If you’re shopping for a wide-format printer in 2025 or 2026, you already know the stakes. A wide-format system isn’t a small purchase — it’s a production decision that affects your output quality, your media flexibility, your ink costs, and ultimately your ability to deliver for clients. Get it right and it pays for itself. Get it wrong and you’re stuck with a machine that fights you every single day.

Roland DG’s TrueVIS series sits near the top of almost every short list in the professional print-for-pay and sign-and-display market. But “almost” matters. Epson, Mimaki, and HP all make compelling wide-format systems, and depending on your workflow, one of them might serve you better.

This guide breaks it down honestly — what TrueVIS does exceptionally well, where the competition closes the gap, and what you should actually be asking before you write a check. ABT is an authorized Roland dealer serving Denver, Colorado Springs, and Westminster, and we’ve helped hundreds of Colorado businesses navigate exactly this decision. Here’s what we’ve learned.

The Roland TrueVIS Lineup: VG3 and SG3

Roland currently leads the TrueVIS series with two flagship models: the VG3-540 / VG3-640 (54″ and 64″ print/cut combo units) and the SG3-540 / SG3-640 (dedicated printer/cutters optimized for label and sticker workflows). Both use Roland’s TR2 ink set — a 6-color eco-solvent formula that includes a light black and metallic silver option — and run on Roland’s VersaWorks 6 RIP software.

The TrueVIS platform is designed for one specific type of shop: high-mix, high-quality production where you need reliable color consistency, strong outdoor durability, and the flexibility to print-and-cut in a single pass. Vehicle wraps, window graphics, retail signage, banners, event décor, custom apparel heat transfers — TrueVIS handles all of it from the same machine.

Roland TrueVIS VG3-640 — 64″ print/cut combo. Image: Roland DG

Note: Street pricing varies by dealer and configuration. Contact ABT for current Colorado pricing and any available trade-in or financing options.

Roland TrueVIS SG3-540 — optimized for label and sticker production. Image: Roland DG

The Competitors: Who’s Actually in the Race

Four brands show up consistently on the same short lists as Roland TrueVIS: Epson SureColor, Mimaki JV/CJV Series, HP Latex, and Canon imagePROGRAF. Each has a legitimate case — and each has a situation where Roland wins cleanly.

Epson SureColor SC-S Series

Epson’s SureColor S-series (S80600, S60600) is the most direct head-to-head competitor to TrueVIS in the eco-solvent space. Epson’s UltraChrome GS3 ink delivers strong color gamut, and their PrecisionCore print heads have earned a reputation for long-term reliability. If you’re a photography-heavy shop or need the absolute finest detail resolution — photo displays, fine art reproductions, high-end retail graphics — Epson’s ink chemistry is worth the conversation.

Where TrueVIS typically wins: the integrated print-and-cut workflow. Epson sells dedicated print-only and cut-only units, which means a separate cutter purchase and a less seamless workflow if you need contour cutting at volume. Roland’s single-pass print-and-cut is genuinely faster for mixed production environments. TrueVIS also has an edge in metallic and specialty ink options that Epson doesn’t match in this class.

Mimaki JV Series (JV100, JV150, CJV150, CJV300)

Mimaki has built a loyal following in the wide-format space, particularly among shops that prioritize ink versatility. The CJV series (combined printer/cutters, directly competitive with TrueVIS) supports a wide range of ink types including sublimation, enabling dual-mode workflows that neither Roland nor Epson match in the same chassis. If your shop does sublimation alongside vinyl and signage work, Mimaki deserves a close look.

The conversation shifts when you compare software ecosystems. VersaWorks 6 — Roland’s bundled RIP — is widely considered best-in-class for ease of use, color management, and the tight integration with Roland hardware. Mimaki’s RasterLink is capable but has a steeper learning curve. For shops without a dedicated prepress operator, the software experience alone can tip the decision toward Roland.

Service and support is also worth mentioning. Roland has a dense authorized dealer network in Colorado — ABT provides local service, parts, and certified technicians across the Front Range. Mimaki service coverage in Colorado is thinner, which matters when a machine goes down mid-job.

HP Latex 300–700 Series

HP Latex is a different beast entirely. Latex ink is water-based, which means no solvent fumes, no ventilation requirements, and prints that are dry and ready to apply immediately out of the machine. For shops in office environments, schools, or anywhere chemical exposure is a concern, HP Latex is a legitimate consideration.

