I have some RC prints that are 12 years old and still look good. Of course, they've been stored in the dark. I have 10-year-old fiber prints on my wall that look as good as they did 10 years ago. RC prints should last more than four years on display if fixed, washed and mounted archivally. But if you take either an RC or fiber print and mount it in a cheap wood-and-glass frame it will fade quickly, no matter how carefully fixed and washed.(posted 9513 days ago)I print black-and-white three to four nights a week, and use RC paper to proof my prints before enlarging them on fiber. With most prints the differences are subtle. With a few difficult negatives I find it easier to obtain an excellent print on fiber papers.
If you want to show your prints you will have to print them on fiber paper, unless it is a local amatuer show. Galleries and museums expect fiber prints, and so do their customers. If you want to have some very good prints on your walls until you decide to get more serious, RC paper will serve you well. You can always go back and print the negatives on fiber paper later.