Xerox AltaLink C8200 Series versus Canon imageRUNNER Advanced DX C5800i Series
This is the webs most comprehensive guide and review of the Xerox AltaLink C8200 series and Canon ImageRUNNER DX C5800i Series side by side. Complete review, comparison, best prices, service costs, all the stats, everything you need to know.
This review will also help you if you’re looking to buy or rent any of the following Canon office multi-Function printers;
Canon imageRUNNER Advanced DX C5840i
Canon imageRUNNER Advanced DX C5850i
Canon imageRUNNER Advanced DX C5860i
Canon imageRUNNER Advanced DX C5870i
Or buy or rent any of the following Xerox office Multi-Function Printers;
What are the key hardware and software differences between the Canon Image Runner C5800i Series and the Xerox AltaLink C8200 Series?
Hardware
This review will focus on the following three AltaLink models C8245 C8255 C8270, as these are the most closely matched to the Canon C5800 Series models. The Canon ImageRUNNER C5800i Series models are the C5840i / C5850i / C5860i / C5870i. The last two digits on both the Canon and Xerox ranges denotes the A4 colour print speed per minute. Aside from the speed and volume capabilities, there are some minor specification variations. However this aside, each model in the respective manufacturers range is broadly the same.
One of the biggest plusses that the Xerox AltaLink C8200 Series has from the outset is the amount of hardware and functionality that comes as standard. To match the basic specification of the Xerox you have to add expensive paper options to the Canon. Xerox also includes a huge range of productivity software, similar software is available on the Canon, but only with a paid UniFLOW subscription.
The following items are all chargeable extras on the Canon imageRUNNER Advanced DX C3935i.
Paper Cassettes
The AltaLink C8245, C8255 and C8270 models all come standard with a four cassette pedestal, comprising of two upper cassettes that each hold 520 sheets of paper up to SRA3 size and 300GSM in weight and two lower A4 only Cassettes that hold 867 & 1,133 sheets of A4 paper up to 300GSM. Giving a total paper capacity of 3,140 sheets.
The Canon Image runner only comes with two upper cassettes as standard, each holds 550 sheets. The uppermost cassette (Cassette 1) only holds A4. Cassette 2 holds up to A3 256GSM in weight. Canon only supports SRA3 through the bypass. The bypass also increases the maximum paper weight to 300GSM.
In order to get near to the standard specification of the Xerox AltaLink C8200 series, the buyer has to pay extra for either a basic cabinet Type-V with no cassettes, a 2 drawer cassette feeding unit AQ1 or a high capacity Cassette Feeding unit-C1 (A4 only up to 256 GSM).
Without the side paper deck, the maximum paper capacity on the Canon is a huge 3.650 sheets. The maximum paper capacity on the Xerox AltaLink without the side paper deck, is 3,140 sheets. The canon can be fitted with an A4 side deck unit-F1 with a capacity of 2,700 sheets. The Xerox AltaLink can be fitted with a slightly larger 3,000 sheet side feeding paper deck.
None of the paper drawers on the Canon support SRA3, this is only possible through the bypass. The cassettes on the Canon ImageRUNNER support a maximum of 256 GSM, anything heavier has to go through the bypass.
All four of the Xerox’s standard cassettes support SRA3 and up to 300GSM paper weight.
Output tray
There is an inner separation tray that is standard on the AltaLink. The tray can be used to separate print jobs from copy jobs, ensuring users do not inadvertently remove a colleagues printouts. This is an extra cost item on the Canon known as the 1st Copy Tray Kit-A1.
There is also a standard external output tray on the Xerox. There is a similar tray available for the Canon – Canon – 3rd Copy Tray Kit-A1, this is an extra cost however.
Monthly print Capability
The recommended average print volume on the Canon C5800 Series is as follows;
C5840i 12,000 pages per month
C5850i 15,000 pages per month
C5860i 20,000 pages per month
C5870i 30,000 pages per month
The recommended average monthly print volume on the Xerox AltaLink C8200 series is as follows;
C8245 20,000 pages per month
C8255 22,000 pages per month
C8270 40,000 pages per month
The Xerox AltaLink has a higher duty volume on a like for like basis when compared to the Canon C5800i.
