Sharp MX-M623 and MX-M753 "Spec Review"

Gathered from Print4Pay Hotel Members from around the world and a few moles in very good places!

- Sharp gave out more details on its new digital b/w A3 copiers, the MX-M623 and MX-M753:
o Replace the M620 and M700
o Base MSRPs of $19,500 and $23,900
o 62ppm and 75ppm top speeds respectively
o Unlike competitive models in this speed ranges, these models have the “hole-in-the-middle” design, so do not look like true “console” designs that customer prefer in this speed range due to copy volumes
o Code name for this engine is the Sharp “Dragon” engine, which was originally launched in 2004
o Models have the textured light gray plastic design of slower speed Sharp models
o 8.5” full color LCD touch screen control panel
o Uses second generation “microfine” pulverized toner
o Optional retractable keyboard
o Optional common access card (CAC) reader
o OPC drum and developer have yield of 300,000
o Toner yield of 83,000 pages based on 5% per page coverage
o 300K/month maximum duty cycle
o 1200x1200dpi print output, 600x600dpi copier output & 600x600dpi scan resolution
o Comes standard with 3,100 sheet paper supply
 Maximum paper capacity with options of 6,600 sheets
 Letter size LCT for $1425, Tabloid size LCT for $2900
o Document feeder can:
 Hold up to 150 originals with top scan speed of 75opm
 Can scan both sides of original at same time
o Finishing options include:
 $3450 for 50 sheet staple or $6550 for 100 sheet staple
 $5000 for 50 sheet staple and 80 sheet booklet maker
 $715 for punch kit
 $2275 for cover inserter
o Built-in print controller features:
 Actual maker unknown (most likely Zoran)
 Uses 800MHz processor from Freescale (not Intel)
 1GB RAM (can be increased to 2GB)
 80GB hard drive
 $399 for hard drive security kit
 Comes standard only with USB port for “host” based printing, meaning that the customers computer has to do the processing of the print jobs
 Optional onboard processing (included on the “N” models)
 $3400 for PCL print driver
• $745 for PostScript print driver
• $595 for barcode printing
• $625 for XPS print driver (for Microsoft Windows 7)
• All require extra 1GB RAM for $500
 $1095 for network scanning
• color scanning
• scan to email/desktop/FTP/SMB/USB (no scan to WebDAV)
• $1230 for compressed PDFs
 Can scan to or print from a USB thumb drive
 Open Systems Architecture (OSA) allows for optional embedded applications but requires $349 Application Integration Module
o $1295 for analog fax board and $545 for Internet fax
- Canon claims that it new imageRUNNER ADVANCE MFP models are environmentally friendly. That it emits 20% less CO2 when compared to previous models. The machine’s plastic exteriors also are made partly by plant-based materials. (company did not explain why it has not switched to dark plastic instead of off-white plastic which requires bleaching)

-=Greetings from Sandy Hook=-

MFP Wars "Rise of the A4's"

Not since Minolta incorporated the first zoom lens in a copier will there be a more sweeping change in the MFP landscape! I've been on this kick for over two years, when HP launched the first A4 MFP!

Whats Hot!!! A4 MFP devices, what is an A4 MFP? A4 actually represents the paper size that can be reproduced on the system. A4 devices will print, copy, fax and scan letter & legal size. A3 devices will print, copy, fax and scan letter, legal and ledger size.

Gartner predicts that A4 print centric devices will emerge as the preferred device for distributed print needs in a report dated December of 2007. Heck, I could have told then that back in 2006. Make no bones about it A4's are here to stay and A3's will be a niche market for some manufacturers, what I really can't figure out is why companies like Ricoh, Xerox, Canon, KonicaMinolta and a few others have ignored this tremendous opportunity to garner clicks?

So, who has A4 devices (35ppm and above) on the market now? As of right now there are only a handful. HP and Samsung have thier own devices, while Muratec, Xerox and Nashua have relabeled the Samsungs. Samsung recently introduced a 55ppm and a 40ppm color A4 MFP. Word on the street is that Muratec will be picking up both of these boxes.

In May of 2007, Sharp announced that they will bring to market an entire line of A4 devices code named Frontier. Kudos, they will be the first manufacturer to have a complete line. In talking to a friend at SBS, I was told that these devices are ready to go and just waiting for the initial launch.

