Issue #0438/2 - Baby MFP should hit the mark for small businesses.
Xerox PE-120One final product has arrived on the office market from Xerox that is certainly worthy of a special mention. This is the WorkCentre PE-120.
What makes this little machine special is that it is a 20ppm Print/Copy/Scan/Fax machine that is priced at only £424 / €629 / $549. Very aggressive.
Targeted at both individual users (PE-120), a network-ready version (PE-120i) with PostScript targets small workgroups and is available for at £505.
Brother MFC-8440Apart from the device’s ‘affordability’, Xerox also plays on the fact that it is robust and convenient. Certainly it is an attractive device (especially in comparison to the rather ugly Brother MFC-8440) with advanced functionality in a compact form factor. An optional second paper tray extends the flexibility for business users needing either higher than standard paper capacity or accessibility of two paper types at the same time.
With regard to running costs, one would not expect a device based on a single-piece toner system to be able to compete on CPP with either Brother (with its two-piece system) or Kyocera Mita (with its ECOSYS long-life drum system). It should be noted here that the Kyocera Mita device is the one device in the group that does not have fax functionality.
| UK | Print Speed | Purchase | Toner CPP | Long term CPP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brother MFC-8440 | 20 ppm | £549 | 1.31 pence | 2.51 pence |
| Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 3380 AiO | 19 ppm | £497 | 1.60 pence | 2.66 pence |
| Kyocera FS-1018MFP (no fax) | 18 ppm | £449 | 0.68 pence | 1.65 pence |
| Lexmark X422 MFP | 21 ppm | £1,069 | 1.42 pence | 3.89 pence |
| Xerox WorkCentre PE-120 | 20 ppm | £424 | 1.62 pence | 2.56 pence |
Note that for this level of machine, long term CPP shown in the accompanying table is calculated on the basis of 1,250 pages per month over three years using maximum capacity toners and includes the purchase price.
Hewlett-PackardLaserJet 3380 AiO
Therefore, for Xerox PE-120 to come in with a long-term CPP that is very close to Brother’s MFC-8440, as well as being below the LaserJet 3380 AiO, is good news for the user. What is not surprising though, given its low purchase price, is that the PE-120 has the highest nominal CPP in the group (1.62 pence) – which means that the purchase price is all-important. If purchasers can obtain better discounts on the Hewlett-Packard or Brother machines in particular, than on the Xerox PE-120, the situation could change.
Lexmark’s X422 MFP stands out within the group with a duty cycle of 50,000 pages and, with its much higher purchase price, is really in a rather different league except for the fact that it is only a 21ppm machine.
So, in summary, for the cost-conscious buyer requiring a compact, robust machine at a low entry cost for low-volume use, Xerox is hitting a sweet-spot with the WorkCentre PE-120.
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