The catch
Ricoh ScanSnap iX2400
USB on this model connects to a computer. It has no direct flash-drive destination and no TWAIN driver.
Side by side
ScanSnap iX2400 vs Epson ES-590W: Epson shares filing but protected USB still requires a PC
Quick verdict
The iX2400 fits one computer, one filing workflow and a physical start button. The ES-590W fits phone access, direct saving to a supported USB drive or a TWAIN-compatible desktop application. The Epson can't write directly to a USB device that has password or encryption settings. If protected removable storage is mandatory, keep a computer in the workflow and don't buy it for that shortcut.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
The simplest way to hand off files might reject the drive you already use
With Epson, a scan can land on a USB drive and you never have to open the family computer. That helps when forms have to leave the house or move between machines. The catch is that its direct port rejects devices with password or encryption settings. When those documents have to stay on protected removable storage, handle that storage through an approved computer workflow, and don’t turn protection off for convenience. iX2400 already relies on the computer, so Epson’s stand-alone edge shrinks if your filing rules require that computer anyway.
Where this comes from
USB devices with security enabled or a dedicated driver are explicitly excluded by Epson, and the supported-format limit is 2 TB. ScanSnap sends scans through a computer. Neither workflow comes with a security guarantee.
The catch
Epson ES-590W
Devices that are password-protected, encrypted or need a dedicated driver can’t be used for direct USB saving. The format and capacity must also be supported.
Ricoh ScanSnap iX2400
- Why pick it
- Your scans go to one computer and ScanSnap Home fits the way you file.
- One-button operation is your preference, and you don't need phone access or direct USB-drive saving.
- The catch
- USB on this model connects to a computer. It has no direct flash-drive destination and no TWAIN driver.
Epson ES-590W
- Why pick it
- A compatible application needs a TWAIN scanning route, as long as you've checked its driver requirements.
- Computer-free USB saving appeals to you, and you can use a supported drive that has no password or encryption settings.
- The catch
- Devices that are password-protected, encrypted or need a dedicated driver can’t be used for direct USB saving. The format and capacity must also be supported.
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What this page compares
iX2400 and ES-590W are compared for family paperwork and home-office filing, covering app compatibility, computer-free USB saving and the encrypted-drive restriction.
These are both desktop duplex scanners, each with a 100-sheet feeder and a 45 ppm headline figure. They overlap for someone who wants to work through household or home-office paperwork in batches and then has to decide how the files get to the next person or application.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
The whole routine is one computer and one physical button
That USB workflow is what ScanSnap focuses on.
- Ricoh ScanSnap iX2400
- Better fit
- Epson ES-590W
- Good
Work in an existing application that needs TWAIN
TWAIN compatibility comes with Epson. Check what the application and operating system require.
- Ricoh ScanSnap iX2400
- Not suitable
- Epson ES-590W
- Better fit
Save directly to a regular, supported USB drive
Epson can save directly, but format, capacity and security-device restrictions apply.
- Ricoh ScanSnap iX2400
- Not suitable
- Epson ES-590W
- Better fit
Write straight to an encrypted USB drive without a computer
ScanSnap offers no workflow for writing directly to a drive, and Epson rules out encryption-enabled devices.
- Ricoh ScanSnap iX2400
- Not suitable
- Epson ES-590W
- Not suitable
In practice
Differences you will notice
The simplest way to hand off files might reject the drive you already use
With Epson, a scan can land on a USB drive and you never have to open the family computer. That helps when forms have to leave the house or move between machines. The catch is that its direct port rejects devices with password or encryption settings. When those documents have to stay on protected removable storage, handle that storage through an approved computer workflow, and don’t turn protection off for convenience. iX2400 already relies on the computer, so Epson’s stand-alone edge shrinks if your filing rules require that computer anyway.
How we worked this out
USB devices with security enabled or a dedicated driver are explicitly excluded by Epson, and the supported-format limit is 2 TB. ScanSnap sends scans through a computer. Neither workflow comes with a security guarantee.
Your application may count for more than the scanner’s start button
Say a home business wants the same scanner for both school paperwork and records that go into an existing desktop application. When that application requires a TWAIN scanner, Epson is where to start. iX2400 works through ScanSnap Home, so the application can’t control it directly and you’d need a supported file-import route. Check that workflow before you buy. Epson’s computer-free button doesn’t remove the need for the computer that runs the business application, and TWAIN support by itself doesn’t guarantee every application feature.
How we worked this out
This combines a documented driver difference with a requirement that depends on the application. Verify import support and exact operating-system compatibility in the receiving software.
