The new Instax printer offers a premium upgrade worth the investment.

FujiFilm’s Instax Mini Link 3 printer has been a staple in my travel journal setup, priced at around $100. I love taping printed photos next to my handwritten notes to capture memories. However, the prints from the instant film can sometimes come out a bit soft and muddy. Enter the new Instax Mini Link+, which retails for $169.95 and aims to enhance print quality.

The standout feature of the Mini Link+ is its new Design Print mode, designed to deliver sharper text and detailed illustrations. While I didn’t notice a significant improvement in that area, the upgraded processing capabilities did enhance contrast, colors, and sharpness across a variety of images, which I believe is more beneficial for most users.

After testing, it’s clear that the Mini Link+ is an upgrade, but don’t expect it to work miracles, especially with prints measuring just 62 x 46mm (2.44 x 1.81 inches).

All Instax printers utilize Instax Mini instant film, typically costing around $30 for 20 sheets, or about $1.50 per print. To get started, you’ll need to download the “Instax Mini Link” app, available for both iOS and Android.

The app is packed with features, allowing you to visualize your photos in augmented reality and even use the printer as a remote camera shutter. It helps organize your images, letting you imagine your prints in frames, on shelves, or as a collage on your wall, complete with text, stickers, and filters. You can even link your Pinterest account if you’re into that. While it’s fun, I’m more interested in quickly printing photos from my iPhone’s library.

To print, I first import the image into the Instax Mini Link app, select print, choose either Simple or Design mode, and wait about 20 seconds for the output. The Simple mode offers “smooth color tones for everyday images,” producing softer prints that are generally better than what the Mini Link 3 can manage. Design mode, exclusive to the Mini Link+, is where you might see the most benefit.

I tested both modes with various images and found that Design prints from the Mini Link+ excelled with faces, landscapes, high-contrast images, and macro shots of nature. However, for text-heavy illustrations, I didn’t see much of a difference.

For instance, when printing a photo of myself, the older Mini Link 3 struggled with intense lighting, resulting in blown-out highlights. The Mini Link+ handled the lighting better, showcasing improved contrast, more detail in the eyes, and more accurate colors and skin tones.

In another example, the Mini Link 3 produced a soft, muddled print, while the Mini Link+ offered better contrast and visible textures in the scenery, with more vibrant colors overall.

When it came to snowy scenes, the Mini Link 3 turned the snow into a white blur, whereas the Mini Link+ captured individual snowflakes and depth. Similarly, the Mini Link 3 flattened the sky and lost texture in distant mountains, while the Simple and Design prints from the Mini Link+ displayed more brilliant greens and blues, with clearer separation between gravel and grass.

I found minimal differences in illustrations printed by both models, even in Design mode, which is surprising since this is where the new printer is supposed to shine. Nonetheless, they all look decent enough for hobbyists and anyone looking to add flair to a journal or room decor.

After printing 15 photos over a few days, the Mini Link+ still had 80% battery life left. It charges via USB-C, and if you’re in Europe, the NP-70S battery can be replaced by the user when it eventually wears out.

In conclusion, if you’re after the best photo quality in an Instax printer, the $169.95 Mini Link+ is the way to go. It’s also a solid upgrade for Mini Link 3 users, provided you’re not expecting better results for text-heavy prints. However, its price puts it in direct competition with dye-sublimation printers like the Canon Selphy QX20, which offers sharper, more durable prints. The Mini Link 3 remains a fantastic option for $100, delivering soft, moody images that have their own charm.