Finding the right printer for your business or personal needs can be challenging. With hundreds, if not thousands, of options on the market, finding that one machine that will satisfy all your printing requirements can seem daunting.
Being a locally managed print vendor for as long as we have has given us the tools and the knowledge to help provide you with a thorough review of products to help guide you in your research process.
Because we partner with Xerox, we’ve gained expertise in the company’s array of machines and products and can guide you through the learning process to help determine which machine will be the best fit for you.
We know Xerox is not the choice for everyone, and our content goals are centered around giving you an honest and fact-based analysis that will help you make an informed purchasing decision.
Today, we’ll be taking a thorough and objective look at the Xerox VersaLink B405 multifunction printer (MFP) including its features, upgrades, pros, cons, cost and whether it’d be a good fit for your printing goals.
Note: The Xerox VersaLink B415 is the newest version of the Xerox VersaLink B405.
Xerox VersaLink B405 Basics
Here are some general statistics and information to help you get a feel for print speed, volume, resolution and cost:
Print Speed: Up to 47 ppm (pages per minute)
Recommended Monthly Print Volume: Up to 15,000 pages
Duty Cycle: Up to 150,000 images/month
Processor Speed: 1.05 GHz (gigahertz)
Print Memory: 2 GB standard
Maximum Print Resolution: 600 X 600 dpi (dots per inch)
First-Page-Out Time Printing: As fast as 6.2 seconds
Cost: Starting at around $879
Xerox VersaLink B405 Key Features
Now, let’s look at some of the notable features of the VersaLink B405 and how they can contribute to a productive work environment.
Touchscreen Interface and App Gallery
The Xerox VersaLink B405 MFP contains a customizable, five-inch tablet-like touchscreen that allows users a simple and effective way to complete printing tasks.
You can tailor the interface to your business’s goals by choosing from the numerous applications on Xerox’s App Gallery. A few examples include:
- Xerox Translate and Print is a general productivity application that helps eliminate language barriers, which is especially important to multinational corporations with diverse workgroups and school districts that have a student base from multiple countries. Over 44 languages are supported on the Translate and Print app, and the cost is tallied by the scan capacity you choose. A 100-page scan capacity is $50, a 1000-page scan capacity is $203 and a 5000-page scan capacity is $528.
- Connect for DocuSign, which is an application that can aid daily business interactions by eliminating approval bottlenecks and keeping essential agreements moving forward quickly and efficiently. The price of the app is $14 a month, $149 a year or $315 for three years, and there is a 30-day free trial available. You must have a DocuSign account to access the app.
- eGoldFax Connector, which lets you scan and send faxes over an internet connection through your machine using the eGoldFax virtual fax service. The app is $20 per device.
The Xerox App Gallery contains numerous applications that can aid in office productivity. For more information on the different kinds of apps, read the following blogs:
The touchscreen interface and app gallery are a part of Xerox’s ConnectKey technology, which, among other things, allows you to convert hard-copy records into accessible cloud-based documents and allows you to control your printer from your smartphone.
Augmented Reality Support
The VersaLink B405 includes the ability for you to virtually diagnose and fix an issue on your machine if it arises through the CareAR Assist app, which can be downloaded on your smartphone.
Augmented reality is an interactive experience that allows a support agent to see what you see using your smartphone’s rear video camera. The benefits of augmented reality support, courtesy of Xerox’s website, include:
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Enabling Xerox customer support to see exactly what you see for faster diagnostics
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Eliminating miscommunication because annotations prioritize what to focus on
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Showing the problem and visually identifying the steps to resolve it rather than just explaining them
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Not waiting for an engineer and keeping everyone safe
Read our blog on what Xerox's Augmented Reality Support is to learn more about the feature.
Printer Security
Speaking of security, VersaLink B405 contains strict security measures that’ll help prevent cyberattacks at all points of vulnerability. According to Xerox’s website, these include:
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Network intrusion and data transmission
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Protection from unauthorized access
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Stringent data encryption
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Add security to individual documents
In a technological world where cybercrime has become prevalent, it’s helpful to inform yourself of the security measures that companies are taking before making a purchasing decision.
