Evaluating Workgroup Colour Printers

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Evaluating Workgroup Colour Printers

While the benefits of colour are easy to see, evaluating colour printers for purchase and deployment into your business can be more challenging. Based on years of experience and research into the real-world needs of colour printer users, Xerox has identified some key issues for you to consider as you conduct your colour printer evaluations.

Workgroup printers are typically shared by as many as 25 people on a day-to-day basis; even more people are likely to use it on a sporadic basis. Further, larger workgroups often comprise employees who work off of different platforms and operating systems — such as Microsoft Windows®, Apple Mac® OS or Linux® — so driver support for multiple platforms is another important factor. Further, many small- and medium-size businesses interested in adopting colour printers lack full-time IT staff — so the machines they ultimately deploy must be strong performers with broad interoperability that are simultaneously easy to install, manage and use.

Currently, the single most common use of colour printing technology is print media creation for your company’s customers and partners. Such media includes marketing and sales collaterals, reports, proposals, user guides and the like. As workgroup colour printer utilisation grows more pervasive, traditional black and white documents will be transposed for colour prints, which will improve end user retention and understanding of their content.

Regardless of application or environment, the following areas remain very important factors when customers contemplate purchasing a colour printer.

Evaluate Printing Performance

More than just pages per minute, the overall printing performance of a colour printer indicates whether it can support the workload of your busy employees.

Evaluate Print Quality

Think about the intended audience for the documents this printer will ultimately produce. Is the print quality good enough to enhance your internal documents and dazzle your customers?

Evaluate Installation

The colour printer you choose must be quick and easy to install, whether you have IT staff on hand to assist or not.

Evaluate Ease of Use

Your employees need a printer that’s simple and intuitive to use on a daily basis: Supplies must be easy to replace and issues must be easy to resolve.

Evaluate Management

Examine the tools available for IT administrators in larger organisations to manage printer settings, user access, printer status and more.

Your challenge is to evaluate the colour printers available on the market today and choose the one that most completely meets your company’s needs in each of these areas. This section of the Evaluator Guide will examine each of these areas, suggest ways you can evaluate a prospective product candidate against that requirement, and explain how the Phaser 8560 solid ink colour printer exceeds the expectations of colour printer users on all counts.

PHASER 8560 EVALUATOR GUIDE

8560 specifications

The Xerox 8560 is an advanced color laser printer that exemplifies reliability and high-performance printing solutions tailored for demanding office environments. Known for its impressive speed and vivid output quality, the Xerox 8560 is widely recognized for its ability to handle large print volumes without compromising on quality.

One of the standout features of the Xerox 8560 is its print speed. Capable of producing up to 45 pages per minute for black and white documents and up to 40 pages per minute for color prints, the printer is designed to enhance productivity. This performance allows teams to meet tight deadlines without experiencing bottlenecks.

The printer’s advanced resolution of up to 1200 x 2400 dpi ensures that images and text are crisp and clear, making it ideal for producing marketing materials, presentations, and professional documents. This high-resolution capability is complemented by the printer’s ability to handle various media types and sizes, including envelopes, labels, and heavy cardstock, providing versatility for an array of print jobs.

Incorporating Xerox's proprietary solid ink technology, the Xerox 8560 utilizes solid sticks of ink rather than traditional cartridges. This unique approach not only enhances the quality of color output but also reduces waste, as users can benefit from more efficient ink usage. The vivid colors produced are especially advantageous for color-intensive applications, where striking visuals are essential.

Another key characteristic of the Xerox 8560 is its connectivity options. It supports USB, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi, enabling seamless integration into any office network. Additionally, it supports mobile printing technologies, including Apple AirPrint and Google Cloud Print, allowing users to print documents directly from their smartphones or tablets.

The user-friendly interface, characterized by a large color touch screen, simplifies navigation and operation. The printer also includes features such as duplex printing, which automatically prints on both sides of the paper, contributing to cost savings and environmental sustainability.

Lastly, security features such as password protection and secure printing options ensure that sensitive documents are protected, making the Xerox 8560 a trusted choice for organizations that prioritize data security. With its blend of speed, quality, and advanced technologies, the Xerox 8560 stands out as a robust solution for any business looking to enhance its printing capabilities.