Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi. Ford vs. GM. Netflix vs. Hulu.
Brand competition is like a never-ending game that shapes our daily choices. From picking out a soda to choosing our dream car, the battle of the brands is always on display.
However, brand comparisons may seem less relevant when it comes to a more unfamiliar industry, like printers.
“Does it really matter which brand of printer I purchase? I mean, it’s just a printer?”
This reasoning is faulty. As a local print vendor for nearly 40 years, we have partnered with Xerox and have seen printers' technological advancements firsthand. Choosing the right brand to fulfill your office equipment needs can be the difference between a wise investment and a costly mistake.
This is because each major printer brand offers something different, and it's not just about the machine's appearance. There are significant differences in the range of printers a brand offers, their features, supplies, and all the additional printing services that can improve your printing environment and your overall work environment.
Today, we will examine two of the major printer brands in the industry: Xerox and Lexmark.
Although we sell Xerox products, we want to be fully transparent. In this blog, we'll provide a fair comparison and even highlight when Lexmark might be a better fit for your needs. Let's start by giving a brief overview of each company and then comparing their similarities and differences.
Need a printer/copier? Download your free copy of the Complete Guide to Purchasing or Leasing a Printer for Your Business to ensure you get the right machine in place the first time.
Overview of Xerox
The company Xerox was established in 1906 in Rochester, New York. It is known for being the first printing company to produce and market xerographic plain-paper copiers.
Today, Xerox holds more than 13,000 active patents for its innovations, and its products are distributed in 160 countries worldwide.
Their product catalog primarily consists of office single-function, multifunction, and production printers for various workgroups.
Overview of Lexmark
Lexmark is a relatively new company that was established in 1991 with the ambitious goal of accelerating business transformation. As stated on its website, its mission is to turn information into insights, data into decisions, and analytics into action.
Headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, the company has a global reach spanning over 170 countries worldwide. It is currently led by CEO Allen Waugerman, who has been in the position since 2019.
To learn more about the top brands in the industry, read our blog listing the five best printer manufacturers in the world today.
2 Similarities Between Xerox and Lexmark
Now that you have an overview of each company, let’s discuss what really matters: their products, features, and services.
Let’s start by going over three similarities between the two brands:
1. An Array of Office Printer Options
Both Xerox and Lexmark offer extensive office printer options, both single-function (print-only) and multifunction (print, copy, scan, and fax), for small, medium, and large businesses.
The options for small workgroups include machines best suited for workgroups of up to 10 daily users and able to print 800-12,000 pages per month. Examples of single-function devices from both brands for small workgroups include the Xerox VersaLink B410 and Lexmark MX431ADN.
Medium workgroup printers are designed for workgroups with up to 20 daily users who print between 1,500 and 15,000 pages per month. Examples of these printers include the VersaLink C625 and Lexmark CX625ADE, which are color printers.
Both brands also offer options for large workgroups, defined as workgroups with more than 20 daily users and a print volume of 10,000 to 75,000 pages per month. Examples in this category include the AltaLink B8255 and the Lexmark MX911DTE.
To learn more about the Lexmark printers mentioned above, check out Lexmark’s Printer Finder page. For more information on the Xerox models, read the review blogs below:
2. Managed Print Services
Managed Print Services, or MPS, refers to the additional services provided by a chosen vendor to minimize disruptions in the office process, maximize device functionality and usage, and understand and control costs.
Xerox and Lexmark both provide comprehensive managed print services to accomplish similar goals, including:
- Cutting costs by offering a one-source solution for supplies and on-site service.
- Freeing up time for IT and other staff to focus on more business-critical tasks.
- Optimizing your print environment with product lifecycle management.
- Reducing energy usage and waste through device consolidation and timely supply delivery.
Managed print services are broad and vary by provider. Both Xerox and Lexmark offer MPS; However, the specific services and how they're carried out may differ between the two.
To enact MPS in your workplace, you must first meet the criteria set by your print provider.
For more information on the pros, cons, and cost of MPS, read these blogs:
2 Differences Between Xerox and Lexmark
Now that we've covered the similarities, let's explore the differences between the two brands:
1. Range of Print Solutions
While Xerox and Lexmark offer various office printers for small-to-medium-sized workgroups, Xerox provides a broader range of print solutions for larger businesses and workgroups that require a unique printing solution.
Xerox has more A3 machines than Lexmark. These larger machines can print standard and special media, such as tabloid paper (11 x 17 in).
Lexmark specializes in smaller, black-and-white A4 machines typically used in basic office settings for printing on letter/legal-sized paper (8 ½ by 11 or 14 in).
