The Ultimate Guide to Xerox Machines 

The text "The Ultimate Guide to Xerox Machines" written in bold on a white surface with a blue background

Xerox, founded in 1906, is one of the most popular printer brands in the world of office printing equipment. 

With one of the most expansive product catalogs on the market, it can be overwhelming to look through and figure out which machine is right for you. 

That’s where we, as Xerox Diamond Solutions Partners, come in. We’ve been a Xerox Authorized Agent for almost 40 years now, and naturally, have gained a wealth of knowledge about all their products. 

Our purpose with this guide is to give you an expert’s insight into all the machines that make up Xerox’s catalog so that by the end of it, you’re confident in knowing two things: 

  1. If Xerox is the right brand for you.  

  2. And which category of Xerox machines you need to look into if you’re looking to purchase a new printer/copier.  

Getting the right machine for your company is crucial because purchasing a printer that can’t meet your print volume and overall printing goals can result in increased service issues. 

From our experience with customers, we know this can cause mass frustration due to the obstruction of your daily document processes---a crucial component of any workplace.  

By reading this Guide, you have now increased your chances of getting the right machine in place and avoiding what may have become a frustrating situation. 

So, let’s not waste any more time! Here is Your Ultimate Guide to Xerox Machines:  

(Side Note: Xerox’s catalog changes frequently, so this Guide will be continuously updated to reflect any product changes regarding Xerox’s machines. Make sure to check back and read the updated Guide as you need it). 

All photos courtesy of Xerox.

Chapter 1: What Are the Different Types of Xerox’s Personal/Home Office Machines? 

Let’s begin by going over the smaller machines in Xerox’s catalog. You can think of these machines as your customary home or small office printer. 

However, they are more robust than some of the printers that you would find at your local Staples or Office Depot. So, while you can picture them as a home office printer, they can also be a fit for small-to-medium-sized businesses depending on how much you need to print in a month. 

We’re going to break these down into two categories: Xerox’s single-function (print only) printers and Xerox’s multifunction (all-in-one) printers. Single-function printers can only print documents, while multifunction printers can print, copy, scan and fax documents. 

Xerox's Single-Function (Print Only) Personal/Home Printers

Here are the four single-function printers that would be a good fit for home offices and small businesses: 

The Insider’s Insight 

-You can expect these printers to handle a monthly print volume of around 1,500-6,000 pages per month.  

-The estimated workgroup size for these machines is between 1-7 daily users. 

-How fast can these machines print? Their print speeds range between 24-42 pages per minute (ppm). 

-No need to stress about making room for one of these printers: They range from around 15-46 pounds. 

-Pricing: Starting at around $210-$600 

Key Feature: Each of these machines comes with mobile printing capabilities and they are built with Wi-Fi connectivity. 

A picture of the Xerox C230:

Xerox C230 Color Printer, Up To 24ppm, Letter/Legal, Automatic 2-Sided  Print, USB/Ethernet/Wi-Fi, 250-Sheet Tray, 110V C230/DNI - Xerox

Xerox's Multifunction Personal/Home Printers 

Xerox has six multifunction machines, or all-in-one printers, that would qualify as solid options for a home office or as a personal desktop solution. They are:  

The Insider’s Insight 

-These six multifunction printers have a recommended monthly print volume ranging from 1,500-8,000 pages 

-Workgroups of 1-7 daily users would be ideal for these printers.  

-Print speeds range from 24-42 ppm. 

-Just like the single-function printers above, these machines won’t take up a lot of desk space. 

-Pricing: Starting at around $300-$800 

Fun Fact: These machines, like all of Xerox’s, are EPEAT certified, which means they meet the criteria set forth by the Global Electronics Council (GEC) for design, production, energy use and recycling.  

A picture of the Xerox B315:

Xerox B315 Multifunction Printer, Print/Copy/Scan/Fax, Up To 42 ppm,  Letter/Legal, USB/Ethernet And Wireless, 250-Sheet Tray, Automatic 2-Sided  Printing, 110V B315/DNI - Xerox

Don’t know what to look for in your next printer? Download your free Guide to Purchasing or Leasing a Printer for Your Business and make sure you get the right machine the first time. 

