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If you’re choosing between two strong production printers, it shouldn’t feel like a puzzle. Sadly, for many businesses, it often does. With tight budgets and shrinking turnaround times, the stakes of choosing the right machine can feel even higher.
The Xerox IJP900 Inkjet Press and the Xerox Versant 4100 Press are good options. To choose the right one, it's helpful to compare their advantages and disadvantages. These two machines are powerful but in different ways. Understanding these differences can save you money, make your workflow more efficient, and open up new ways to earn money.
In this guide, we’ll walk through both printers clearly and practically, so you can choose the one that truly matches your workload, your team, and your long-term goals.
Table of Contents
- Overview of Both Presses
- Speed & Productivity
- Image Quality & Color Capabilities
- Media Flexibility & Supported Applications
- Finishing Options & Workflow Automation
- Cost Considerations & Operational Fit
- Which Printer Is Best for Your Print Environment?
- Side-by-Side Comparison Chart
- Conclusion: Your Next Step Toward the Right Production Workflow
Overview of Both Presses
Before we jump into comparisons, let’s take a quick look at what each machine is built to do.
Xerox IJP900 Inkjet Press
The IJP900 prioritizes speed above all else. It shines in environments producing huge quantities of transactional documents, statements, letters, posters, and direct mail shells. It’s ideal when your revenue depends on volume and fast turnarounds (or when outsourcing slows you down).
Xerox Versant 4100 Press
The Versant 4100 is a color-critical, mid-production toner press offering 2400 × 2400 dpi Ultra HD print quality, flexible media handling, automation tools, and finishing options. It’s built for high-value marketing pieces, booklets, brochures, business cards, and short-to-medium production runs.
If you aren’t yet familiar with how digital production printing fits into marketing strategy, you may also want to read:
- 5 Ways Digital Printing Can Impact Your Marketing Strategies
- What Are Digital Presses and Their Use Case?
Speed & Productivity
IJP900: Throughput Leader (Inkjet)
The IJP900 is made for environments where volume and speed are key to profitability. It’s capable of producing large quantities of output in record time, and it’s ideal for things like:
- Direct mail campaigns
- Transactional print
- Political mailers
- Statement printing
- Posters and wide-format sheets
It’s a high-speed device meant for print organizations with workloads that traditional toner presses can’t keep up with.
Versant 4100: Consistent, Automated, and Fast (Toner)
At 100 ppm, the Versant 4100 isn’t as fast as an inkjet press. However, it’s engineered for predictable, repeatable, high-quality output. It has automation tools such as:
- Full Width Array (auto-calibration, color accuracy)
- PredictPrint Media Manager (scan-and-go stock setup)
- Automated Registration
These features help operators maintain output efficiency with little downtime.
The Versant 4100 is a major upgrade for growing in-plants or pay-for-print shops, especially those considering a move from office-grade devices.
If you want more context on this type of jump, check out: Office Print Quality vs. Production Print Quality: What’s Right for Your Business?
Image Quality & Color Capabilities
IJP900: Business-Ready Quality
The Inkjet output on this machine is clean, readable, and ideal for low-coverage work. If your customers value speed and clarity over photographic detail, the IJP900 fits well.
Versant 4100: Offset-Like Quality
With its 10-bit rendering and Ultra HD Fusion, the Versant 4100 delivers:
- Smooth gradients
- Crisp text
- Accurate color reproduction
- Professional-grade graphics
It’s the better choice for design-heavy applications like brochures, marketing collateral, and booklets.
Media Flexibility & Supported Applications
IJP900 Media Handling
- Wide-format sheets
- Transactional forms
- Inkjet-treated stocks
- Simple graphics and signage
It’s excellent for standardized, repetitive applications, but less suited for specialty media.
Versant 4100 Media Handling
- Coated and uncoated stocks
- Heavyweight media (up to 400 gsm)
- Synthetics and polyester
- Labels and window clings
- Extra-long sheets (XLS) for signage and book covers
- CMYK+
If your business needs versatility and premium applications, this is where the Versant stands out.
Finishing Options & Workflow Automation
IJP900
Finishing varies depending on your setup and workflow. The IJP900 pairs best with finishing environments designed for high throughput and simple, transactional documents.
- Booklet making
- Hole punching
Versant 4100
The finishing ecosystem is built around high-value output:
- Booklet making
- SquareFold trimming
- Hole punching
- Perfect binding (with compatible modules)
- Folding options
Its strong finishing support is why it’s so commonly chosen by marketing departments, schools, in-plants, and growing print shops.
Cost Considerations & Operational Fit
Signs the IJP900 Makes More Financial Sense
- You run extremely high volumes
- Your applications have low to moderate ink coverage
- Your customers value speed over embellishment
- You handle transactional work or mass mailings
Signs the Versant 4100 Delivers Better ROI
- You sell premium color applications
- You rely on specialty substrates
- You need automation to reduce labor time
- You handle lots of short-run or multi-SKU work
If you’re unsure which category you fall into, this guide can help: Is a Production Printer Right for Your Business? + Costs.
Which Printer Is Best for Your Print Environment?
Pay-for-Print Shops
- Best fit: Versant 4100
- Why: Premium output, versatile applications, strong finishing, great for high-margin color work.
Large Transactional Printers
- Best fit: IJP900
- Why: Massive throughput and lower cost per piece on print jobs.
In-Plant Operations
- Best fit: Depends on workload
- Lots of repetitive, time-sensitive runs → IJP900
- Mixed marketing + internal documents → Versant 4100
Marketing & Design Teams
- Best fit: Versant 4100
- Why: Superior color accuracy and substrate flexibility.
If you’re still mapping out your next step in production printing, check out the following blogs:
- Entry-Level vs. High-Volume Production Printers: Which One Is Right for Your Business?
- Which Xerox Production Printer Is Right for You?
Side-by-Side Comparison Chart
Your Next Step Toward the Right Production Workflow
Your choice between the IJP900 and Versant 4100 will depend on which one fits the way your business makes money. If your revenue depends on high-volume transactional work or massive direct mail runs, the IJP900 gives you speed that toner devices can’t touch. If you require premium output, specialty media, and versatile finishing, the Versant 4100 will serve you well for years.
Now that you understand how these two presses differ in real-world applications, it’s time to see which fits your specific needs.
If you’re ready to explore pricing or see which option best fits your operation, request a quote from STPT. We can give you a recommendation tailored to your print volume, workflow, and long-term goals.
If you’re still researching, here’s a helpful next read: Your Guide to Xerox Production Print Solutions
