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Competitive Analysis Konica Minolta bizhub PRO 920 vs Xerox 4590 COMPETITIVE MODEL: Ricoh Aficio 2090 The Xerox 4590 Copier Printer is a 90-ppm unit that is available in a copy-only configuration as well as a configuration equipped with standard network print and scan capability. Equipped with 512 MB and a 40-GB hard drive, the unit must be purchased with one of two finishing options: the standard finisher, which has hole-punch and staple capabilities and includes a bidirectional de-curler and a post-process inserter; or the booklet-maker finisher, which staples, hole punches and saddle-stitches up to 15 pages to make booklets up to 60 pages long. Highlights of the bizhub PRO 920 Robust Feature Set The Konica Minolta bizhub PRO 920 is a 92-ppm unit offering standard standalone copy and optional network print and scan functionality. Equipped with standard 256 MB of RAM (upgradeable to 512 MB) and a 40 GB hard disk drive, the device offers storage for up to 3,000 documents in up to 1,000 user boxes. Network print and scan functionality can be added via the optional IC-203 print controller. In addition, this device supports advanced document management and communication features via the PageScope suite of software utilities. The bizhub PRO 920 handles paper up to 12” x 18” from its standard bypass tray, as well as from one of its optional LCTs, allowing users to create full-bleed ledger-size output. This device’s advantages include: Direct PDF and TIFF printing: Unlike the Xerox 4590, the bizhub PRO 920 lets users print PDF and TIFF files directly, without first opening them from within an application. This saves users a step every time they print one of these popular file types. Standard user box functionality: The bizhub PRO 920 devices come standard with the ability to create user boxes, which can be used to store both private and public documents. Users can create 1,000 user boxes for simple document storage and retrieval. The Xerox 4590 limits user boxes to 500 – half the number available for bizhub PRO 920 users.

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Page 1: Competitive model: Ricoh Aficio 2090 - KeypointIntelligenceftp.buyerslab.com/6st-za3x/CAR Reports/Konica... · Competitive model: Ricoh Aficio 2090 The Xerox 4590 Copier Printer is

Competitive Analysis

Konica Minolta bizhub PRO 920 vs Xerox 4590

Competitive model: Ricoh Aficio 2090

The Xerox 4590 Copier Printer is a 90-ppm unit that is available in a copy-only configuration as well as a configuration equipped with standard network print and scan capability. Equipped with 512 MB and a 40-GB hard drive, the unit must be purchased with one of two finishing options: the standard finisher, which has hole-punch and staple capabilities and includes a bidirectional de-curler and a post-process inserter; or the booklet-maker finisher, which staples, hole punches and saddle-stitches up to 15 pages to make booklets up to 60 pages long.

Highlights of the bizhub PRO 920

Robust Feature Set

The Konica Minolta bizhub PRO 920 is a 92-ppm unit offering standard standalone copy and optional network print and scan functionality. Equipped with standard 256 MB of RAM (upgradeable to 512 MB) and a 40 GB hard disk drive, the device offers storage for up to 3,000 documents in up to 1,000 user boxes. Network print and scan functionality can be added via the optional IC-203 print controller. In addition, this device supports advanced document management and communication features via the PageScope suite of software utilities. The bizhub PRO 920 handles paper up to 12” x 18” from its standard bypass tray, as well as from one of its optional LCTs, allowing users to create full-bleed ledger-size output. This device’s advantages include:

Direct PDF and TIFF printing: Unlike the Xerox 4590, the bizhub PRO 920 lets users print PDF and TIFF files directly, without first opening them from within an application. This saves users a step every time they print one of these popular file types.

Standard user box functionality: The bizhub PRO 920 devices come standard with the ability to create user boxes, which can be used to store both private and public documents. Users can create 1,000 user boxes for simple document storage and retrieval. The Xerox 4590 limits user boxes to 500 – half the number available for bizhub PRO 920 users.

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Konica Minolta bizhub PRO 920 vs Xerox 4590

Competitive Analysis

Double the standard memory capacity: The bizhub PRO 920 comes standard with 256 MB of copier memory, versus only 128 MB on the Aficio 2090. Additionally, the bizhub PRO 920’s RAM can be upgraded to a maximum of 512 MB, versus only 384 MB for the Aficio 2090.