Chapter 2: What Are the Different Types of Xerox Office Machines? 

Now that we’ve gone over the smaller machines from Xerox, let’s shift our focus to the heart of Xerox’s catalog: Their traditional office machines. You can think of these as your typical office printers/copiers that you are likely familiar with if you’ve been in an office setting before. 

To break the machines down in a simple way, we are going to be sorting them into four categories: Color A4 Machines, Black-and-White A4 Machines, Color A3 Machines and Black-and-White A3 Machines. 

But what exactly does A4 and A3 mean? How are they different? 

Here are quick definitions of each category to get you started: 

Color A4 Printers- Smaller machines that can print only letter (8.5” x 11”) or legal-sized paper (8.5” x 14”) in both color and black and white. 

B/W A4 Printers- Smaller machines that can print only letter or legal-sized paper in black-and-white only. 

Color A3 Printers- Larger machines that can print specialty media (paper), such as tabloid-sized prints (11” x 17”) in both color and black and white. 

B/W A3 Printers- Larger machines that can print specialty media, including tabloid (11” x 17”), in black-and-white only. 

Let’s now go through each category of printers, where we will list out all the machines and provide an insider’s insight from our experience with Xerox:  

Xerox's Color A4 Printers 

Here are the six color A4 machines in Xerox’s catalog: 

The Insider’s Insight 

-The trick to remember what type of machines the color A4 machines lies in the last digit: If it ends in “0” (C400, C500, C600) it is a single-function (print only) printer. If it ends in “5,” (C405, C505, C605) it is a multifunction (print, copy, scan and fax) printer. 

-These six machines have a recommended monthly print volume of 8,500-17,000 pages per month. 

-Their print speeds range from 36-55 ppm, with speeds increasing the more the model advances. For example, the C500 will have faster speeds than the C400, and the C600 will have faster speeds than the C500. 

-All of these machines can technically serve as desktop units, but you will likely make them into floor-standing units once you get past the VersaLink C400 and C405. They will all be heftier than the personal/home office Xerox machines but not quite as big as the A3 machines (more on this later). 

-Pricing: Starting at around $619-$4,800 

Did you know? Xerox is widely credited with creating the first xerographic plain-paper copiers in the 1900s.  

Xerox's Black-and-White A4 Printers  

Now that we have color out of the way, let’s next cover Xerox’s black-and-white A4 machines.  

The Insider’s Insight 

-The same logic as the color A4 machines applies to the b/w ones: Models ending in “0” are single-function (print only) and models ending in “5” are multifunction (print, copy, scan and fax).  

-In general, b/w machines tend to have a higher monthly print volume than color printers, so these machines can safely print/copy 15,000-30,000 pages a month. 

-They can also print at speeds of up to 47-65 ppm. 

-The lower models listed in the A4 category (B400, B405) could be desktop printers, while the other models in this category would work best as floor-standing units, which means you would need to add additional paper trays and a stand. 

-Expect workgroup sizes of 1-10 daily users on the VersaLink B400 and B405 and 8-20 daily users on the other four models.  

-Pricing: Starting at around $700-$2,900. 

Check out our blog on the VersaLink family of printers to learn more about all of Xerox’s VersaLink machines. 

A picture of the Xerox VersaLink B400:

VersaLink B400/DN Monochrome Laser Printer - Shop Xerox

A picture of the Xerox VersaLink B615:

Xerox VersaLink B615/XL - multifunction printer - B/W - B615/XL - -

Xerox's Color A3 Printers

We’ve covered A4 machines, so now it’s time for the big ones: A3 machines. Let’s start with the color devices in Xerox’s A3 category of printers:  

The Insider’s Insight 

-These are your robust color machines that will be able to handle a monthly print volume between 5,500-30,000 pages on the VersaLink machines and 12,000-40,000 pages on the AltaLink machines

-Workgroup size: Think at least 10-25 employees or more. 

-The first two bullet points are all multifunction (print, copy, scan and fax) printers, while the machines listed in the last bullet point are single-function (print only) machines. 

-You can expect print speeds between 20 pages per minute (ppm) and 70 ppm for this category of machines. 