Software integrations
Apps
The Xerox AltaLink C8200 Series comes with quite a lot of cloud software integrations and apps out of the box that are included as standard. Whilst some of the apps are totally free, some are credit based and these will expire at some point. You can buy more credits without committing to a subscription. Xerox has a customer facing portal where end users can purchase credits or apps directly.
Canon does have some cloud services integrations and apps, but most of these will require you to first of all commit to a subscription to their Uniflow Software, in order to get access to the integrations. Canon does not have a customer facing portal to purchase services or Apps. The customer must go through Canon or their supplying agent.
Xerox has an open software platform; partners can create apps for customers according to a customers specific needs. Canon does not offer an app building or customisation service.
Cloud Print and integration
Xerox are named a Leader in Quocirca’s Cloud Print Services 2024 Landscape Report. Xerox have taken a big step in the direction of cloud printing and have deeply integrated the AltaLink with Microsoft’s Universal Print offering, meaning that you do not need to use Microsoft’s Universal Print Connecter. You will need to use the Microsoft Universal Print “Connecter” to use the Canon with Universal Print.
The Xerox AltaLink also has full Cloud Identity Provider (IdP) Integration, including Active Directory, Ping Identity, Okta. Canon has no Cloud IdP.
With the Xerox AltaLink you can print from Dropbox / 365 / OneDrive / Box / Google Drive cloud print services. To get access to these services with Canon you will first need a paid subscription to UniFLOW.
Security
Xerox has been named a Leader in Quocirca’s Global Print Security Landscape 2024 Report. https://www.xerox.com/en-us/services/managed-print-services/quocirca-security-report
Xerox are one of the only Printer Manufacturers offering Single Sign On (SSO Oauth2). This means that with a single sign on to an AltaLink device you will be authenticated for multiple cloud services, saving you valuable time from having to log in to multiple online accounts.
The Canon imageRUNNER Advanced DX C5800i does not have SSO capabilities.
The Xerox AltaLink has more security certifications and integrations than any comparable print device available. A detailed analysis can be found in the security section further below and from Xerox here https://security.business.xerox.com/en-us/products/altalink-c8200-series/
Basic Specifications
| Features | AltaLink C8200 Series | imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i Series |
| Model launch date | Sep-24 | Jul-21 |
| Speed – pages per minute A4 Colour | 45 / 55/ 70 | 40 / 50 / 60 / 70 |
| Speed – pages per minute A4 Mono | 45 / 55/ 70 | 40 / 50 / 60 / 70 |
| Recommended Average Monthly Print Volume (AMPV) | 20, 000 / 22,000 / 40,000 | 12,000 / 15,000 / 20,000 / 30,000 |
| First Print out time Colour (seconds) | 4.9 / 4.5 / 3.8 | 6.1 / 4.9 / 4.2 / 3.7 |
| First Print out time Black (seconds) | 3.8 / 3.2 / 3.0 | 4.1 / 3.3 / 2.9 / 2.7 |
| Print Resolution (D.P.I.) | 1,200 x 2,400 | 1,200 x 1,200 |
| Inner output tray capacity (sheets) | 250 / 250 | Requires 1st Copy Tray Kit-A1 when no Finisher |
| External face up Catch Tray capacity (sheets) | 100 sheets standard | Optional 3rd Copy Tray Kit-A1 – 100 Sheets |
The Canon imageRUNNER Advanced DX C5800i and Xerox AltaLink C8200 are closely matched when it comes to the basic specifications. The stand-out appears to be the higher print resolution of the Xerox and the included copy output trays, which are optional on the Canon.
