TCPglobal - news, views and issues on total cost of printing

Issue #0635/1 - Several new colour laser MFPs have arrived at the entry level position, giving small businesses and departments within large organisations and corporations more opportunity and more choice of hardware with which to introduce colour into the office.

Costs are predictably wide-ranging but the ‘horses for courses’ argument comes over very strongly with a clear case for potential buyers to beware that their choice is appropriate.

Since we last looked at entry-level colour MFPs, the number of devices we can include has doubled. The market sector could be considered to have ‘come of age’ with several very attractive offerings.

With purchase prices for the entry-level models from our eight manufacturers spanning a range of more than 90% of the price of the lowest priced machine to the highest, the actually cost of running these machines varies by a massive 130%.

Prices and running costs vary so much that prospective buyers must investigate the offerings closely before making their purchase. Not only do we see these large variances in running costs but we also see some significant differences in specification.

Not to mention huge diversity in aesthetics!! Four of the eight are particularly attractive, while one is fine but looks somewhat chunky and angular. But, the remaining three have such out-dated styling that they look like some of the very first MFPs that hit the market a number of years ago now. Indeed, one of those three (Dell 3115cn) looks more like a self-build ‘Mechano’ project than a highly refined piece of technology.

Dell’s machine is one of the latest models to hit the market but gives the impression that it has been thrown together in an enormous hurry in an attempt not to miss the window of opportunity or be outdone by the competition.

Unfortunately, this has resulted in what appears to be very much of a nut and bolt job with an independent PC unit bolted on the back, hidden by the bolt-on uprights that hold the bolt-on scanner unit, to handle all the multifunctionality of the machine. Although this hardware unit comes complete from the Fuji Xerox factories, is this the custom-assembly approach gone mad? Printer + Scanner + PC = MFP!

Not only will users need to lean over the machine to reach the scan platen but, with printed pages being ejected towards the rear of the machine, the only machine to do so, extracting those pages from underneath the scanner unit is likely to be very difficult and could prove to be extremely annoying.

Xerox had the same potential problem with its WorkCentre C2424 sold ink MFP but the issue was resolved by flipping the pages over to the front of the machine. Not an ideal solution perhaps – but effective and better than leaving the user to fumble around underneath an overhang to try and extract pages without creasing them.

In total contrast, the new Phaser 6110MFP is an extremely attractive machine, compact, tightly integrated and functional. Brother’s MFC-9420CN and Canon’s LaserBase MF8180C are both also more attractive than average in addition to being well-integrated. Hewlett-Packard’s Colour LaserJet 2820 has an attractively raked front but gives the impression of being on the bulky side. Although there is nothing wrong with Konica Minolta’s magicolor 2480MF, it gives the impression of being a little disjointed because of its angular structure, protrusions and very narrow printed-page access slot.

This leaves the Dell 3115cn, Epson’s CX11N and the Oki C5510n MFP as the least attractive in the group, largely because of the lack of physical integration between the printer and scanner units. While the lack of physical integration does not necessarily mean that the units are not fully functional MFPs, it does leave some element of doubt that the concept has been approached in an integrated manner.

Dell 3115cn vs Xerox Phaser 6110MFP

This takes us straight back to the Dell 3115cn. As the most unappealing of all the machines, the Dell 3115cn is one of the lightweights in the MFP arena.

Let’s compare the 3115cn with Xerox’s new offering, the Phaser 6110MFP, which is a heavyweight from the MFP functionality point of view.

Essentially, with this, its first colour laser MFP offering, Dell has had to find out for itself how to integrate an MFP. Dell’s hardware suppliers include Lexmark (mono laser printer, colour inkjet printer and AiO), Fuji Xerox (colour laser printers) and Samsung (mono AiO).

However, unfortunately, with the colour print engine in the 3115cn coming from Fuji Xerox, there would have been no pre-integrated MFP available for Dell to buy. Fuji Xerox does not have a history of producing this type of product, being focussed rather more on the print engine.

At this low end of the hardware spectrum, Xerox buys its MFP hardware from Samsung rather than from Fuji Xerox. So Dell, together with Fuji Xerox, has had to find its own way around the issue for this product, leaving us with the feeling that it has been put together too hurriedly to avoid missing the market opportunity.

