Need an A3 colour printer for a small office that prints, copies and scans without breaking the bank?
An entry-level A3 colour multifunction printer is ideal for a small office of up to about 10 people printing a few thousand pages a month. It handles A3 as well as A4, copies, scans to email and prints in colour. Here we compare two popular choices, the Xerox VersaLink C7120 and the Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn, in a round-by-round showdown.
Who needs an entry-level A3 colour printer?
- Small offices of 3-10 people who need A3 colour occasionally.
- Estate agents, architects and design teams printing A3 plans, window cards and proofs.
- Branch offices and departments that need their own copier.
- Offices printing up to around 5,000 pages a month.
Check you are choosing the right size of machine:
| Monthly print volume | Typical office | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 3,000 pages | 3-10 people, occasional colour | 20-25ppm entry A3 colour MFP (e.g. VersaLink C7120 / C7125) |
| 3,000-6,000 pages | 5-15 people, one shared device | 25-30ppm A3 colour MFP (e.g. VersaLink C7130, AltaLink C8230) |
| 6,000-12,000 pages | 10-25 people, small business or department | 30-36ppm A3 colour MFP (e.g. AltaLink C8235, bizhub C361i) |
| 12,000-25,000 pages | 20-50 people, busy office or department | 45-60ppm A3 colour MFP (e.g. AltaLink C8245 / C8255, bizhub C451i-C651i) |
| 25,000-50,000+ pages | 50+ people, whole-floor or print room | 65-70ppm heavy-duty A3 colour MFP (e.g. AltaLink C8270, bizhub C751i) |
On the surface it looks like the eco-conscious champion (Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn) versus the feature-packed powerhouse (Xerox VersaLink C7120).
Choosing the right entry level A3 colour multifunction printer can be a difficult task, with so many makes and models to choose from, it can feel overwhelming.
Today, we compare two popular options: we have a full in-depth review of the Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn and a full in-depth review of the Xerox VersaLink C7120. Both offer printing, copying, scanning, and duplex printing, one of these printers ends this showdown as a clear champion, but which one is it?
Read on to find out, round by round.
Xerox VersaLink C7120 vs Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn: round by round
Round 1: eco credentials and toner life
Kyocera has long been an appealing brand to businesses focused on sustainability and eco-conscious practices. The Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn bangs on about its eco credentials and environmental friendliness, but we found it a struggle to obtain any cold hard data to support this claim. In fact, we could only find one independent credential, that was Energy Star compliance. Whereas the Xerox VersaLink C7120 can claim Energy Star, EPEAT Gold, Blue Angel, Cisco EnergyWise.
Kyocera claim that they have long life components, but again we found this wasn’t the case. The toner cartridges for the Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn last for just 6,000 colour and 12,000 mono. That’s very low by modern standards and will certainly increase your running costs.
The Xerox VersaLink C7120 cartridges have more than three times the capacity of colour at 18,500 pages per cartridge, and 2.6 times the capacity of black toner at 31,300 pages.
Toner is the most changed component on a printer, so refilling the printer three times as much is going to add up to a lot of extra fuel for transport and materials that have to be produced and recycled. We can’t see how Kyocera can justify their marketing and claims that the Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn has “significantly less environmental impact”.
Round one goes to Xerox.
Round 2: speed
The Xerox VersaLink C7120 runs at 20 pages per minute (PPM) colour and mono, the Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn is slightly faster at 24 PPM. If you need something faster, Xerox have two identical models in the range with the only difference being the PPM. The C7125 operates at 25PPM and the C7130 at 30PPM. Kyocera also has a faster model in the series, the 30PPM Kyocera ECOSYS M8130cidn.
Round two goes to Kyocera.
Round 3: print quality
The Xerox VersaLink has a print DPI of 2,400 x 1,200, trumping the Kyocera’s 1,200 x 1,200. Whilst DPI isn’t the be all and end all when it comes to print quality, Xerox uses a super fine Emulsion Aggregate Toner and low energy LED Laser. These features alone put the Xerox C7120 in to a different league.
Round three to Xerox.
Round 4: footprint
The Kyocera and Xerox are within a whisker of each other when it comes to size. The base models with single cassette are exactly the same width, the Xerox is 81mm deeper and 13mm taller.
Round four is a draw.
Round 5: security
Xerox have the highest credentials when it comes to security, they’ve been recognised as leaders in almost every independent report. Check out the comparison grid at the bottom of this article.