Where it loses ground to TrueVIS: outdoor durability and media flexibility. Eco-solvent ink (Roland’s TR2) bonds more aggressively to vinyl, offering better scratch resistance and outdoor longevity — especially important for vehicle wraps and exterior signage in Colorado’s UV-heavy, high-altitude sun. Latex also doesn’t support metallic ink, and the ink cost per square foot tends to run higher than eco-solvent at equivalent quality settings.

HP Latex is a legitimate choice for indoor display graphics, soft signage, and environments where air quality is non-negotiable. For most Colorado commercial print shops, Roland’s durability advantage tips the balance.

Canon imagePROGRAF TX Series

Canon’s TX series is largely a technical/CAD market machine — excellent for architects, engineers, and GIS professionals producing large-format documents and plans. It’s not directly competing with TrueVIS in commercial print or sign-and-display applications, and we won’t spend much time on it here. If your primary output is technical drawings and blueprints, Canon deserves a separate conversation entirely — and ABT is an authorized Canon dealer as well.

Where Roland TrueVIS Wins Consistently

After working with print shops, sign companies, and in-house marketing departments across the Front Range for years, here’s where Roland TrueVIS consistently pulls ahead of the field:

Vehicle wrap graphics output from the Roland TrueVIS VG3 — vibrant color, clean contour cuts. Image: Roland DG

Where the Competition Closes the Gap

An honest comparison means being upfront about where other platforms have a legitimate edge. Here are the situations where we’ve seen customers choose a competitor — and why we respected the decision.

Pure photo output quality: For fine art reproductions and photography display printing where you need the absolute maximum in color gradation and smooth tonal transitions, Epson’s ink chemistry and resolution spec sheets are hard to argue with. A dedicated Epson photo printer at the same price point will edge out TrueVIS on a print-quality-only evaluation.

Sublimation in the same chassis: Mimaki’s CJV series supports sublimation dye-sub ink in certain configurations, enabling soft-signage and fabric output alongside vinyl work. If sublimation is a significant revenue stream for you, Mimaki’s ink flexibility is genuinely compelling — Roland requires a separate dedicated dye-sub system.

Ventilation-free environments: Eco-solvent ink requires adequate ventilation. If your production space is a shared office, a classroom, or anywhere that can’t accommodate solvent fumes, HP Latex’s water-based chemistry is a legitimate operational requirement — not just a preference.

Lowest possible entry price: There are entry-level eco-solvent systems from Mimaki and even Roland’s own legacy SOLJET line that come in under $10,000 for a basic setup. If budget is the overriding constraint and volume is low, TrueVIS is not the right starting point — and we’ll tell you that directly rather than push you into a machine you don’t need.

The Real Decision Framework: What to Ask Before You Buy

The spec sheet comparison is the least useful part of this decision. Here are the questions that actually matter:

A Colorado-Specific Note on Wide-Format Investment

The Colorado commercial print and sign market has some characteristics that affect this decision in ways that national comparison guides don’t always capture.

Colorado’s altitude affects ink dry times and head performance differently than sea-level installations. We’ve seen eco-solvent systems struggle with head clogging during extended idle periods in dry, high-altitude environments — and we’ve seen Roland’s closed ink system and automated maintenance cycles handle it better than open-system competitors. This isn’t a universal dealbreaker, but it’s worth a conversation with your local dealer rather than assuming national specs apply.

Colorado’s construction and commercial real estate market drives meaningful demand for temporary site-wrap and hoarding graphics, vehicle fleet graphics, and trade show display work — all applications where TrueVIS’s combination of outdoor durability, print-and-cut workflow, and large-format banner capability maps directly to demand. If your shop serves any of these verticals, you’re squarely in TrueVIS territory.

Finally, Front Range service coverage is real. ABT stocks Roland consumables (ink, heads, media) at our Centennial/Denver HQ and has certified Roland technicians based locally. If your previous vendor sent a technician from out of state for service calls, you know what that means for your production schedule.

Precision-cut stickers and decals from the Roland TrueVIS SG3 — consistent color, clean contour registration. Image: Roland DG

Bottom Line: Is Roland TrueVIS the Right Wide-Format System for You?

There is no universally “best” wide-format printer. There is a best wide-format printer for your workflow, your volume, your space, and your market. The goal of this guide isn’t to sell you a Roland — it’s to give you a framework to make the right call.

That said: if your business looks anything like the profile above — commercial print, sign-and-display, fleet graphics, or trade show production in Colorado — Roland TrueVIS is very hard to argue with at its price point and capability level. It’s not the cheapest option and it’s not the right fit for every shop. But for the shops it fits, it consistently delivers.

Related Resources from ABT

Additional resources: Roland DG TrueVIS Product Page · Epson SureColor S Series · Mimaki CJV300