I may be wrong but I think the eco-tank has come from pressure about wasted carts in the environment in Europe. Don't know if it was a sop or trying to get ahead of regulations. It's obvious from the price point that they expect to get more up front. I can be OK with that if the mechanical reality of CIS and third party carts could become more reliable. To date I've lost 3 R1800s and a handful of smaller printers to 3rd party cart issues more than anything else. And I've tossed dozens and dozens of 3rd party carts. I'd pay more for an OEM tank/printer system. I wouldn't hesitate a moment if there was a six position OEM tanked A3 printer available with QTR support.