-Expect to make the required room for these machines: They can weigh up to 350 pounds or more! 

-These machines are equipped with Xerox ConnectKey technology, an all-encompassing set of features that includes a customer-facing App Gallery and security features from tech companies Trellix (formerly McAfee) and Cisco.  

-Pricing: Starting at around $1,800-$15,100 

A picture of a machine from the Xerox AltaLink C8100 Series: 

A picture of a machine from the Xerox VersaLink C7100 Series: 

VersaLink C7100 Series Color Multifunction Printers - Xerox

Xerox's Black-and-White A3 Printers

Let’s wrap up this chapter by going over the black-and-white A3 machines:  

  • VersaLink B7125, B7130, B7135 

  • AltaLink B8145, B8155, B8170 

The Insider’s Insight 

-These six machines are recent upgrades over their previous models. For instance, the VersaLink B7125 was previously the VersaLink B7025 and the AltaLink B8145 was previously the AltaLink B8045.  

-These are all multifunction printers that can safely print between 13,000-17,000 pages per month (VersaLink machines) and 50,000-100,000 pages per month (AltaLink machines). 

-If you guessed that the AltaLink machines are the more advanced models, then you are correct! They can meet the needs of large businesses that print between that 50,000-100,000-page range.  

-They’re also heavier (the AltaLink B8170 weighs about 319 pounds) and can get even larger if you decide to add print finishers, like automatic stapling or hole punch. 

-Since these models are updated, they have all of the latest Xerox features discussed in the previous section, including the latest security features. 

Pricing: Starting at around $4,700-$10,650. 

Interested in any of the machines so far? Click here to request a quote for a free estimation of what you could expect to pay for your desired Xerox machine.  

Chapter 3: What Are the Different Types of Xerox Production Machines? 

Now, let’s get to the heavy stuff. This chapter will be dedicated to production printers, separated into two categories: Light production and heavy production. 

Before going into the differences between light and heavy production units, let’s establish what production printers are.  

They are printers built for workgroups that print a massive number of documents (50,000-to-over-1,000,000 pages per month) and frequently print specialty media, like calendars, booklets, pamphlets and posters. 

Xerox has six light production units (PrimeLink Family), which are unique in that they can act as a hybrid between a general office printer that can fax and scan, and meet your production printing needs like printing on specialty media and producing high-quality color prints 

The heavy production machines, which Xerox currently has nine listed in its catalog, are made for workgroups with specific, high volume, production printing needs. 

Let’s dive into Xerox’s production printers, starting with the light production machines: 

Xerox's Light Production Printers

The Insider’s Insight 

-The first category of printers are color production multifunction printers, and the second category are black-and-white production multifunction printers. 

-The two color production printers can print up to 50,000 pages per month, while the four black-and-white machines can print up to 70,000-700,000 pages per month. 

-The color production printers can print at speeds of up to 65-75 ppm, while the black-and-white production machines print at speeds of up to 100-136 ppm.  

-If you’re getting one of these production machines, expect to make a lot of space for it. You will likely add finishers and other additional upgrades which will increase the size of the machine even more. 

-Those finishers and upgrades are crucial to getting the kinds of accessories you need to execute your printing goals. For instance, if you needed to make booklets for work, you would want to invest in one of Xerox’s booklet-making finishers to complete this. 

-These machines can get very expensive: They can start around $18,000-$31,000 but can get a lot pricier with upgrades you will likely add upon purchase. That’s why, in most cases, you will want to lease a production printer to make it more affordable in the short term. 

Did you know? Xerox’s production machines come with advanced color technology, including specialty toner like Xerox’s Adaptive CMYK Plus Kit or Xerox’s Fluorescent Specialty Toner. 

A picture of the Xerox PrimeLink C9065/C9070: 

A picture of a machine from the Xerox PrimeLink B9100 Series:

Xerox PrimeLink B9100 Series Copier/Printer - Xerox

Xerox's Heavy Production Printers

The Insider’s Insight 

-These are the advanced or heavy production printers built specifically for workgroups that need to print specialty media at a volume around the 100,000-4,000,000 page-per-month range.  

-Every one of these production units can print in color except the Xerox Nuvera Presses. 