Long term, this is an excellent development for Dell as it means the company is gaining experience in the hard copy integration arena that will result in much tighter designs with better functionality coming through in future products.

For its part, the hardware for the Phaser 6110MFP has come from the Samsung stable, where there is a wealth of experience in fax and multifunction design and integration, hence – it shows! Tight integration from Samsung, together with the vast copier/MFP operational experience found at Xerox, results in an ultra low-end device with a long list of sophisticated capabilities.

For instance, although both machines offer ScanSoft’s PaperPort Document Management software, the Dell machine offers a relatively low level of advanced features - n-up, booklet, watermark and overlay printing. It also has Scan to email, PC and Server in TIFF, JGEP or PDF formats but fax functionality (33.6Kbps, Super G3) is restricted to mono.

Xerox’s Phaser 6110MFP, on the other hand, also offers Poster Printing, Fit to Page, Scaling, Cover Page, Collation capabilities and ID card Copy facility, n-up copying, Poster Copying, Clone Copying, an Erase Background Image facility, USB direct print, PictBridge interface, Scan to USB and application and also colour scanning.

Picking a few of these for additional comment:

• ID Copy is a helpful facility for any public service organisation where copies need to be taken of any form of identification document. The function allows both sides of an ID document to be scanned and then printed together on a single side of paper.
• Fit to Page allows a user to place an original document on the scan platen that is smaller than A4 and to tell the MFP to automatically print the copy at full A4 size.
• Scan to USB and Scan to Application each add great flexibility to the scanning functionality, enabling images to be placed into existing or new office documents or onto external USB storage devices, easily and quickly.
• USB direct print allows a user to transport a document on a USB drive and print it directly from that device on the printer, thus offering both flexibility and security.

To emphasise the lack of multifunctional sophistication in the Dell 3115cn, the brochure does not even include a section for ‘Copy’ specifications – rather an oversight, I would say.

Where Dell’s 3115cn does score over the Phaser, by a long, long way, is in its physical and economical characteristics. The two machines do have a number of features in common, such as: built-in 10/100 network interface as standard; USB 2.0 interface; 50-sheet Automatic Document Feeder (ADF); and browser-based printer management.

Although the Phaser 6110MFP adds a PictBridge interface to that list, there are a number of areas in which the Phaser falls well short of the Dell.

For instance, printer control in the Phaser 6110MFP is host-based – meaning that the PC has to do all the processing for print jobs. Dell’s 3115cn, on the other hand, offers PCL6 emulation and Adobe’s PostScript 3 page description language.

In addition, full automatic duplexing is available on the Dell as an option whereas the Xerox will handle duplex printing only as a manual operation. On the subject of paper handling, Xerox’s paper capacity is 150 sheets with an optional 250-sheet second feed (maximum 400 sheets) but Dell is able to offer a maximum paper capacity of 900 sheets, comprising a standard paper capacity of 400 sheets from a 250-sheet standard tray and a 150-sheet multi-purpose feed.

The final 550 sheets is available using an optional second paper feed.

Duty cycle for the Dell 3115cn is rated at a maximum of 60,000 pages per month, with a typical page throughput between 1,000 pages and 7,000 pages per month recommended. By contrast, as mentioned in the last issue of TCPglobal with regard to the Xerox Phaser 6110 printer, Xerox rates maximum duty cycle at only 24,000 pages, meaning that the machine could struggle to cope with the 2,500 pages per month that we apply as a typical throughput for a machine in this general category.

For as final round-up on the Dell, the machine also offers a parallel interface in addition to the USB 2.0 and Ethernet interfaces. But, perhaps the most significant advantages of the Dell are two-fold. Firstly, that it is the fastest machine in the group, capable of printing 17ppm in colour and 30ppm in mono and, secondly, that it has the largest toner cartridges in the group.

Firstly, with its single-pass print engine, 17ppm colour printing is almost 50% faster than any other machine in the group (Oki C5510MFP - 12ppm) and is between four and five times faster than the majority. At 30ppm in mono, we again see a 50% advantage over many MFPs in the group. Only Epson’s AcuLaser CX11N comes closer, at 25ppm, but Brother’s MFC-9420CN actually beats it by offering 31ppm from a four-pass engine.