Read our blog on Xerox's approach to cybersecurity to learn more about the company's security initiatives.
Additional Printer Features and Upgrades
Let’s take a look at the different configuration options that will allow you to customize and upgrade your machine in ways that best optimize your business needs:
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A 60-sheet Reversing Automatic Document Feeder (RADF) that scans two-sided original prints for copy, scan and fax jobs.
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An accessible USB port that’ll allow you to print or scan from any standard USB memory device.
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A 250-sheet output tray with a tray-full sensor.
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A 150-sheet Bypass Tray that’ll handle media sizes from 3 x 5 in to 8.5 x 14 in/76 x 127 mm to 216 x 356 mm.
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A 550-sheet paper tray with a standard paper capacity of 700 sheets (including Bypass Tray).
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Three optional, 550-sheet trays that increase total paper capacity to 2,350 sheets.
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An optional stand that provides storage for toner cartridges, paper and other supplies.
Here’s a look at the VersaLink B405 with the three extra papers trays and stand:
3 Pros of the Xerox VersaLink B405
Let’s go over some of the pros of the VersaLink B405 model:
1. Printer Size and Versatility
For a black-and-white multifunction printer, the VersaLink B405 serves as a strong option to meet high printing demand for workplaces with 3-15 users.
It’s also relatively small for a multifunction printer (48lbs without the stand) and can fit into compacted workplaces. The machine’s ability to perform multiple functions while also not taking up valuable workspace is a useful quality of the VersaLink B405.
2. All-In-One Printing Solution
Purchasing a multifunction printer means your machine will have the ability to print, copy, scan and fax documents. The VersaLink B405 will also come with email capabilities and cloud services.
3. Tablet-Like Interface and Mobile Connectivity
As we went over previously, the printer comes with a tablet-like interface and numerous applications that’ll make navigating your printer much easier while increasing productivity.
Its mobile connectivity feature allows you to administer printing tasks from your smartphone, while its cloud-based services grant you the ability to store and pull documents from the cloud whenever needed.
2 Cons of the Xerox VersaLink B405
Here are two of the main cons that come with the VersaLink B405:
1. Black and White Printing Only
The downside to the VersaLink B405 is it’s a black-and-white printer only, which means that it does not have color printing capabilities.
If you need an MFP that prints in color, the Xerox VersaLink C415 could be an option.
2. Not a Cheap Printing Solution
Another thing to keep in mind when looking into a multifunction printer is cost. Buying a multifunction printer will be more expensive than buying a single-function printer and should not be a purchase taken lightly.
Xerox VersaLink B405 Cost
As listed previously, the base cost of the VersaLink B405 is around $879. This doesn’t include optional upgrades or maintenance plans that you may want to include upon purchase of your machine.
Some vendors may offer trade-ins and there’s also the option to lease your printer, rather than purchase it outright. Keep in mind, most lease companies have a minimum of $1,000 in order to finance. For more information on this, read these blogs:
Is the Xerox VersaLink B405 a Good Fit for Me?
If you’re running a business with a workgroup of 3-15 people and would like one machine to have the ability to print, copy, scan and fax documents, the VersaLink B405 serves as a solid option.
The machine is a good fit for companies who may want to unclutter the workplace by using one machine to perform multiple services while still producing high-quality results.
If you’re looking for a printer purely for printing services, then this is not the machine for you. You would want to look into the VersaLink B410 or another single-function printer in that case.
Think the Xerox VersaLink B405 Is Right for You?
At Strategic Technology Partners of Texas, we’ve gained over 30 years of experience providing office equipment and services that contribute to general office productivity and enhance document workflow.
Because of our experience, we can tell you that the Xerox VersaLink B405 is a quality machine that can adequately perform multiple printing functions and contribute to general office productivity.
However, this machine is not for everyone. To best assess which machine is the right fit for your business goals, make sure to consider the size of your workgroup, your estimated monthly print volume and your budget.
If you think the VersaLink B405 is right for you or need help finding a print solution, reach out to us and we'll guide you toward your ideal printing goal.