A shared 45 ppm headline doesn’t decide family filing time
Each is advertised at 45 pages per minute, yet Ricoh’s figure is for A4 color at 300 dpi and Epson’s is for Letter at 300 dpi over USB. That doesn’t show they finish at the same time over Wi-Fi or after OCR. A household with a single PC may get more out of a one-button routine it can repeat, while one that passes the scanner between phones and computers may benefit more from Epson’s connection choices. When receipts break up the stacks, keep in mind that Ricoh’s A4 load limit drops to 50 sheets while the Receipt Guide stays attached. Your workflow is affected well before a theoretical speed comparison is.
How we worked this out
The paper size and connection qualifiers are kept as stated. Ricoh states its guide capacity explicitly. Nothing here calculates a throughput ratio or a measured time saving.
Option A
Ricoh ScanSnap, iX2400
iX2400
Your scans go to one computer and ScanSnap Home fits the way you file.
- Best for
- Your scans go to one computer and ScanSnap Home fits the way you file.
Facts we checked
- Daily control: One-button computer workflow
- Direct USB-drive saving: No, USB host connection
- Protected USB devices: Files go through the computer workflow
- Existing scanning software: ScanSnap Home, no TWAIN/ISIS
Option B
Epson, ES-590W
ES-590W
A compatible application needs a TWAIN scanning route, as long as you've checked its driver requirements.
- Best for
- A compatible application needs a TWAIN scanning route, as long as you've checked its driver requirements.
Facts we checked
- Daily control: 4.3-inch touchscreen plus computer and mobile routes
- Direct USB-drive saving: Supported, up to 2 TB in FAT, FAT32 or exFAT
- Protected USB devices: Password, encryption and dedicated-driver devices excluded
- Existing scanning software: TWAIN-compatible driver
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Ricoh ScanSnap iX2400 | Epson ES-590W | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily control | One-button computer workflow | 4.3-inch touchscreen plus computer and mobile routes | A scanner at a fixed filing station involves less choosing of destinations than one shared among devices. |
| Direct USB-drive saving | No, USB host connection | Supported, up to 2 TB in FAT, FAT32 or exFAT | Before computer-free saving becomes your reason to buy, check the drive. |
| Protected USB devices | Files go through the computer workflow | Password, encryption and dedicated-driver devices excluded | Don’t turn off protection that is required merely so the scanner will accept a drive. |
| Existing scanning software | ScanSnap Home, no TWAIN/ISIS | TWAIN-compatible driver | Whether a program’s own Scan button works may hinge on this driver. Feeder speed has no bearing on it. |
| Rated feeding | 45 ppm, A4 color at 300 dpi | 45 ppm, Letter at 300 dpi over USB | Because paper sizes and test conditions differ, you can’t infer that the measured speeds are tied. |
| Small receipts between stacks | Receipt Guide, with a 50-sheet A4 limit while attached | 100-sheet ADF with mixed-size handling | Stick to the loading rules for each model. Support for mixed sizes doesn’t make it safe to feed every stack unsorted. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Ricoh ScanSnap iX2400
- While the Receipt Guide is attached, the A4 feeder rating falls from 100 to 50 sheets. A routine that mixes receipts and paper can mean reloading.
With Epson ES-590W
- A measurement over USB with Letter paper at 300 dpi produced the 45 ppm rating. It isn’t a promised rate for phone, network or complete OCR-and-save use.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
All scanning and file storage happens on one PC
Go with Ricoh ScanSnap iX2400. The real destination is covered by a simple USB workflow.
You need TWAIN integration or supported drive saving without a computer
Go with Epson ES-590W. Epson offers both routes, and the drive restrictions still apply.
Writing straight to encrypted removable storage is the only destination that will do
Neither model fits. Without a computer, neither documented route meets that combination.
Decision guide
Before you buy
Suppose you want the paperwork off the dining table without having to open a computer, yet the documents also need to stay protected and work in your existing software. Computer-free saving and application integration each solve a different part of that job.
What this page can’t tell you
- No security certification or measured OCR accuracy advantage is established by this comparison.
- Offers for new units were observed for the exact US models. Software and destination setup are still separate checks before purchase.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the document scanners we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ricoh ScanSnap iX2400 |
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| Epson ES-590W |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Ricoh ScanSnap iX2400
Your scans go to one computer and ScanSnap Home fits the way you file.
One-button operation is your preference, and you don't need phone access or direct USB-drive saving.
See price & reviews on AmazonEpson ES-590W
A compatible application needs a TWAIN scanning route, as long as you've checked its driver requirements.
Computer-free USB saving appeals to you, and you can use a supported drive that has no password or encryption settings.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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