Round five to Xerox
Round 6: ease of use and apps
The Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn has a 4.3 inch fixed screen, compared to the 7 inch tilting screen on the Xerox VersaLink C7120. The user screen on the Xerox can be customised and personalised to each user. As the user logs on, the screen changes to their configuration.
The Xerox VersaLink C7120 comes with Xerox’s ConnectKey technology included. There is a range of free and customisable workflows and apps that improve productivity. There are some additional third party Apps that are chargeable.
Kyocera have their HyPas platform, but it is a much slimmer offering and additional hardware has to be purchased in order to access the HyPas system.
Round six to Xerox (it’s beginning to look like a walkover for Xerox)
Round 7: PostScript printing
Postscript is Licensed by Adobe, adding the ability to Print in the Postscript format means that the printer manufacturer has to pay a license fee to Adobe. The Xerox VersaLink C7120 has an option to add genuine Adobe Postscript printing.
The Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn comes with Postscript emulation included, and there is no option to add Genuine Adobe Postscript.
If you are a business or professional working in design, such as an Architect, Graphic Designer or you use the Adobe Suite of products, then you should know that this type of software requires you to create PDF’s and print accurate Postscript files. Accuracy is no doubt important to you, and emulation just isn’t going to cut it.
Round seven to Xerox
Round 8: document feeder
The Xerox VersaLink C7120 comes with a single pass duplexing document feeder that scans both sides of your originals in one pass. That means that your document passes through the feeder without reversing, reducing jams and offering higher speeds.
The Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn does have a Duplexing Document feeder, meaning it can scan both sides of your document, but it has to feed the document in and reverse it back out to turn it over, leading to a higher risk of jams and slower speeds.
Round eight to Xerox
Round 9: processor
The Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn has an ARM Cortex-A9 Dual core 1.2 GHz, edging past the 1.05Ghz Dual Core in the Xerox VersaLink C7120.
Round nine to Kyocera
Round 10: memory and hard drive
The Xerox VersaLink C7120 comes in two versions the C7120V_D and the C7120V_DN (also known as the C7120DN). What differentiates the two is that the model with the N suffix does not have a Hard Drive and centre output tray, whereas the C7120V_D has a 320GB Hard Drive and centre output tray. They both have the same RAM memory of 4Gb though.
The Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn has no hard drive as standard, there are two crazy very expensive SSD options. In addition the standard RAM is a puny 1.5Gb, upgrades are available, but once again the prices are crazy high.
Round ten to Xerox
Round 11: running costs
The Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn has cheaper cartridges than the Xerox VersaLink C7120, but the Xerox cartridges hold around three times as much toner, so you change them far less often.
Because Kyocera cartridges run out so quickly, the cost per page on cartridges alone is higher than the Xerox under a fully managed service agreement, which also includes parts, labour and toner delivery. Always ask for a cost per page for both mono and colour when comparing quotes.
Round eleven to Xerox.
Verdict: which A3 colour printer for a small office should you choose?
That’s a conclusive win overall for Xerox: eight rounds to two, with one draw. The Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn can’t compete with the Xerox VersaLink C7120 on features and total cost of ownership.