Price advantage: The bizhub PRO 920 starts out with an MSRP that’s more than $11,000 lower than the lowest-priced configuration of the Xerox 4590 ($39,000 versus $50,100 for the copier-only Xerox 4590) and its price advantage grows even larger when the most popular upgrades are added. Comparing apples to apples, the Xerox 4590 with network print, scan and copy plus saddle-stitch finisher retails for $61,650, while a similarly equipped bizhub PRO 920 (with optional IC-203 image controller, Adobe PostScript 3 and saddle-stitch finishing) costs only $48,350 – a price advantage of $13,100, or 27.5%.

More saddle-stitched pages create bigger finished booklets: On the Xerox 4590, users can saddle-stitch up to 15 pages to create 60-page booklets. Contrast this with the 20-sheet capacity of the bizhub PRO 920 that enables users to create booklets up to 80 pages long – 33% longer than saddle-stitched booklets created by the Xerox 4590.

Eight-position stapling: The bizhub PRO 920’s staple finisher option offers eight-position stapling, versus only three positions on the Xerox 4590’s staple finisher.

Finishing is optional: Some offices need finishing options. Some offices never use them. Yet the Xerox 4590 requires buyers to pay for one of its finishers when they purchase the device, even if they don’t need one.

Better Functionality

When compared head to head, the bizhub PRO 920 has a feature set that is superior to that of the Aficio 2090. Among the bizhub PRO 920’s advantages:

Iron-clad Security: The bizhub PRO 920 is ISO 15408 (Common Criteria) EAL-3 certified and includes robust security features such as enhanced security mode, optional memory/HDD data overwrite, account tracking, user authentication, secure print, and password protected user boxes with three levels of security. In contrast, the Xerox 4590’s security features are limited to secure print mode, optional image overwrite and optional data encryption.

More program-ahead copy jobs: The Xerox 4590 has only 10 copy reserve slots in total, meaning users can program only 10 additional copy jobs while a job is in progress. Contrast this with the bizhub PRO 920, which lets users program up to 99 copy jobs while another copy or print job is in progress – almost 10 times the number of jobs that can be programmed ahead on the Xerox 4590.

Outstanding image quality: The bizhub PRO 920 earned a Five-Star rating for image quality in BLI’s Field Test Report. This means users can be assured that their copies and prints are not only delivered quickly and easily – but they look great as well. In contrast, the BLI Field Test Report on the Xerox 4590 noted that in print mode, fine line art showed choppy fine lines, and halftones showed pixels and looked grainy and mottled. The report also noted that in copy mode, black solids appeared washed out, with visible mottling.

Better toner technology: The bizhub PRO 920 uses Konica Minolta’s proprietary Simitri polymerized toner, which employs toner particles that are smaller, smoother and more uniform in size than toner particles produced by traditional

ShortcomingS

of the Aficio 2090

The bizhub PRO 920 was se-lected as a BLI Fall 2005 “Pick” for “Outstanding Mul-tifunctional Imaging System.” In contrast, BLI’s Field Test Re-port on the Xerox 4590 cited a number of the device’s short-comings, including:

Only some of the features required to program a typical print job are lo-cated on the main tab of the Adobe PostScript 3 print driver, including paper source, duplex and staple. In order to select quantity and collate, the user must select the De-tailed Settings tab. In con-trast, the PCL 6 driver of-fers a selection for quan-tity on the main tab, but not a selection for paper source, which is found on the Tray/Layout tab.

When a misfeed occurs, graphical and text-based information on the con-trol panel walks the user through the process of re-moving the misfed sheets section by section, start-ing with the finisher. The user must complete all of the steps on the screen, including closing the cor-responding door, before the display clears and moves to the next prob-lem area. However, some sections are numbered the same, which may be con-fusing to users.

Price is highest among units in this market sector.

PostScript 3 and PCL print drivers look and function differently, increasing the learning curve for users who switch between the two drivers.

from BLi’s Field test report

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Competitive Analysis

pulverization techniques, resulting in more even halftones, more accurate text and better grayscales. Additionally, BLI’s Lab Test Report on the bizhub PRO 920 rated its toner yield as Excellent, stating, “Tested toner yield is well above average for tested products in the competitive group.” In addition, new developer and fusing design advancements have been made to enhance imaging and increase yields, according to the company.