-All of these machines can print fast: Up to 75-314 ppm! 

-There is a range of finishers and accessories you can add to these machines, and as you can probably guess, they will take up a ton of room. Make sure you have a designated spot big enough to house one of these machines. It may even need to go in its own building! 

-The main differences between the light and heavy production machines are in print speeds, print volume and media handling: The heavy machines will be able to print more documents at faster speeds and handle additional types of media. 

-Common workgroups that would want to purchase a production printer like these would be in-plant print shops or companies that print a large number of promotional materials every day. 

-It’s tough to give a specific price range for these machines since they are large and highly customizable but expect to pay a lot for one of these: They can cost thousands of dollars a month to operate. However, these types of units are typically purchased with the intent of making a profit on their use.  

Fun Fact: Xerox, a Fortune 500 company, sells machines and print services in 160 countries around the world and has over 13,000 active patents for innovation. 

A picture of the Xerox Iridesse Production Press:

Iridesse Production Press Prints Specialty Colors – Xerox

Chapter 4: How Do Xerox Machines Compare to Other Printer Brands? 

After seeing all of these machines, you might be wondering “How do these compare to other brands? Are they better or worse?” 

It would be nearly impossible to compare every little detail about another brand’s machine to Xerox’s. But you still need to have an idea of the major similarities and differences between two products to figure out which one would be better for you.     

One of the main ways we like to do this is through model comparisons, where we evaluate, fairly and honestly, how a similar competing brand’s machine matches up with one of ours from Xerox.    

The way we do this is by listing each machine’s basic stats, or specifications, that detail things like print speed, recommended monthly print volume and size.   

We then list some similarities and differences between the two machines before summing up who would be the better fit for each printer.   

This will be a condensed comparison between the Xerox AltaLink C8145 and the HP LaserJet Enterprise M776zs, but if you want to read a full comparison of the two machines, we’ve written an extensive blog assessing how they compare to each other.  

Xerox AltaLink C8145   

 

A picture containing electronics, printer, duplicator

Description automatically generated

Released: July 2020  

Print Speed: 45 pages per minute (ppm)  

Recommended Monthly Print Volume: 20,000 pages   

Monthly Duty Cycle: 200,000 pages  

Print Resolution: 1200 x 2400 dpi      

Maximum Paper Capacity: 6,140  

First Page-Out Time Copying: 5.5 seconds color/4.4 seconds black-and-white  

Base Model Dimensions: “44.5” x “24.4” x “28.5”  

Base Model Weight: 316 pounds    

Cost: Starting at around $11,000  

Photo courtesy of Xerox.  

HP LaserJet Enterprise M776zs  

 

A picture containing text, electronics, duplicator

Description automatically generated

Released: November 2019  

Print Speed: 45 pages per minute (ppm) 

Recommended Monthly Print Volume: 40,000 pages   

Monthly Duty Cycle: 200,000 pages  

Print Resolution: 1200 x 1200 dpi    

Maximum Paper Capacity: 1,750 sheets  

First Page-Out Time Copying: 8.8 seconds color/6.7 seconds black-and-white  

Base Model Dimensions: “45.5” x “27.8” x “28.03”  

Base Model Weight: 289 pounds    

Cost: Starting at around $7,600    

Photo courtesy of HP.  

The Insider’s Insight 

Basics: These two machines are advanced color multifunction printers built for workgroups with a monthly print volume between 20,000-40,000 pages per month. 

Similarities: They print at the same speeds (45 ppm), have a modernized touchscreen user interface and have the same monthly duty cycle of 200,000 pages. 

Differences: The Xerox machine is much more expensive ($11,000 vs. $7,600), mainly because they have more accessories to add on; it also has a higher paper capacity than the HP model. Despite being much smaller, the HP model has a higher recommended monthly print volume (40,000 pages vs. 20,000 pages). 

Which Printer Should You Go With?  
  • If you just need the basic features of a color multifunction printer (printing, copying, scanning and faxing), you should go with the HP LaserJet M776zs since it’s a much cheaper and smaller model than the Xerox one.    

  • If you need a more robust color multifunction printer with advanced configuration options that can hold more paper and has more features—like apps-- then the Xerox AltaLink C8145 would be the better fit.    