Screen features and access control
| Screen & Access Features | AltaLink C8200 Series | imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i Series |
| Screen Size (inches) Tilting or Fixed | 10.1 / Tilting | 10.1 / Tilting |
| Personalised layout for each user when logged on | Yes | Yes |
| Feature Customisation | Yes | No |
| Ability to lock features to unauthorised users | Yes | Yes w/ UniFLOW Express |
| Ability to create one touch workflows | Yes | Yes w/ UniFLOW Express |
| External Keyboard | Optional | Optional |
| NFC Mobile unlock – Tap to Pair | Standard | Requires Paid subscription to UniFLOW |
| Login with PIN | Standard | Requires Paid subscription to UniFLOW |
| Login with Mobile App | Standard | Requires Paid subscription to UniFLOW |
| RFID Card Reader | Integrated (Optional) | Integrated (Optional) |
| Single Sign On SSO to Cloud Services – Oauth2 | Yes | Requires paid subscription to UniFLOW |
| Cloud idp Integration | Okta, Ping, Microsoft Azure | Yes |
| Full integration to LDAP | Yes | Yes |
| Access Cloud repositories for printing | Dropbox / 365 / OneDrive / Box / Google Drive | One Drive / Dropbox |
| Active Directory | Yes | Yes |
| Ability to create one touch apps for commonly performed tasks | Yes | No |
The Xerox AltaLink C8200 and Canon imageRUNNER Advanced DX C5800i start out on an even footing, both have a tilting 10.1 inch screen. The Xerox pulls away thereafter with a much higher level of customisation and productivity features built in.
Watch this 1 minute video on how easy it is to use your Xerox MFP to connect to cloud services
Apps and Ai features
| Apps & Ai Features | AltaLink C8200 Series | imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i Series |
| AI-Assisted Adaptive Learning | Yes | No |
| Pre-installed AI-Assisted Apps | Yes | No |
| Customer facing app portal | Yes | No |
| Ability for app creation | Yes | No |
There’s no contest here, the Canon imageRUNNER Advanced DX C5800i is a very dated model from 2021. The Xerox AltaLink C8200 Series, with its built in ai, is what users are expecting as standard in the world where Ai technology and apps are pervasive.
Printing Features and cloud print services
| Printing Features | AltaLink C8200 Series | imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i Series |
| Application defaults configurable (e.g.print emails in mono) | Fully Customisable | Not Stated |
| Rules Based Printing | Yes | Not Stated |
| Configurable user permissions (user, group, time&date, Colour or Mono) | Yes | Not Stated |
| Microsoft Universal Print Support | AltaLink device is registered with Microsoft Universal Print and eliminates the need for the Universal Print Connector | Yes, but Canon still needs to use the Microsoft Connector |
| Apple AirPrint | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Printing | Standard & Included at no extra cost | Yes |
| Printing from 3rd party Cloud services | Dropbox / 365 / OneDrive / Box / Google Drive | Requires subscription to UniFLOW |
Both the Xerox AltaLink C8200 Series and the Canon imageRUNNER Advanced DX C5800i Series do the traditional basics really well. When it comes to modern methods of printing and accessing cloud services Xerox have chosen to include what users are asking for, out of the box and free of charge. Canon offers advanced cloud services, but most are only available with a paid for subscription to UniFLOW.
You can find out more about the Xerox ConnectKey Apps and other cloud productivity tools here, or ask us for a live demo.
https://workflowcentral.services.xerox.com/
Scanning features and cloud services
| Scanning Features | AltaLink C8200 Series | imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i Series |
| Platen Lid | Single Pass Document Feeder as standard | N/A |
| Duplexing Document Feeder | Single Pass Document Feeder as standard | N/A |
| Single Pass Scanning Document Feeder | Standard | Standard |
| Document Feeder capacity – Sheets | 130 / 130 / 250 | 200 |
| Document Feeder Speed Colour (single sided images per minute) | 82 / 82/ 135 | 135 |
| Document Feeder Speed Mono (single sided images per minute) | 141 / 141 / 270 | 270 |
| Scanning Resolution D.P.I. | 600 x 600 | 600 x 600 |
| Simplified auto set up to Gmail, iCloud, Microsoft, Yahoo | Yes | No |
| Scan to 3rd party Cloud services | Dropbox / OneDrive / Box / 365 / Google Drive | One Drive / Dropbox |
| OCR Scanning | Standard | No |
| Redaction Scanning | Ai Driven | No |
| Encrypted PDF | Yes | Yes |
| Scan Preview | Standard | No |
The Xerox AltaLink C8245 and C8255 come standard with a 130 sheet capacity single pass document feeder, the C8270 has a 250 sheet capacity single pass feeder. The Canon imageRUNNER Advanced DX C5800i comes with a 200 sheet single pass document feeder on all models. Canon has the edge compared to the Xerox C8245 and C8255 models, but loses out slightly to the C8270 model.
