the L502 is the best buy since it's only $2799 USD, versus $2499 for LX4000 and C6500. Also, when you compare the Epson C65000 and Primera LX4000, both printers come at a same price, but the Primera printer can print better print quality at 4800 dpi and allows you to switch between dye and pigment inks, making it the better choice.
Media Handling: Roll Size, Rewinding, and Integration
Epson CW-C6500
Max Roll Width: labels roll with 3-inch core and maximum 6-inch roll diameter and maximum label width is 8-inches
Rewind/Unwind: Unwinder is included and Optional external label rewinder units available
ZPL (Zebra Programming Language) support enables drop-in replacement in existing workflows.
Primera LX4000
Max Roll Width: Label rolls with 3-inch core and maximum 6-inch OD rolls and maximum 8 inch wide labels supported
Label unwinder is built-in rewinder, external options label rewinder is available
Does not support ZPL; may require software adaptation in complex workflows
Afinia L502 (Pigment or Dye)
Max Roll Width: Label rolls with 3-inch core and maximum 8-inch OD rolls and maximum label width is 8-inches wide
Works well with optional rewinders (label unwinder is included with the printer)
Integration is straightforward using BarTender, NiceLabel, and other industry software
Verdict: The Epson CW-C6500 is the easiest to integrate into existing logistics or production systems due to its ZPL compatibility and robust media handling. The L502 is close behind in versatility but lacks native ZPL support. However, for media handling, the L502 is the first choice since it can hold larger 6” and 8” OD label rolls and the LX4000 and C6500 can only hold 6” OD label rolls. Plus, the L502 is priced the lowest, followed by the LX4000, since it prints better quality than the C6500.
Ink Systems: Pigment vs. Dye vs. Dual Support
Epson C6500
Pigment-based ink only
Designed for durable, smudge-resistant output
Ideal for compliance labeling (e.g., GHS, BS5609). Uses four separate CMYK.
Primera LX4000
Dual-cartridge support (Dye orPigment)
Users can switch cartridges depending on application—pigment for durability, dye for vibrant visuals. Uses three large ink tanks of CMY.
Provides more flexibility for businesses focused on visual branding
Afinia L502 (Pigment or Dye)
The Afinia L502 allows you to switch between dye or pigment inks.
Water- and UV-resistant prints suitable for harsh environments. Uses four separate CMYK ink cartridges
Media Compatibility: Label Stocks That Matter
Choosing the right printer also depends on the label materials you intend to use:
- Glossy Papers: Best handled by the Afinia L502, LX4000 and Epson C6500. Note dye and pigment printers can print glossy paper labels
- Matte Labels: All three printers support matte labels well, Prints well with both dye and pigment inks
- Matte Synthetic Labels (polypropylene, polyester): Work best with pigment inks, especially GHS BS5609 chemical labels can only be printed with pigment inks. Mate polypropylene labels can be printed by dye and pigment inks.
- Glossy Synthetic labels (polypropylene, polyester): print best with dye inks for the most vibrant colors. Also work with Epson C6500 but colors not as vibrant an L502 dye and LX4000 dye inks.
Printers like the L502 (pigment), LX4000 (pigment) and Epson C6500 are better suited for matte synthetic labels, which are often necessary for chemical or outdoor applications. However glossy synthetic labels will print more vibrant colors with L502 (dye) or LX4000 (dye).
Which Printer Should You Choose?
Are you printing labels that must endure water, chemicals, or UV exposure? Do you need crisp, high-quality logos for retail products? Or are you looking for a 4x6 label printer for shipping and logistics?
From these three printers, the first choice should be the Afinia L502 since it’s the lowest cost and it can print with both dye and pigment inks, so it can print durable labels for ghs bs5609 chemical label compliant for vibrant color product labels.
2nd choice should be the Primera LX4000 since it’s the same price as the Epson C6500, but will print better print quality plus will allow you to switch between dye and pigment inks, so that you can print ghs bs5609 compliant chemical labels or vibrant color label on glossy synthetic label materials
3rd choice should be the Epson c6500 which can only print with pigment inks and you need zpl integration to replace your thermal transfer printers and introduce color on demand
Choose the Epson C6500 if you need:
- ZPL integration for thermal printer workflows
- Durable, pigment-based labels for shipping or chemical compliance
- Versatility with 4x6 color labeloutput and synthetic materials
Opt for the Primera LX4000 if your focus is:
- Product branding and consumer-facing packaging
- Vivid color output with optional dye ink
- Occasional need for pigment ink durability
Go with the Afinia L502 (Pigment) if your use case includes:
- Harsh environments like manufacturing or chemical plants
- Strong label resistance to abrasion and moisture
- Mid-range volume with moderate customization needs
Ready to Print Smarter and More Efficiently?
When it comes to 4x6 shipping label printers or advanced product labeling systems, OmegaBrand Sales Corporation offers one of the best selections of color inkjet label printers from industry leaders like Epson, Primera, VIPColor and Afinia Label. We help businesses choose between reliable models such as the Epson C6500 printer, C6000 printer, or even compact solutions like the Epson C4000 printer—each backed by the right supplies like Epson C6500 ink or Epson C6000 ink to keep your operation running.
Whether you need crisp Epson C6500 labels for compliance, a pigment-capable Primera label printer for vibrant packaging, or a dependable Afinia solution for industrial use, we’ve got the tools and technical support to make it work for your team.
Contact OmegaBrand Sales Corporation today to speak with a specialist about which full-color label printer will meet your exact requirements. Let us help you print smarter—so you can focus on growing your business.