Verdict: Both are solid machines capable of meeting the needs of a variety of workgroups. Make sure to consider these six things before deciding: 

  1. Your monthly print volume, because the cost of supplies and service can drive up your total cost ownership. 

  1. Workgroup size 

  1. Accessories needed, like the size of prints you need to make, finishers, extra paper trays, etc. 

  1. Available space 

  1. Who you want to purchase from (i.e. Local print vendor, local retail store or directly from the manufacturer) 

  1. And of course, cost. And remember service and supplies! 

No matter which printers you’re looking at, considering these six factors will help you get the machine you need to serve your office in the long run. 

Additional Resources 

Did you like the model comparison above? Read the blogs below for more printer duals!  

Check out our Learning Center for more educational content on everything related to the world of printers.  

Chapter 5: Frequently Asked Questions About Xerox Machines 

We’ve now come to the final chapter of the Ultimate Guide to Xerox Machines. We’ve looked at all the machines currently listed in their product catalog, from small home office machines to traditional office machines to light and heavy production printers.  

You’ve also seen how one of Xerox’s machines compares to one of its competitors. Along the way, you’ve learned some interesting facts about Xerox as a company. 

To close things out, we’re going to round up some of the most pressing questions we’ve received about Xerox machines, as well as answers to some general questions about the company:  

When Was Xerox Founded? 

Xerox was founded in 1906 and is widely credited with creating the first xerographic plain-paper copiers.  

Who Runs Xerox? 

Xerox is currently run by CEO Steve Bandrowczak. 

Who Are Xerox’s Biggest Competitors?  

Some of Xerox’s most significant competitors are HP, Canon, Ricoh and Kyocera. 

How Much Do Xerox Machines Cost? 

Depending on the model, a Xerox machine can start around $200 or up to over $100,000 on production units. 

What Are Some of Xerox’s Best Features? 

Xerox’s most notable features include their security measures---such as their whitelisting technology--customer-facing App Gallery and iPhone-like user-friendly interface.  

What Are Xerox’s Key Security Features? 

Xerox’s key security features include Trellix’s whitelisting technology and Cisco’s Identity Services Engine.  

What Environmentally Sustainable Features Do Xerox Machines Come With? 

Xerox has an extensive environmental policy, and all their machines are EPEAT certified which means they meet the criteria set forth by the Global Electronics Council (GEC) for design, production, energy use and recycling. 

What Is Xerox ConnectKey Technology? 

Xerox ConnectKey technology is an all-encompassing platform that features a touchscreen, apps (I.e. Scan-to-Google Drive, translate services, etc) and additional services—it is included on all of their VersaLink and AltaLink machines. 

What Are Xerox’s Newest Machines? 

Some of the latest Xerox releases include their VersaLink C7100 Series and AltaLink 8100 Series of machines. 

Who Are Xerox’s Machines Built For? 

Xerox specializes in office printers and advanced printing solutions; small, medium, large and enterprise workgroups can all find machines in Xerox’s catalog. 

What Is the Best Machine in Xerox’s Catalog? 

It depends on the category of machines, but some of the most popular Xerox printers are the VersaLink C400 and C405, AltaLink C8155, PrimeLink B9100 and the Iridesse Production Press.  

Is a Xerox Machine Right for You? 

Now that you’ve seen everything you need to know about Xerox machines, what’s next? 

As an accredited partner of Xerox, we can provide you with any one of the machines in this Guide if you are in our service area or we can refer you to a Xerox partner close to you. 

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether a Xerox machine is right for you. If you read through this and decide that you want to go with another brand, we wish you the best on your journey to finding better office printing equipment. 

If you are interested in a Xerox machine, though, Request a Quote for a free estimation of what you can expect to pay for the particular printer you desire. 

One last piece of advice from us at STPT: Don’t ever settle when it comes to your printing equipment. The consequences are more substantial than it seems. 

Do your research and get the right printer in place the first time. Because in the end, a printer should be the last thing on your mind in the workplace. But if you get the wrong one, it can quickly move to the forefront. 

We hope you enjoyed the Guide. Now go get the right machine for you!