So, whats not to like about A4, well its certainly not the price. An A4 45 ppm system that will copy, print, scan and fax can be purchased for under $5,000. Compare that to a traditional A4 device will run you twice that!

Some have asked where the sweet spot is for A4 vs A3 devices. As of right now, A3 devices have a much lower cost per page. The sweet spot depends on where your monthly volume falls, as of right now 10,000 or less a month will save you money over the traditional A3 (even with the lower cost per page).

Speaking about lower per page costs, I've said it before and will say it again. The first manufacturer that comes to market with and A4 with the cost per page of an A3 device will dominate the market. Savvy reps will instantly sell the TCO advantages, with that the HP and Samsung devices will be short lived. Typically, an A4 device will have a mono cost per page around .015 compared to current A3 devices that average .009. It's not uncommon to see A3's at even lower cost depending on the monthly volume. The higher the volume the lower the cost per page.

Here's an except from a brochure for a popular A4. "When compared to the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) of a general A3 multifunctional TCO, at an average of 10,000 pages per month, can result in one of the lowest running costs in its class.

Infotrends reports, “We believe that the role of workgroup A4 MFPs will grow strongly, pulling A4/letter size pages away from A3 copiers and MFPs, thereby weakening the demand for these larger devices,” commented Bob Leahey, an Associate Director at InfoTrends. “A3 devices will remain vital in the U.S., but the push by major suppliers of workgroup A4 alternatives is having an effect on decision-making regarding office equipment purchases at U.S. companies. Because of this impact and other factors, A3-format technology will represent a declining share of the installed base of U.S. office equipment over the next several years.”

All hail the rise of the A4!

Samsung Deals another Blow to MFP Giants (Ricoh, Canon, KonicaMinolta)

You here it from me over and over, A4 devices are the way to go!

Samsung has launched their 6555N Multifunctional System, a 55 page per minute device that incorporates a 7" LCD display, 1200x1200 dpi, max paper capacity of 3,240 sheets. The system will color scan out of the box along with an FCOT of 5 seconds, a FPOT of 8 seconds and a max monthly volume rating of 250,000 pages per month. Optional sorter/stapler, fax module and three additional paper trays are available. Get this, the MSRP is $3,995!!



First glimpse tells me that this system is based on the 6354n (45ppm) device, Samsung has changed from older the mono 7" screen to a color 7" screen and beefed the speed from 45 pages per minute to 55 pages per minute. From the picture it seems like the document feeder may have been changed also, not sure, I'll have to wait until I see one of these bad boys.


No 11x17 capability, but who the heck needs 11x17 anymore! Personally, I think the MSRP is two low. It should be more like $6,995, thus allowing dealers and salespeople the opportunity to upgrade older A3 devices to SCX-6555N. I have a few 6345N's in the field generating an average of 8,000 pages per month and no reported problems.


What's next for Sammy a 75ppm device, maybe 85ppm, are all of the A3 devices made by the likes of Ricoh, Canon, Fuji Xerox, KonicaMinolta overpriced? It all depends on if you need 11x17 to print copy or scan. Fact is, Sammy has plans on 75, 90 & 110 ppm systems!


Realizing, that the cost per page of the SCX-6555N is twice that of a 55ppm A3 device. The SCX-6555N still has a home in the SMB market place especially if the user is average 10,000 pages per month. At a cost per page of .016 the SCX-6555N will have a total cost of ownership of $13,995 with out any options. Take a similar A3 device that has an MSRP of $20,000 and a consumable cost (based on 600,000 pages) of $5,100, thsu we have a TCO of $25,100. That's a HUGE difference. Some will argue that the 55ppm A3 devices will last longer and have a larger paper supply, and I might agree, however I could buy three of the SCX-6555N's and still be under the $25,100.


What I'd really like to see is the likes of Ricoh, Canon, KonicaMinolta, Fuji Xerox to wake up and smell the coffee! We don't have to bring to market A4 devices with a very low MSRP, we can bring them in higher and we can sell the reliability, quality and a lower cost per page. Currently we are producing 55ppm A3 devices with cost per pages under a penny, why o why can't we do this with an A4 device!! Come on people Wake UP!!