Xerox does however win out across all models with the sophisticated software that it includes as standard, such as Ai driven redaction, which can be very useful if you need to scan large batches of documents and don’t want to manually redact certain information.
Memory, Hard Drive & Processor capability
| Memory & Processor & WiFi | AltaLink C8200 Series | imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i Series |
| Genuine Adobe Postscript 3 | Standard | Standard |
| Hard Drive Capacity | 256GB | 256GB SSD |
| Hard Drive Type | NVMe Solid State Disk | SSD |
| AES 256 Encrypted Hard Drive | Yes | Yes |
| Hard Drive Option | 1TB NVMe SSD | 1TB SSD |
| Processor | Intel Atom® Quad Core 1.91 GHz | 1.8 Ghz Dual Core |
| RAM Memory | 8GB | 5GB |
| Wireless Option | Dual Band Wireless Kit Can use LAN & WiFi Direct Concurrent |
WiFi or LAN not Concurrent |
| Wi-Fi Direct without connection to LAN | Yes | No |
The headline specifications are evenly matched, however when you dig deeper, the Xerox is once again just a little more highly specified than the Canon. Whilst the hard drive capacities are the same, Xerox uses the latest NV RAM chip, which is up to 5 times faster than an SSD Drive. Xerox use a newer and more powerful Intel Branded chip, along with a slightly larger RAM.
Paper Capacities & Options
| Paper Capacities | AltaLink C8200 Series | imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i Series |
| Tray 1 (Max Sheets / Max Size / Max Weight) | 520 / SRA3 / 300gsm | 550 / A4 / 256 |
| Tray 2 (Max Sheets / Max Size / Max Weight) | 520 / SRA3 / 300gsm | 550 / A3 / 256 |
| Tray 3 (Max Sheets / Max Size / Max Weight) | 867 / A4 / 300gsm | Optional Must choose either Plain Cabinet Type-V Or Feeding Unit-AQ1 – 2 x 550 Sheets Or High Capacity Cassette Feeding Unit-C1 |
| Tray 4 (Max Sheets / Max Size / Max Weight) | 1133 / A4 / 300gsm | |
| Tray 5 (Max Sheets / Max Size / Max Weight) | Optional 3,000 Sheets A4 | Optional Paper Deck Unit-F1 |
| Maximum possible paper capacity including bypass (sheets) | 6,140 | 6,350 |
| Maximum Paper Weight single sided Through cassettes (gsm) | 300 | 256 |
| Maximum Paper Weight duplex (gsm) | 300 | 256 |
| Bypass capacity )Sheets) | 100 | 100 |
| Bypass Maximum Size / Weight | SRA3 / 300GSM + Banners | SRA3 / 300GSM |
| Banner Feeding | Optional Long sheets/banners 320mm x 1,320mm 106 – 220 gsm |
No |
The Canon ImageRUNNER Advanced C5800i tops the Xerox AltaLink C8200 Series when it comes to total paper capacity. However, The Xerox beats the Canon ImageRUNNER in the size and weight of paper that can be loaded in to the paper drawers. The Xerox AltaLink will duplex on to 300GSM SRA3, the canon can only duplex on A3 up to 220GSM. Being able to easily print on to SRA3 is particularly useful if you want to produce marketing material in full edge to edge colour.
Last but not least the Xerox AltaLink C8200 series can feed “banner” pages up to 1,320MM in length. Handy for landscape architects or for hanging display banners.
Weight & Dimensions
| Weight & Dimensions | AltaLink C8200 Series | imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i Series |
| Width with 4 cassettes | 620MM | 620MM |
| Depth with 4 cassettes | 723MM | 722MM |
| Height with 4 cassettes | 1,130MM | 937MM |
| Weight KG | 143 / 143 / 160 | 104 / 105 / 105 / 108 |
The Canon and Xerox have an identical footprint, the Xerox is slightly taller though.