The toner’s lower fusing point enhances image quality because pre-printed stocks are less susceptible to fuser damage, less curl is produced and images are more consistent.

Faster First Copies, Faster Copier Efficiency

In its citation of the bizhub PRO 920 as a Fall 2005 “Pick” as “Outstanding Segment 6 Multifunctional Imaging System,” BLI stated, “The bizhub PRO is at the head of its class in print productivity…the bizhub PRO 920’s overall copy efficiency is the best tested to date in simplex mode.” The award citation also noted that the bizhub PRO 920 is “fastest of competitive models for producing booklets in print mode, and displayed the highest print efficiency for the group in both simplex and duplex mode.” When BLI subjected both the bizhub PRO 920 and the Xerox 4590 to identical productivity and efficiency tests, the bizhub PRO 920 outperformed the Xerox 4590 in almost every category:

Faster first-copy time from the platen: The bizhub PRO 920 produced its first copy from the copy platen in only 4.2 seconds, versus 5.3 seconds on the Xerox 4590. (See Chart 1.)

Faster first-copy time from the document feeder: BLI’s Lab Test report said that the bizhub PRO 920 produced the fastest first copy from the document feeder among all competitive products tested, at 4.5 seconds, versus the Xerox 4590’s 6.3 seconds. (See Chart 1.)

Copier efficiency is higher: In all three modes tested (simplex, 1:2 duplex and 2:2 duplex), BLI’s Field Test results showed that the bizhub PRO 920 is more efficient at copying. For example, in simplex mode, the bizhub PRO 920’s efficiency is 86.4%, versus the Xerox 4590’s efficiency of 78.8%; in 1:2 mode, the bizhub PRO 920 performed at 74.5% efficiency, versus only 71.2% on the Xerox 4590; and in 2:2 duplex mode, the bizhub PRO 920’s efficiency tested at 80.0%, versus 79.2% on the Xerox 4590. (See Chart 2.) In booklet mode, the bizhub PRO 920’s copy efficiency was found to be 80.4%, versus only 73.1% for the Xerox 4590. (See Chart 3.)

Print efficiency is higher: The bizhub PRO 920’s efficiency advantage extends to its print function as well. In simplex mode, the bizhub PRO 920’s efficiency rating tested at 71.1%, versus an efficiency of only 64.9% on the Xerox 4590. In duplex mode, the bizhub PRO 920 again beat the efficiency rate of the Xerox 4590, at 67.5% versus 60.2%. (See Chart 4.) In booklet print mode, the bizhub PRO 920’s efficiency is 80.8%, versus a booklet print efficiency of only 71.8% on the Xerox 4590. (See Chart 5.)

* Data from BLI’s Field and Lab Test Reports.

Konica Minolta bizhub PRO 920 vs Xerox 4590

the bizhub Pro 920was the only product to be named a Fall 2005 BLI “Pick” as “Outstanding Segment 6 Multifunctional Imaging System.” Among the reasons cited were its strong reliability and good productivity.

“Handling media weight to 110-lb. index from all paper sources and in sizes up to 12” x 18” from both the bypass and the LCT, and available with a wide range of finishing options, the bizhub PRO 920 is well-suited to the paper-handling demands of production environ-ments…The bizhub PRO 920 is the fastest among competitive models for producing booklets in print mode.”

from the Fall 2005 BLi “Pick” citation published in Digital imaging review

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Competitive AnalysisKonica Minolta bizhub PRO 920 vs Xerox 4590

Chart 2: Copier Efficiency

2:2

79.20

25

50

75

100%

bizhub PRO 920Xerox 4590

1:1

80.086.4 78.8

1:2

74.5 71.2

Chart 3: Booklet Copy Efficiency

bizhub PRO 920Xerox 4590

80.4 73.10

25

50

75

100%

Chart 1: First-Copy Time (in seconds)

0

2

4

6

From Platen From Document Feeder

8

bizhub PRO 920Xerox 4590

4.2 5.3 4.5 6.3

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Because of its outstand-ing image quality and print productivity, very good copy productivity and competitive overall ease of use and price point, BLI gives the bi-zhub PRO 920 an over-all Field Tested Rating of Five Stars.

from BLi’s Field test report

Competitive Analysis

Productivity-Enhancing Features

The bizhub PRO 920 doesn’t just let users work faster. It lets them work smarter. The bizhub PRO 920 delivers more of the features businesses need to keep their workflow moving without interruption, including:

Large-capacity tray handles 12" x 18" media: While both units offer optional large-capacity trays (LCTs), only the bizhub PRO 920 offers an optional large-capacity tray that can handle paper up to 12" x 18". Users of the Xerox 4590 are restricted to using paper no larger than 8½” x 11” in the LCT, severely limiting the kinds of jobs that can be fed from the LCT.