Xerox VersaLink C7120 vs Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn: full specification table
| Features | Xerox VersaLink C71XXV_DN | Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn | Buy online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notes | Model is also sometimes referred to as C71XXDN or the “Desktop” model | Notes | View in shop |
| Speed – pages per minute A4 Colour | 20 | 24 | |
| Speed – pages per minute A4 Mono | 20 | 24 | |
| Recommended Average Monthly Print Volume (AMPV) Pages | 5,500 | 10,000 | |
| First Print out time Colour (seconds) | 8.8 | 10.2 | |
| First Print out time Black (seconds) | 6.9 | 7.5 | |
| Print Resolution (D.P.I.) | 1,200 x 2,400 | 1,200 x 1,200 | |
| Inner output tray capacity (sheets) | 250 (additional 250 dual tray optional) | 250 / 30 | View in shop |
| Screen Features | |||
| Screen Size (inches) Fixed or Tilting | 7 – Tiltable | 4.3 Fixed | |
| Personalised layout for each user when logged on | Yes | No | |
| Ability to lock features to unauthorised users | Yes | No | |
| Ability to create one touch workflows | Yes | Requires Optional SD card | |
| External Keyboard | No | No | |
| NFC Mobile unlock – Tap to Pair | Yes | No | |
| Login with PIN | Yes | ? | |
| Login With Mobile App | Yes | ? | |
| RFID Card Reader | Integrated (Optional) | Integrated (Optional Kyocera Card Authentication Kit (B) AC) | View in shop |
| Single Sign On SSO to Cloud Services | Yes | Requires Optional SD card | |
| Access to Cloud Identity Providers | Yes | Requires Optional SD card | |
| Full integration to LDAP | Yes | Requires Optional SD card | |
| Access Cloud repositories for printing | Dropbox / 365 / OneDrive / Box / Google Drive | Requires Optional SD card | |
| Ability to create one touch workflow for commonly performed tasks | Yes | Requires Optional SD card | |
| Printing Features | |||
| Multi Task – Simultaneous print / copy / scan by multiple users | Limited due to no Hard Drive | ||
| Genuine Adobe Postscript | Optional | Not available – only emulation | View in shop |
| Booklet Printing | Standard | No | |
| Banner Printing | No | No | |
| Application defaults configurable (e.g.print emails in mono) | Fully Customisable | No | |
| Rules Based Printing | Yes | No | |
| Configurable user permissions (user, group, time&date, Colour or Mono) | Yes | No | |
| Microsoft Universal Print Support | Yes | ? | |
| Apple AirPrint | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Printing | Standard & Included at no extra cost | Yes | |
| Thin Print Support | Standard & Included at no extra cost | UG-33 optional | |
| USB Port for printing | Standard & Included at no extra cost | Requires USB Flash Memory | |
| Printing from 3rd party Cloud services | Dropbox / 365 / OneDrive / Box / Google Drive | Requires Optional SD card | |
| Scanning Features | |||
| Multi Task – Simultaneous print / copy / scan by multiple users | Limited due to no Hard Drive | NO | |
| Platen Lid | NO | NO | |
| Duplexing Document Feeder | Yes | Standard | |
| Single Pass Scanning Document Feeder | Standard | Not available | |
| Document Feeder capacity – Sheets | 130 | 50 | |
| Document Feeder Speed Colour (single sided images per minute) | 80 | 50 | |
| Document Feeder Speed Mono (single sided images per minute) | 80 | 50 | |
| Document Feeder maximum / minimum weights gsm | Not Stated | Not Stated | |
| Scanning Resolution D.P.I. | 600 x 600 | 600 x 600 | |
| Simplified auto set up to Gmail, iCloud, Microsoft, Yahoo | Yes | No | |
| USB Scanning | Standard limited capacity as no hard drive | Requires USB Flash Memory | |
| Scan to 3rd party Cloud services | Dropbox / 365 / OneDrive / Box / Google Drive | ? | |
| OCR Scanning | Standard | Requires Optional Scan Extension Kit A | |
| Encrypted PDF | Yes | Yes | |
| Scan Preview | Yes | No | |
| Paper Capacities & Stand | |||
| Cabinet / Stand included | No | No – requires CB472 cabinet | |
| Tray 1 (Max Sheets / Max Size / Max Weight) | 520 / A3 / 256 | A3 / 500 sheets / 60 – 256GSM – Optional PF-470 | |
| Tray 2 (Option A) NO CABINET (Max Sheets / Max Size / Max Weight) | Optional 520 | Optional – A3 / 60 – 163GSM – Optional PF-471 | View in shop |
| Tray 2 (Option B) Includes Cab (Max Sheets / Max Size / Max Weight) | Optional 520 | Optional – A3 / 60 – 163GSM – Optional PF-471 | View in shop |