A little bit of a giveaway as to why the Xerox has a higher duty capacity is the fact that the Xerox AltaLink C8200 weighs in at 55KG’s heavier than the Canon imageRunner Advanced DX C5800i.
Security and Access Control
| Security & Access Control | AltaLink C8200 Series | imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i Series |
| Audit Log | Document / User / Function | Not Specified |
| FIPS 140-3 Enhanced Encrypted Security | 140-3 | 140-2 |
| TPM module (v2.0) compliant with ISO/IEC 11889 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| RFID Card Reader port | Optional | Optional |
| NFC (Tap to Pair) | Standard | Optional |
| Trellix McAfee® Embedded Control (whitelisting) | Standard | Standard |
| Trellix McAfee® Integrity Control | Optional | Not Stated |
| Transport Layer Security TLS | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| Common Criteria (ISO/IEC 15408) | Full System | Yes |
| Cisco® Identity Services Engine (ISE)Integration | Optional | No |
| Fleet Orchestrator | Yes | No |
| SIEM Support | Yes | Yes |
| Clone Capability for Enterprise wide cloned device roll out | Yes | Yes |
| Preset security templates | Yes | No |
Xerox has long since been a leader when it comes to the breadth and depth of its security offering, the comparison here shows that the newer Xerox AltaLink C8235 meets the latest, slightly higher security standards, leaving the Canon vulnerable to sophisticated cyber attacks.
Toner capacities and supplies lifespan
| Supplies | AltaLink C8200 Series | imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i Series |
| Black Toner Capacity – A4 Pages | 006R01746 59,000 | C-EXV 58L – 71,000 |
| Cyan Toner Capacity – A4 Pages | 006R01747 28,000 | C-EXV 58 Toner 60,000 pages / C-EXV 58L – 26,000 |
| Magenta Toner Capacity – A4 Pages | 006R01748 28,000 | C-EXV 58 Toner 60,000 pages / C-EXV 58L – 26,000 |
| Yellow Toner Capacity – A4 Pages | 006R01749 28,000 | C-EXV 58 Toner 60,000 pages / C-EXV 58L – 26,000 |
| Drum Life – pages | 013R00681 180,000 | C-EXV58 – 482,000 |
| Transfer Belt Cleaner – page life | 001R00623 160,000 | FL1-3540-000 Transfer Belt – not stated |
| Second Bias Transfer Roll – page life | 008R08103 200,000 | Not stated |
| Waste Toner Container life | 008R08102 69,000 | FM1-A606-050 – 100,000 prints |
Consumable lifespan may not be the top of users considerations when it comes to choosing an office duty Multi-Function Printer, however it does mean that you’ll be changing consumables slightly less frequently with a Canon C5800 series, especially if your servicing dealer specifies the high capacity toners.
Environmental and power consumption
| Environmental | AltaLink C8200 Series | imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i Series |
| Warm up time (Cold) Seconds | 8.5 | 6 Seconds |
| Warm up time (Standby) Seconds | 4.5 | 4 Seconds |
| Proximity Sensor for auto wake up | Yes | Yes |
| Energy Star | Yes | Yes |
| EPEAT Gold | Yes | USA Only |
| Blue Angel | Yes | Yes |
| Power Consumption (TEC) kWh/Week | 0.63 / 0.49 / 0.99 | 0.46 / 0.58 / 0.71 / 0.86 |
| Cisco EnergyWise® | Yes | No |
| Noise Level operational db | 65.2 / 67.3 / 70.4 | 61 / 62 / 64 / 66 |
| Noise Level Standby db | 43 | 47 / 48 / 50 / 52 |
Protecting the environment is something we must all as corporates and individuals take seriously. Both Canon and Xerox have made massive strides in recent years to help us reduce our carbon footprints, there’s little to choose between them.