Secondly, and most importantly, the Dell 3115cn ships with a 5,000-page black toner cartridge and 4,000-page colour toners but has 8,000-page toners available for replenishment purchases, compared to Xerox’s 2,000-page black and 1,000-page colour cartridges. This contributes massively to the low Cost of Printing (average long-term CPP just 2.61 pence) that we see from the Dell machine.

To put that into perspective, the Xerox Phaser 6110MFP ranks as the most expensive machine (to run) on the planet, with an average long-term CPP of 5.98 pence – 229% higher than the 3115cn – even though its purchase price is 9% lower, the lowest in the group.

Consulting the Cost of Printing chart, we see that the costs for the majority of the devices in the category fall within a fairly tight band (black border). For each of the three Cost of Printing measurements (coloured borders), we see that all the machines are aligned very closely with one another and their purchase prices (red markers) are also generally tightly grouped. The one outrider here is the Oki C5510MFP, a single-pass device, with its purchase price of £869 compared to the £450-£650 range of the competitive grouping.

Dell’s purchase price is keenly competitive with the core grouping, beaten only by Epson’s AcuLaser CX11N, which contributes towards the CX11N being one of the more competitive machines in the long-term.

Konica Minolta magicolor 2480MF

Second most economical over a period of time, Konica Minolta’s magicolor 2480MF is a three-function machine with fax functionality through an attached PC. This machine is one of the few here that are not network-ready – the magicolor 2490MF is required for that, as well as for a built-in (mono) fax function.

Also helping to keep the price down on the 2480MF is host-based processing but it does have options for automatic duplex printing, a 500-sheet second paper feed and network connection.

Other standard features include PictBridge interface for direct photo printing and PaperPort document management software but advanced MFP functionality appears to be very limited. Still, at least high capacity toners are available, offering up to 4,500 pages per cartridge.

Epson AcuLaser CX11N

One of the faster machines in the group, and one of the less costly both the buy and run, the CX11N prints at 5ppm in colour and 25ppm in black but is a three-function machine like the Konica Minolta.

Integrated network interface is provided as standard and integrated fax is available on the CX11NF model but duplex is sadly restricted to manual operation only on all models. Print control is based on Epson’s own ESC/Page-Colour S.

There appear not to be any document management software or other software tools provided with the machine.

Uk	Purchase	Print Speed		Nominal CPP	Mixed mono/colour CPP over 3 years
Brother MFC-9420CN	£649	Mono Colour	31 ppm 8 ppm	1.99 pence 8.34 pence	4.17 pence
Canon LaserBase MF8180C	£620	Mono Colour	19 ppm 4 ppm	1.59 pence 7.89 pence	3.95 pence
Dell 3115cn	£529	Mono Colour	30 ppm 17 ppm	0.81 pence 5.01 pence	2.61 pence
Epson AcuLaser CX11N	£450	Mono Colour	25 ppm 5 ppm	1.43 pence 8.22 pence	3.79 pence
Hewlett-Packard Colour LaserJet 2820 AiO	£569	Mono Colour	19 ppm 4 ppm	1.58 pence 7.93 pence	3.89 pence
Konica Minolta magicolor 2480MF	£549	Mono Colour	20 ppm 5 ppm	1.26 pence 7.22 pence	3.54 pence
Oki C5510n MFP	£869	Mono Colour	20 ppm 12 ppm	1.24 pence 7.84 pence	3.99 pence
Xerox Phaser 6110MFP	£460	Mono Colour	16 ppm 4 ppm	2.48 pence 12.46 pence	5.98 pence

Note that for this level of machine, the mixed mono/colour CPP over three years shown in the accompanying table is calculated on the basis of 2,500 pages per month; is based on the use of maximum capacity supplies; takes into account any standard, or starter, supplies shipped with the device; and also includes the cost of purchase. All prices are manufacturer’s recommended prices without tax.

Hewlett-Packard Colour LaserJet 2820AiO

Under Hewlett-Packard’s product classification, the Colour LaserJet 2820 is a 4ppm mono, 19ppm colour All-in-One machine rather than an MFP but this is pure technicality for the three-function machine.