| Tray 3 (Max Sheets / Max Size / Max Weight) | Optional 3 x 520 drawers | Optional – A3 / 60 – 163GSM | |
| Tray 4 (Option A) 3 x 520 (Max Sheets / Max Size / Max Weight) | View in shop | ||
| Tray 4 (Option B) 870 + 1,130 (Max Sheets / Max Size / Max Weight) | Optional | N/A | View in shop |
| Tray 5 Side Feeder (Max Sheets / Max Size / Max Weight) | 2,000 sheet A4 Optional | N/A | View in shop |
| Maximum possible paper capacity including bypass (sheets) | 4,180 | 1,600 | |
| Maximum Paper Weight single sided Through cassettes (gsm) | 256 – All Cassettes | 256 (Cassette 1 only) | |
| Maximum Paper Weight duplex (gsm) | 256 (Bypass) / 169 (Cassettes) | 60 – 260 | |
| Bypass capacity (Sheets) | 100 | 100 | |
| Bypass Maximum Size / Weight GSM | A3 / 256 | A3 / 50-256 | |
| Memory & Processor & WiFi | |||
| Genuine Adobe Postscript 3 | Optional | Not available – only emulation | View in shop |
| Hard Drive Capacity GB | Optional 320GB HDD | Optional | |
| Hard Drive Type | HDD | Optional SSD | |
| AES 256 Encrypted Hard Drive | Standard with Hard Drive | No – requires Data Security Kit E | |
| Hard Drive Upgrade Options | N/A | HD-6: SSD 32 GB / HD-7: SSD 128 GB | |
| Processor | 1.05 GHz Dual Core | ARM Cortex-A9 Dual core 1.2 GHz | |
| RAM Memory GB | 4GB | 1.5 Standard 1GB / 2GB upgrades | |
| Wireless Option | Can use LAN & WiFi Concurrent | Optional IB-51- Yes, but for direct printing only, does not connect to a network | View in shop |
| Wi-Fi Direct without connection to LAN | Yes | Yes – via optional IB-36 | |
| Gigabit Ethernet | Standard | Standard | |
| Weight & Dimensions | |||
| Width with 4 cassettes | 590MM – Single Cassette | 590MM | |
| Depth with 4 cassettes | 671MM | 590MM | |
| Height with 4 cassettes | 766MM – Single Cassette | 753MM | |
| Weight | 62.5KG | 76KG | |
| Security & Access Control | |||
| Audit Log | Yes | No | |
| FIPS 140-2 Enhanced Encrypted Security | Yes | Requires Optional Data Security kit (E) AC | |
| RFID Card Reader port | Optional | Optional | View in shop |
| NFC (Tap to Pair) | Standard | No | |
| Trellix McAfee® Embedded Control (whitelisting) | Standard | No | |
| Trellix McAfee® Integrity Control | Optional | No | View in shop |
| Transport Layer Security TLS | 1.3 | No | |
| Common Criteria (ISO/IEC 15408) | Yes | No | |
| Cisco® Identity Services Engine (ISE)Integration | Yes | No | |
| Fleet Orchestrator | Yes | No | |
| SIEM Support | Yes | No | |
| Device Cloning for simplified multi printer installations | Yes | No | |
| Supplies | |||
| Black Toner Capacity – A4 Pages | 31300 | TK-8115K Toner Kit: Microfine toner black for 12,000 pages A4 | View in shop |
| Cyan Toner Capacity – A4 Pages | 18500 | TK-8115C – 6,000 | View in shop |
| Magenta Toner Capacity – A4 Pages | 18500 | TK-8115M – 6,000 | View in shop |
| Yellow Toner Capacity – A4 Pages | 18500 | TK-8115Y – 6,000 | View in shop |
| Toner Capacity Supplied with Printer | Black 16,100 / CMY 9,800 | Black 3,000 / Colour 1,500 | |
| Drum Life – pages | 109,000 mono / 87,000 colour | 200,000 | View in shop |
| Developer | 200,000 | ||
| Transfer Belt Cleaner – page life | 200,000 | View in shop | |
| Second Bias Transfer Roll – page life | 200,000 | View in shop | |
| Waste Toner Container | 30,000 | WT-895 – capacity ? | View in shop |
| Fuser | 100,000 | View in shop | |
| Environmental | |||
| Warm up time (Cold) Seconds | 60 | 30 | |
| Warm up time (Standby) Seconds | 12 | not stated | |
| Proximity Sensor for auto wake up | No | No | |
| Energy Star | Yes | 2 | |
| EPEAT Gold | Yes | ? | |
| Blue Angel | Yes | ? | |
| Cisco EnergyWise® | Yes | ||
| Optional Extras Full List | |||
| Paper Feeding | |||
| Additional Single 520 sheet Paper tray NO STAND (total 1,140 sheets) | Optional | View in shop | |
| Additional Single 520 sheet Paper tray Inc stand (total 1,140 sheets) | Optional | View in shop | |
| Additional Three tray module (total 2,180 sheets) | Optional | View in shop | |
| 2,000 sheet Tandem Tray Cabinet | Optional | View in shop | |
| 2,000 sheet “High Capacity Side Feeder” | Optional | View in shop | |
| 3,000 sheet “High Capacity Feeder” | N/A | ||
| Envelope Tray | Optional – replaces tray 1 | View in shop | |
| Centre Tray | Optional | View in shop | |
| Long Sheet Feeding (Banner Printing) | N/A | ||