Another major difference between the print solutions of each company is that Xerox provides a wider range of specialty options than Lexmark.
For instance, Xerox has multiple entry-level and advanced production printing options, including the PrimeLink C9070 and the Xerox Versant Digital Presses. In contrast, Lexmark does not currently sell production machines.
Furthermore, Xerox offers a separate category of scanners for consumers who only need a scanning solution, while Lexmark does not currently provide this.
If you need a printer, both Lexmark and Xerox offer solutions worth considering. However, if you require specialized printing solutions such as production machines or scanners, you will find them only in Xerox’s catalog.
2. Printer Media Types
Lexmark is well-known in the industry for being a leader in printing labels.
Producing high-quality labels is a trademark of the Lexmark brand. If you’re a doctor’s office or pharmaceutical company that needs to print labels efficiently, Xerox can do it. However, Lexmark machines are better equipped to handle a sizeable label-printing volume.
On the other hand, if you need to print on paper larger than letter or legal size, Xerox offers more options and would be the better choice.
Before making a printer purchase, consider the types of prints you'll need to make. This will help you determine which brand to choose, especially when comparing Xerox and Lexmark, as they have significant differences in media types.
Which Brand Has the Best Prices?
It's impossible to write a comparison article without addressing the fundamental question: Who offers the best price?
Since this is a fully transparent article, here’s the unequivocal answer: Lexmark, but for a clear reason.
As mentioned earlier, Lexmark specializes in smaller machines, so its overall product prices are lower than those of Xerox, which offers machines that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
But, to get a more accurate gauge of price differences, let's compare two similar models from both brands: Xerox VersaLink B625 and Lexmark MX632ade.
A Printer Model Comparison
The current street price of the Xerox VersaLink B625, a black-and-white multifunction printer designed for a medium-sized workgroup, is $2,799.
On the other hand, a similar black-and-white multifunction printer from Lexmark, the MX632ade model, has a street price of $1,799.
Comparing the street prices of both models shows that the Lexmark multifunction printer is the more affordable option.
However, this doesn't automatically mean you should choose the Lexmark device. A closer examination of the machines' features shows differences in efficiency, as well as additional security features through external partnerships with McAfee/Trellix and Cisco. These factors could play a role in your decision-making process.
The Xerox machine prints at a speed of 65 pages per minute (ppm), which is 15 ppm faster than the Lexmark machine. It has a maximum paper capacity of 3,850 sheets compared to 2,300 sheets in the other machine. Additionally, it boasts a significantly higher color scan speed of 75 images per minute versus 39 images per minute. This makes it more efficient but also more expensive than its counterpart.
On the other hand, the Lexmark printer is the more affordable and compact option. So, if budget and space are your main concerns, this model is the better choice.
This example illustrates why it's crucial to consider your long-term printer purchase carefully instead of just going for the cheapest option. The initial cost should not be the only factor to consider when investing in a permanent printing solution. This is especially true when looking at cost in terms of monthly payments (leasing) rather than paying for it outright.
For more information on the cost of a printer, read these blogs:
- How Much Does a Printer Cost?
- 6 Things to Consider When Buying a Printer
- Leasing vs. Purchasing a Printer/Copier: Which Is Right for You?
Which Printer Brand Is Right for Me?
A lot goes into purchasing a long-term print solution for your workplace. It's important to take your time and consider the various factors involved.
Xerox offers a broader range of machines catering to different work environments, from desktop printers to production presses. Their printers are known for their efficiency and higher security profile, which is reflected in their slightly higher pricing.
On the other hand, Lexmark excels in label-making, making it a good choice for workgroups that require high-volume label printing. However, their specialization in smaller, black-and-white machines means they are generally less efficient and priced slightly lower than Xerox.
Both Xerox and Lexmark manufacture quality office machines, but their features and services differ. Your choice between the two will depend on your specific needs and goals.
Consider what you need in your ideal printer, which features would benefit your workgroup the most, and whether there are any additional services or special offerings that you would like to consider.
These considerations, along with other essential factors like your monthly print volume and budget, will help determine which brand best suits your needs.
As an experienced print vendor, we know how crucial it is to stay informed when searching for the perfect printing solution. Comparing different brands is an excellent way to learn more about your options as a consumer.
Read our other brand comparison blogs as you look to purchase your next machine.
- Xerox vs. HP
- Xerox vs. Brother
- Xerox vs. Konica Minolta
- Xerox vs. Ricoh
- Xerox vs. Toshiba
- Xerox vs. Kyocera
- Xerox vs. Epson
- Xerox vs. Fujitsu
