@k1e3w5 :-
With regard to LibreOffice not "storing" printer settings, it'll never happen in a million years. It's a long-standing issue with L.O.; it's set to always default to CUPS-PDF, regardless of what you might decide to do otherwise. In almost a decade of using Epsons with Puppy, it's always behaved like this.......I suspect it'll do it regardless of printer in use.
It's probably because CUPS-PDF is the default setting under CUPS; even before you install a driver - or 'filter', as CUPS calls it - CUPS-PDF is there from the moment CUPS is installed.
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As for the speed being that of photo-print.......would you happen to know exactly which Epson driver package worked for you? Where did you get it from?
Epson are somewhat unusual among printer manufacturers. Unlike most others, who provide 'custom' drivers tailored specifically for every single model they produce, Epson, over the 40+ years they've been building these things, have only ever produced something like a dozen, 'generic' drivers for the entire range. Some of these drivers/'filters' are basic ones, whereas others provide the full range of settings that you would be able to access under Windoze.
At least, they did under USB-connected ones (my current SX218 is almost 12 years old at this point, and I've never yet gone 'wireless' for printing).
Easiest way to check would be to access the CUPS web interface directly:-
http://localhost:631/
Tab 'Printers'->click on your printer->Administration 'drop-down'->Set Default Options. If you have stuff like 'Paper & Quality Options' and 'Colour management' showing, you've got one of the 'full-featured' drivers. The 'basic' ones don't provide these, and only print at 'draft' speed.
Mike.