| Paper Tray Lock Kit | Optional | ||
| Finishing | |||
| Convenience Stapler | Optional | View in shop | |
| Centre tray | Optional | View in shop | |
| Internal Finisher | Optional | View in shop | |
| Office Finisher | Optional – Requires cabinet or Paper Stand | View in shop | |
| Booklet Maker add on for Office Finisher | Optional | View in shop | |
| 2 / 4 hole Punch for Office Finisher | Optional | View in shop | |
| Various | |||
| Genuine Adobe Postscript | Optional | View in shop | |
| Work Surface | Optional | View in shop | |
| Wireless Connectivity Kit | Optional | View in shop | |
| RFID Card Reader | Integrated (Optional) | View in shop | |
| Fax Kit | Optional | View in shop | |
| Fax over IP Kit | Optional | View in shop | |
| Trellix McAfee® Integrity Control | Optional | View in shop |
What should be included in a quote for a small office A3 colour printer?
Headline prices rarely compare like for like. Before you sign, ask every supplier to confirm, in writing, that the quote includes:
- The exact model and configuration, including the document feeder, paper trays and cabinet or stand.
- Security features: an encrypted hard drive, secure print release and end-of-life data wipe.
- Genuine Adobe PostScript and OCR (searchable PDF) scanning if you need them, and whether they are standard or extra.
- Any finisher, booklet maker or hole punch your team needs.
- Delivery, installation, network set-up and user training.
- A service agreement with the cost per mono and colour page, what is included (toner, parts, labour, call-outs) and the guaranteed response time.
- The contract length, any minimum monthly volume and annual price increases.
On the Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn, the cabinet, hard drive, OCR scanning (Scan Extension Kit A) and extra paper trays are options, so check each one is priced in.
Should you buy, lease or rent?
Most UK businesses finance a small office A3 colour printer rather than paying outright. Buying gives the lowest total cost if you keep the machine for five years or more. Leasing spreads the cost over a fixed term (usually three to five years) and keeps cash free for the business. Renting suits short projects or businesses that need flexibility.
Our guide to buying, leasing or renting an office multifunction printer explains the pros and cons of each option in plain English.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best A3 colour printer for a small office?
For most small offices printing up to 5,000 pages a month, an entry-level A3 colour multifunction printer such as the Xerox VersaLink C7120 is the right size. In our comparison it won eight of eleven rounds against the Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn.
Which is faster?
The Kyocera ECOSYS M8124cidn prints 24 pages per minute; the Xerox VersaLink C7120 prints 20. If you need more speed, the VersaLink C7125 and C7130 run at 25 and 30 pages per minute.
How long do the toner cartridges last?
Kyocera cartridges last around 6,000 colour and 12,000 mono pages. Xerox VersaLink C7120 cartridges last 18,500 colour and 31,300 mono pages.
Does either printer have Genuine Adobe PostScript?
The Xerox VersaLink C7120 has Genuine Adobe PostScript as an option. The Kyocera has PostScript emulation only.
What is the difference between the VersaLink C7120V_D and C7120V_DN?
The C7120V_D has a 320GB hard drive and centre output tray. The C7120V_DN (also called the C7120DN) does not.
Get expert advice on an A3 colour printer for your small office
Scriptum Document Solutions supplies, installs and supports Xerox and Konica Minolta multifunction printers for businesses across the UK. We will look at how your office prints, recommend the right size and configuration, and give you an honest like-for-like quote. Not sure what you need? Book a free print audit and we will measure it for you.
See the Xerox VersaLink C7100 Series, read our VersaLink C7120 configuration guide, or buy online from our shop.
Call us on 0800 011 2858, email interface@scriptumds.co.uk or fill in the short form below and we will come back to you.
Get a free quote or print audit
Tell us about your office and how you print, and we will recommend the right printer, configuration and contract for you, with an honest like-for-like comparison. Prefer to talk? Call 0800 011 2858.