LCT has double the paper capacity: The optional LCT on the Xerox 4590 handles only half the sheets available to users of the bizhub PRO 920, yet the Xerox 4590’s LCT option costs more. The Xerox 4590’s LCT has a capacity of 2,000 sheets (versus the bizhub PRO 920’s LCT capacity of 4,000 sheets) and costs $2,700 (versus $2,000 for the letter-size bizhub PRO 920 LCT).

Konica Minolta bizhub PRO 920 vs Xerox 4590

Chart 4: Overall Print Efficiency

1:1 1:2

bizhub PRO 920Xerox 4590

71.1 64.9 67.5 60.20

25

50

75

100%

Chart 5: Booklet Printing Efficiency

bizhub PRO 920Xerox 4590

80.8 71.80

25

50

75

100%

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Competitive Analysis

Tandem copy capability effectively doubles speed for heavy-duty job runs: The bizhub PRO 920 can copy in tandem with a second bizhub PRO 920, effectively doubling productivity. This lets users create extra-large jobs in half the time it takes a single unit. The Xerox 4590 does not have this productivity-enhancing capability.

More copy control codes: Users can create up to 1,000 copy control codes on the bizhub PRO 920 – double the amount of copy control codes available to users of the Xerox 4590.

More job programs: The bizhub PRO 920 offers 99 job program slots – nearly 10 times the amount of job programs offered by the Xerox 4590 (only 10).

Less service intervention: The bizhub PRO 920’s image drum yield is almost double that of the Xerox 4590’s (1,000,000 versus only 505,000 impressions), so the bizhub PRO 920 makes almost twice as many copies and prints as the Xerox 4590 before it requires an image drum replacement.

Higher monthly volume: Konica Minolta’s recommended monthly volume for the bizhub PRO 920, at 750,000 impressions, is 50% higher than that of the Xerox 4590, which has a recommended monthly volume of only 500,000 impressions. That robust monthly volume translates into more productivity for bizhub PRO 920 users.

Easier to use print drivers: While both devices use Adobe PostScript 3, only the bizhub PRO 920 offers graphical “visual” drivers, which are similar in appearance. In contrast, the Xerox 4590’s PCL driver is graphical, while its PostScript 3 driver is only partly graphical, making the learning curve more difficult for users who switch between both drivers. Konica Minolta also offers the traditional text-based Adobe PostScript 3 print driver for users who are familiar with its layout and prefer a text-based interface to a graphical one.

Other Highlights of the bizhub PRO 920

The bizhub PRO 920’s advantages don’t stop with better functionality and productivity. It also offers:

Award-winning design: BLI selected this robust 92-ppm device as a Fall 2005 BLI “Pick” for “Outstanding Segment 6 Multifunctional Imaging System.” BLI cited the bizhub PRO 920’s “strong reliability, outstanding productivity and very good image quality” as among the top reasons why.

Certified highly reliable: After the bizhub PRO 920 completed a rigorous two-month, 750,000-impression durability test, not only did BLI certify this device as highly reliable – but the bizhub PRO 920 also earned a Fall 2005 BLI “Pick” as a result of its exemplary performance.

Range of useful utilities: PageScope Web Connection lets users check device conditions of the bizhub PRO 920 directly from their desktop PCs. PageScope Net Care provides network administrators with detailed information about operating conditions on all output devices on the network containing a Management Information Base (MIB) from any Web browser. PageScope Direct Print lets users print native TIFF files without having to open them first, and if the PostScript option is installed, this utility also lets users directly print PDF files. Plus, PageScope Job Spooler enables viewing of print queues and lets users easily reprint jobs and change the order of jobs in the queue. Optional utilities are also available to handle a wide range of applications including document management and OCR, variable data printing, file format conversion, imposition, routing and bill-back. A plug-in is also available allowing the device to work with HP’s popular Web JetAdmin administrative utility.

