Canon SELPHY Square QX10 Review: Get Instant, Long-Lasting Prints

Canon’s SELPHY Square QX10 is a compact portable printer designed to be Canon’s smallest portable printer yet. It is the perfect addition to the backpack of any avid traveller/photographer or party-goer wanting to take snaps and print on the go.

Priced in the mid-$200 range, this would be a really useful device for anyone printing out pictures regularly as a hobby or profession. This printer is so compact you can hold it in your hand. But there is more to it than portability. According to Canon, it can produce prints that last for 100 years (if you preserve your prints carefully in an album).

Read on to get a quick snapshot of this printer’s features.

SELPHY Square QX10: the pros and the cons

Canon SELPHY Square QX10 is designed to look elegant, simple and minimalistic - which we think will appeal to a lot of people. In fact, all it has is a power button and two indicators for charge and status. This is a no-nonsense printer with a classy finish, available in a range of colours and capable of printing via Wi-Fi from any tablet or smartphone.

If you are wondering why it isn’t slimmer, SELPHY Square QX10 has the added weight (and bulk) of an ink cassette and a built-in battery for mobile use. This makes it bulkier than other sleek portable printers like HP Sprocket Select or Fujifilm Instax Mini.

Note that this printer is designed for a particular use. It is intended for printing out the images stored on your smartphone (or iPad) using a Wi-Fi connection. This means you cannot print photos from your PC.

In fact, it doesn’t even have a USB cable to connect to a computer; nor does it have an option to insert a memory card. It gets trickier - you can’t establish a connection between your phone and printer via Bluetooth; it is intended to be used via a Wi-Fi connection.

However, for those who simply want to print out images stored in their smartphone, with the added option to customise their prints and print whilst on the go, this stylish and compact portable printer won’t disappoint.

Key points to note:

• Size of prints: Print default prints of 65 x 65mm - up to max of 68mm x 68 mm. Prints square images with a thin white border on three sides and a wider strip at the bottom - default strip of 17mm (they look like polaroid photos).
• What paper does it use: Uses specific paper 72 x 85 mm which comes with adhesive backing.
• Printing speed: Approx 43 seconds.
• Printer charging: Approx 120 mins (can use a power bank to recharge when on the go).
• Price: Mid-$200s (slightly more expensive than some other portable printers)
• Easy-to-use software: All operations are handled via downloadable app, SELPHY Photo Layout 2.0.
• Customisation: Can edit and enhance your photos through the app, including with text, frames and clipart. You can also make multi-image layouts or collages.

Size and design

At 102.2 x 143.3 x 31 mm, Canon SELPHY Square QX10 is definitely ‘put in a bag’ small if not ‘stuff in a pocket’ compact. It comes in four colours: black, green (which is more like aqua), Pink and White. A micro USB table is used for charging the printer; when fully charged, it will print about 20 prints.

At a mere 445 grams, you have a printer that can churn out your favourite snaps from your smartphone or tablet in 43 seconds. This is pretty good considering the dye-sublimation technology it uses to produce its prints (described below). However, considering the size of the photo output, this is a slow printing rate.

Connectivity

We found it easy to connect to the printer. Download the SELPHY Photo Layout app onto your smartphone or tablet, then connect from your device to the printer using Wi-Fi, and follow the instructions to print. (You can also scan the QR code on the printer to connect).

In fact, multiple phones can be connected to the printer, so you can print from more than one smartphone. The app also lets you do minor edits to your photos, including making collages.

Some users are critical of the software, however we suggest that if you don’t like editing using the app, just do your editing on your smartphone before going into the SELPHY app to print. Personally, we thought the app was easy to use with some great features and had no issues with the connectivity.

Consumables

This printer comes with a starter pack that includes the ink cassette and photo paper, but you will need to invest in more paper for regular printing. You will need Canon’s XS-20L square photo paper (available in packs of 20 sheets and priced at around $20 per pack) for your printing. These sheets are in the form of peelable stickers with mild adhesiveness so you can stick your photos onto most surfaces.

With use, the ink cassette will also of course need to be replaced. The good thing is that when you buy your paper packs, they also come with an ink cassette so you can print out 20 photos per pack.

Innovative printing technology in SELPHY Square QX10

Many portable printers use Zink (zero ink) technology where the prints rely on specially coated paper. SELPHY Square QX10 is different. It uses what is called ‘dye sublimation’ technology instead.

Dye sublimation is the process by which a carrier ribbon generates heat on a special sheet of coated paper, causing the ink to vaporise (or sublimate) directly on the paper surface.

The printer repeats the process 4 times - one time each for cyan, magenta, yellow - with the print coming out after each pass and being pulled back into the device for the next coat. In the final pass, the print also gets a clear protective coating.

You will be pleased to know that this special coating not only protects against spills and splashes, but also prevents the photos from fading for up to 100 years when stored in an album! Even though the prints are not as vivid as that of inkjet printers, they are definitely vibrant and of good quality.

Alternative printers to consider

If you are looking for something even more compact than Canon’s SELPHY Square QX10, you might want to consider the Canon Inspic C camera and mini photo printer. If print quality and versatility are higher priorities than compactness, opt for Canon PIXMA and MAXIFY inkjet printers available at the same or lower prices. You can also get the slightly larger portable printer SELPHY CP1300 for a few dollars less.

Canon SELPHY Square QX10 vs SELPHY CP1300

Canon SELPHY Square QX10 is one of the best portable printers in the market, quite similar to SELPHY CP1300 but repackaged in a more compact device. Both portable printers use dye sublimation tech and the SELPHY app for editing photos and printing, but differ in other aspects.

For instance, CP1300 has a LCD screen with options, while all actions in Square QX10 are performed through the app. The CP1300 model can print in different sizes (postcard, credit card, square and mini stickers) while QX10 is limited to a square sticker size. Also, CP1300 priced well below $200 is more affordable than the sleeker QX10.

Where to buy

You should be able to find the Canon SELPHY QX10 at any major electronics store near you. For those wanting to buy online, options include the following stores:

• InkDepot
• Cartridge World

At InkDepot, you can choose from a variety of colours. Enjoy the lowest prices and also avail loyalty points for every purchase.

Customer video review - unboxing and setup

Be sure to check out this video posted by one of our customers for more clarity. You will find the unboxing details, setup, sample photos and more. Don’t hesitate to reach out to InkDepot’s customer service team in case you have any other queries about the product.

What the experts say

“Canon's Selphy Square QX10 is a portable, if not quite pocket-size, photo printer based on dye sublimation technology. It prints vivid smartphone pics at acceptable running costs.” (PCMag - check out their review)

“Say hello to Canon’s dye-sub version of the HP Sprocket…” (Techradar - find out more in the review)

Conclusion

SELPHY Square QX10 can print out your photos from your mobile device, and with an adhesive back, you can stick them up on a range of surfaces. If you are okay overlooking minor concerns, like not being able to print from a computer, or fitting the printer into your back pocket, we think you will be very happy with this printer.

Consider this portable printer a nostalgic new version of the polaroid camera or a new revolution. Share small, real ‘selphies’ with your friends and family instead of on Instagram! And scrapbookers, rejoice - for, this printer will make your hobby super-easy.

This printer would also make a great gift for a special someone who would enjoy printing out images at a party or other memories whilst on the go.