A3 vs A4 Printers (and MFP’s)

Whats the difference between an A4 and an A3 device — and should you care?

Until sometime within the last few years, when you purchased a copier or multi-function printer (MFP) you most often received a device that could handle paper sizes from 8.5" x 5.5" to 11" x 17". These are “A3 devices” (referring to the ISO 216 Paper Size Standard). And while most organizations only used letter or legal, there was always that old lady in the corner who printed pictures of her cat on full-bleed, edge to edge 11" x 17" card stock and pinned them up all over her cubicle.

But ledger sized paper is large, expensive and infrequently used, and manufacturers realized there was an economy that could be had in eliminating this feature for those who don’t need it. They could build systems just as fast and capable that took up less space, and handled only paper sizes up to legal paper, and many office environments would never miss the larger size. These are “A4 devices”. So besides the inability to handle 11" x 17", what else are you giving up and what other considerations are there when considering upgrading to an A4 system?

You’ll probably gain in speed

One of the advantages of an A4 printer is you are getting more bang for your buck when it comes to speed, because this is an easy feature for manufacturers to dial up. So for the same price of a 25 page per minute A3 device you may be able to get a 45 or 50 page per minute A4.

Smaller footprint

With smaller paper sizes comes a more compact footprint. Some of these systems (especially the black and white ones) can fit into spaces smaller than 24" x 24", making them an excellent choice for cramped and limited spaces.

Usually not as robust as A3

These A4 systems are built for speed and low up front cost. Think of it as a very viable “budget option” for the right office environment. And while they can be a great resource for a small work group of 3–5 users, they aren’t going to stand up to the year over year abuse of a large organization like your A3 device was built to. Often you’ll notice the covers, paper trays, and document feeder feeling a little lighter-weight and more plasticy — sometimes with a lessor capacity for number of originals. Be sure to ask what the recommended Average Monthly Volume is for that system, because if it’s rated for 3,000 prints per month and you’re planning to exceed that regularly, you’re going to burn it out and likely experience ongoing image quality issues from over use. On the flip side, if you don’t print high-volume, but want great color, speed, apps that connect to your cloud accounts, an A4 might be a perfect fit.

Limited interface (sometimes)

Another area that is often the target of economy is the control panel interface. Where new A3 devices now all feature touch screen tablet-like interfaces with app stores and cloud connectors, many of the lower cost A4 devices still feature the older style physical button control panels with a non-touch screen LCD. There is a wide range of options however, and many manufacturers now offer higher end A4 systems with full touch screen and app capability.

Fewer finishing and accessory options

Another key difference will be noticed in available finishing options. A3 devices often can be fitted with finishers that can staple, fold, punch, stack, make coffee (okay, still waiting on that last feature). They have available high-capacity tandem paper drawers, side large capacity paper drawers, and many other options. A4 devices are much more limited. And while finishing options have been increasing recently, staplers are usually limited to 20 sheets, finishers are usually “internal finishers” which can only handle up to 500 sheets of output at a time, and paper capacity usually won’t exceed 2,100 sheets. Again, just be sure you know the limitations as most work groups won’t need more than this.

Higher (slightly) cost of operation

You may save on your purchase or lease, but be aware that consumables and maintenance agreements on A4 devices are often a bit more expensive than an A3 device. Toner bottles usually aren’t rated for as many prints, so you may find the cost-per-copy on a service plan to be 10% -20% higher than an A3. A total cost of ownership analysis is easy to perform and a good sales person will be able to show you the monthly cost comparison based on your print volumes.

Summary

In the end the decision between A3 and A4 should be made on a case-by-case basis. Most customers have some of each, staying with a robust A3 device for the main office use and interspersing A4 throughout the CEO suite, HR, and other small work groups areas. Just be sure to consider all the above options to make certain you don’t end up with a device that can’t keep up with your workload.

Scott Technology Group is always available to answer further questions, and we would love to hear your feedback. Please reach out to us at 707–584–3995, email us at info@scottsoffice.com, or message us on our website at www.scottsoffice.com.