Optional Extras
Canon and Xerox have a vast selection of accessories. In our experience, users rarely buy any of these 🤷🏻♂️.
| Paper Feeding | AltaLink C8200 Series | imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i Series |
| Cabinet / Stand / Pedestal | Standard | Optional Cabinet type-V |
| Additional 2 x Paper Cassettes | N/A | Optional AQ1 |
| Additional High Capacity Feeding module | Standard 3,140 Sheets | Optional – High Capacity Cassette Feeding Unit -C1 |
| High Capacity Feeder | Optional 3,000 Sheets | Optional 2,700 Sheets |
| Envelope Tray | Optional | Optional |
| Long Sheet Feeding (Banner Printing) | Optional | No |
| Paper Tray Lock Kit | Optional | Optional Type-L1 |
| Finishing, Stapling and booklet Making | AltaLink C8200 Series | imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i Series |
| Convenience Stapler (requires Work Surface) | Optional (requires Work Surface) | Only with Finisher AB-1 |
| Work Surface / Utility Tray | Optional 497K20750 | Optional – B1 |
| Centre tray | Standard | Optional – M1 |
| Staple less finisher | No | Optional |
| Internal Finisher | Optional 097S04847 | Inner Finisher L1 |
| Office Finisher – Light Duty | Optional 097S05019 | No |
| Booklet Maker add on for Office Finisher | Optional | No |
| 2 / 4 hole Punch for Office Finisher | Optional 497K20610 | No |
| Heavy Duty Finisher | Optional – BR Finisher | Optional – Staple Finisher AB1 |
| Heavy Duty Finisher & Booklet Maker | Optional – BR Booklet Maker | Optional – Booklet Finisher AB1 |
| Swedish 4 Hole Punch for BR Finisher | Optional 497K14370 | Optional |
| C/Z Folder for BR Finisher | Optional 097S05098 | No |
| Miscellaneous | AltaLink C8200 Series | imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i Series |
| Wireless and Bluetooth Connectivity Kit | Optional 497K25190 | Optional |
| 1TB Hard Disk | Optional 497K25310 | Optional |
| Tray Lock Kit | Optional 497K22750 | Optional |
| External Keyboard Kit | Optional 497K22070 | Optional |
| Trellix Integrity Control | Optional 320S00665 | Optional |
| Fax Kit | Optional 497K23350 | Optional |
| Voice Operation | Standard | Optional Voice Operation Kit KD-1 |
Fiery Print Controller Options
| Fiery Options | ||
| EFI Fiery Network Server | Optional 097N02379 / 097N02498 | Optional ImagePass R1 |
| Platform | FS-350 | FS-400 |
| Memory | 2GB RAM – 500GB Hard Drive | 4GB RAM – 500GB Hard Drive |
| Processor | AMD® GX-424CC processor, 2.4 GHz, Quad-Core, 2M cache |
Intel Pentium G4400 (3.3GHz) |
| Impose / Compose | No | Optional |
| Fiery Options Bundle – Includes – Spot On – Virtual Folders – Auto Trapping | Optional | No |
| EFI Ethernet Hub Kit for Dual IP Configurations | Optional 497N01224 | No |
| EFI Colour Profiler Suite | Optional 497N07213 | No |
If you are looking to produce any marketing material, presentations or promotional material and you need a high quality accurate colour finish, there really is only one choice, that’s to add a Fiery Controller to your print device. Both the Canon ImageRUNNER Advanced C5800 Series and the Xerox AltaLink C8200 series can be fitted with a Fiery Controller.
The Canon ImagePass R1 uses a more powerful version (FS-400) of the controller along with more RAM and a bigger Hard Drive. The controller seems more like something a small print shop might use as you can add Impose software that’s used for laying up business cards, leaflets and flyers. You can also add Compose software which makes it easy to combine and print documents that originated from multiple and varied file types.
Xerox uses the less powerful FS-350 Platform, to which you cannot add Impose or Compose. The Fiery Controller on the AltaLink does offer the optional Colour Profile Suite, which is designed for customers who need to fine tune colour accuracy and matching, which is something that’s often needed by in-house design teams who need to match corporate colours. You cannot add the Colour Profiler Suite to the Fiery Controller on the Canon C5800i Series.