Rather surprisingly, the CLJ2820AiO is a little more competitive on costing than we might normally expect from Hewlett-Packard, sitting just to the lower side of the middle line in terms of Cost of Printing.

Although it is only three-function, this machine is highly specified in other areas. For instance, it has PostScript 3 emulation as well as Hewlett-Packard’s PCL6 Page Description Language, it can handle n-up printing, digital collation, has memory card slots, colour scanner with ADF and is network-ready out of the box.

Duplex printing, like most of its competitors is manual only, and paper capacity is a disappointing 125 sheets.

While it doesn’t ship with any document management software, the CLJ2820AiO does come with Hewlett-Packard’s Web Jet-Admin for remote management, HP Director, HP Image Zone, HP Document Viewer, Readiris Pro OCR Software and PC fax software.

Toner capacity is a healthy 5,000 pages black and 4,000 pages colour if users wish to buy the high capacity colour units after using the initial shipping cartridges (5,000-page black and 2,000-page each colour).

Canon LaserBase MF8180C

Canon’s LaserBase MF8180C is another of the newly launched devices, also based on the 19ppm mono, 4ppm colour engine used by Hewlett-Packard in the CLJ2820AiO.

Priced a little higher than the Hewlett-Packard, the Canon actually has several added features. Firstly, it is a four-function machine with Super G3, 33.6Kbps modem; secondly, it has an integrated 250-sheet paper tray that is an optional extra on the LaserJet; and thirdly, it ships with Presto! PageManager and ScanSoft OmniPage software.

A further high point is that Canon does not offer the 2,000-page standard colour toner cartridges that are offered by Hewlett-Packard, only the 4,000-page high-capacity units. However, one downside is that this device is believed to be host-based rather than offering PCL 6 or PostScript emulations.

Oki C5510n MFP

Most expensive to buy, the Oki C5510MFP is the other single-pass machine in the group, offering 12ppm colour printing and 20ppm mono printing. It does however, have the second-lowest mono CPP (after Dell) and a competitive colour CPP, both of which help contribute towards the overall Cost of Printing falling into the tight competitive grouping mentioned.

As a machine, it is a three-function network-ready machine shipping with ScanSoft’s PaperPort and TextBridge software together with Nico PC fax software and a variety of Oki utilities. Its standard paper capacity is 300 sheets with 100 sheets available from a multipurpose paper tray.

Unfortunately, not only does the machine not have any paper expansion options but it has no duplex capability at all and is host-based rather than offering PCL or PostScript.

Brother MFC-9420CN

Finally, we come to Brother’s MFC9420CN, another four-pass machine but the fastest in the group at 8ppm in colour and 31ppm in mono. It has a massive 10,000-page black toner cartridge (also the biggest in the group) though its colour cartridges are 6,000-page yield – emphasising the fact that, with its 31ppm mono print speed, this machine is intended to be used as the main mono printer in the office.

Print control is primarily host-based but the MFC-9420CN does appear also to offer PCL6 and PS3 emulations. A secure print function is provided for confidential print jobs.

However, Brother’s relatively high purchase price and nominal Cost Per Page figures place it as the second most costly machine in the group – surpassed only by Xerox’s Phaser 6110MFP. In addition, the ADF handles only 35 sheets in comparison to the usual 50 sheets.

Conclusion

This is a dynamic grouping that is very much in demand as colour sweeps into the office space. The better the manufacturers can tackle the category with well-designed, well-specified devices at an acceptable cost, the better the future will be for users.

If the Dell 3115cn is not required for intensive multifunction usage, in other words, if its main use is for printing with occasional copying, scanning and faxing, then this is still the best value machine in the category by a large margin. Its exceptionally low Cost of Printing, together with competitive purchase price, make it a very attractive option indeed as long as the lack of physical integration can be overlooked.

Xerox’s Phaser 6110MFP, on the other hand, would be ideally suited to those offices that have very low print and copy volumes but require high MFP sophistication where a key purchase criteria is the financial outlay at the outset. The key to this machine is buying as few replacement toner cartridges as possible over the life of the machine.

~End~

This entry was posted on Friday, November 17th, 2006 at 12:03 am and is filed under Hardware, New Products, Pricing, Comparisons, Total Cost of Printing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.