Konica Minolta bizhub PRO 920 vs Xerox 4590

“Because of its outstanding image quality and print productivity, very good copy productivity and competitive overall ease of use and price point, BLi gives the bizhub Pro 920 an overall Field tested rating of Five Stars.”

from BLi’s Field test report

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Competitive AnalysisKonica Minolta bizhub PRO 920 vs Xerox 4590

Fast, flexible network scanning: Scan to e-mail, FTP, SMB (desktop) or Box (digital mailbox) at 92 opm. Even scan to preselected groups of destinations in a few quick keystrokes. Add soon-to-be-released PageScope Workware or Router for a complete document distribution solution.

Easy PostScript 3 usability: The Konica Minolta–developed PostScript 3 Visual print driver offers a graphical interface that is very easy to navigate for programming simple or complex jobs. In its Field Test Report on the bizhub PRO 920, BLI noted, “The PostScript 3 Visual print driver (Adobe PostScript 3) used in testing is graphical and easy to use.” It also has a very good feature set that allows users to easily print onto tab extensions and specify different features (simplex, duplex, stapling, etc.) for different page ranges within a document.

Summing up

Offering higher productivity at a lower price, as well as a higher image drum yield, higher recommended monthly volume, larger saddle-stitched booklets – and, of course, outstanding image quality – it’s no wonder the bizhub PRO 920 was selected as a Fall 2005 BLI “Pick” for “Outstanding Segment 6 Multifunctional Imaging System.” Proving its ability to handle heavy volumes in a rigorous 750,000-impression reliability test, the bizhub PRO 920 is a certified-reliable workhorse that won’t break the workflow – or the budget.

KonicA minoLtA AWArDS

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Competitive Analysis

Specifications at a Glance

Konica Minolta bizhub PRO 920 vs Xerox 4590

Konica Minolta bizhub PRO 920 Xerox 4590 Copier/Printer

Domestic Intro Date Sept-05 Jan-06

Base SRP $39,000 $50,100

SRP (fully configured)1 $48,350 $61,650

Rated Engine Speed 92 ppm 90 ppm

Network Printing Optional Optional

Recommended Monthly Volume Up to 750,000 copies Up to 500,000 copies

First-Copy Time 3.3 seconds 3 seconds

Warm-up Time 6 minutes 71 seconds

Std Paper Capacity 2,000 sheets 3,800 sheets

Paper Weights 13-lb. bond to 110-lb. index 16-lb. bond to 80-lb. cover

Bypass Capacity 150 sheets 250 sheets

Paper Weights 13-lb. bond to 110-lb. index 16-lb. bond to 140-lb. index

Max. Paper Sources 5 8

Max. Paper Capacity 6,650 sheets 8,225 sheets

Max. Original Size 12" x 18" 11" x 17"

Max. Output Size 12” x 18” 13” x 19 1/5”

Scan Resolution 600 x 600 dpi 600 x 600 dpi

Copy Resolution 600 x 600 dpi 2400 x 2400 dpi

Copier Memory (std/max) 256 MB / 512 MB 512 MB / 512 MB

Copier Hard Drive Standard 40 GB Standard 40 GB

Document Feeder Standard RADF Standard DSPF

Speed 92 opm 100 opm

Capacity 100 originals 250 originals

Paper Size/Weights 13-lb. bond to 110-lb. index 16-lb. bond to 110-lb. index

PM Schedule 500,000 Information not available

Drum Yield 1,000,000 505,000

Toner Yield 66,000 81,000

Standard User Boxes Available 1,000 500

Program Ahead Copy Jobs 99 (maximum) 10 (maximum)

Booklet Maker Capacity 20 sheets (80-page booklets) 15 sheets (60-page booklets)

Large Capacity Tray Max. Paper Size 12" x 18" 8½" x 11"

Print Controller PDL/PCL Supported

IC-203 PCL 5e/6, direct TIFF printing, opt PostScript 3 with direct

PDF printing

PCL 5e/6, Adobe PostScript 3, HPGL2

1 The Konica Minolta bizhub PRO 920 is priced as configured with the IC-203 network printer/scanner expansion kit, PostScript 3 expansion kit and saddle-stitch finisher. The Xerox 4590 is priced as configured with network printer/scanner functionality (including PostScript 3) and the saddle-stitch finisher.