Prices
We have found it difficult to get quotes for the imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800 Series. The copier / printer industry is still stuck in the old world habits of not making pricing transparent, and not giving you pricing until a salesperson visits. The best price we could find online for the Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5840i was £4,682, this is for a basic machine to which you will need to add the cost of the additional paper trays or cabinet as a minimum. We were unable to get an exact price for these extras, but budget on adding another £900 as a minimum. We therefore estimate that the total price of the imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5840i is £5,582.
In our store you can buy a Xerox AltaLink C8245V_T for £5,395. This price includes a Hi-Capacity paper feeder / stand.
As important as the cost of the machine is, it’s not nearly as important as the cost to run the machine. Over the life of the printer, you will spend at least double the cost of the printer running it, you didn’t mis-read that. The running cost of the printer will be your biggest outlay, easily outstripping the initial purchase cost, or the monthly rental. So you should do your due diligence and make sure that you get complete transparency from a supplier as to what they include, what’s extra, and what the tie in to the contract involves.
Running costs on the AltaLink C8200 Series are as low as 2.9p per colour print.
Conclusion
Chassis
Canon appears to be using more or less the same chassis that it uses for it’s C3900i Series, which in our opinion is designed for light duty work. This continues with the fact that the Canon cannot accommodate SRA3 in any of the paper cassettes. SRA3 is an expected feature at this price point on a mid / upper mid volume Multi-Function Printer.
The light duty nature of the chassis and components also shows up in the weight of the Canon, the C5870i it comes in at 108kg whereas the Xerox C8270 weighs 48% heavier, at 160kg.
Monthly Print Capability
Layering on top of our belief that the Canon is more of an entry level machine, is the very low monthly recommended print volumes across the Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE DX C5800i series. For example the C5840i has a recommended average monthly volume of 12,000 prints, whereas the Xerox AltaLink C8245 can handle a 66% heavier workload at a recommended 20,000 prints per month.
Software Infrastructure and Security
Canon makes a big deal of its UniFLOW Online software platform. What it doesn’t make a big deal of is how much of the functionality isn’t free and is dependent upon the user paying for a subscription, especially basic security features. e.g.
“uniFLOW Online is available as a Device Based Cloud Subscription for Document Output and Capture Management. Based on business needs, users can upgrade to uniFLOW Online to unlock a range of advanced benefits, including: Increased security with user authentication methods. Personalised workflows to enhance productivity. Reduced wastage by releasing jobs at the device. An intuitive cloud dashboard to leverage real-time data. Greater control over access and usage to reduce print costs.”
The AltaLink also has a greater level of security as standard, as well as a wider security toolbox, including optional Trellix integrity control and Cisco Identity Services Engine integration. Xerox’s ConnectKey open software platform gives you access to a huge range of apps, many of which are free and do not require subscription. The AltaLink C8200 series also comes preloaded with several Ai apps that dramatically improve user experience and productivity.
Colour Performance & Print Quality
If you have any requirement for detailed or accurate colour, the Xerox AltaLink series has a reputation for delivering in this department. Not only does the AltaLink have a higher print resolution than the Canon, but it also has a wider set of colour adjustments in the print driver, including “color by words”, that helps you fine tune your print output using words, e.g. make the “reds more blue”.
The Fiery Controller for the Xerox AltaLink can also be equipped with EFI’s Colour Profiler Suite, that opens up a whole world of colour matching tools.
Final thoughts
Considering that the Canon ImageRUNNER C5800i series is a three year old model, it fares well in this test. For many basic users who don’t care about using cloud services or the latest cyber security protection, it is an equal machine to the Xerox AltaLink C8200 Series.
If you are a user of any of the plethora of cloud services available to businesses today or have any concerns about Cyber Security, then Xerox would be your better option.
Last but not least, the higher monthly print capacity of the Xerox AltaLink, combined with the fact that it comes out of the box fully specified also gives it a bit of an edge over the Canon.
About the Author – Grant Wassell
For several decades Grant has been a recognised industry expert and authority in the field of copying, print and technology for business users.
Grant founded Scriptum Document Solutions and is passionate about helping businesses make reliable informed decisions on their deployment of office technology, especially multi-function print devices.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/grantwassell/
