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F:\TKO\Canon/UK Canon iRC1021i vs Ricoh SP C222SFPage

CanoniRC1021iversus RicohSP C222SF

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Competitive Model: RicohSP C222SF

The RicohSP C222SF has a rated engine speed of 20 ppm in colour and black. The unit’s base price includes copy, network print, scanand walk-up fax (including walk-up and network fax) functionality, with 256 MB of standardRAM that is upgradeable to a maximum of 384 MB, duplex capability, a 35-sheet automatic document feeder, a single-sheet bypass tray and a 250-sheet paper drawer. PC, network and Internet fax capabilities are not available for this unit.Standard paper capacity is 250 sheets, upgradeable to a maximum of 750 sheets from two paper sources. Standard network print capability is via PCL 6 and PostScript 3. Unenhanced print resolution is 600 x 600 dpi, enhanced to 2400 x 600 dpi.

Highlights of theiRC1021i

The iRC1021i has an advertised engine speed of up to21 ppm (A4 size) in both colour and black. The device includes standard print and copy functionality, with fax (including walk-up, network and PC fax) optional. The unit includes768 MB, duplex capability, a 50-sheet reversing automatic document feeder (RADF), a 250-sheet paper drawer and a 100-sheet bypass tray. Paper supplies can be upgraded to a maximum of 850 sheets from three paper sources. Network printing includes PCL 5c6 and UFR II, Canon’s proprietary print controller language. Network scanning includes iSend PDF Advanced Feature Set Unenhanced print resolution is 600 x 600 dpi, which can be enhanced up to 2,400 x 600 dpi.

Sidebar:

Key Strengths of theiRC1021i

BLI’s Lab Test Report on the Canon iRC1021i praised the device for key features including:

  • Excellent ease of use
  • Highly reliable, with no misfeeds during the two-month test period
  • Built-in USB and SD/CF memory card ports allow direct photo printing without using a PC
  • The 3.5-inch TFT display allows previews of photographs and print options
  • Double-sided scanning and printing is standard
  • Extensive scanning options include full template storage capability
  • Auto-colour copy and print capability
  • Long life cartridges deliver a low cost per page output
  • Identical layout for PCL and Canon UFR print drivers
  • Print drivers offer a high feature set

Robust Feature Set

TheiRC1021iprovides an excellent feature set that offers numerous advantages over the SP C222SF, including:

  • BLI “Pick” Award Winner as “Outstanding Small Workgroup MFP”. In December 2008, the iRC1021i was distinguished with a BLI “Pick” Award in the small workgroup MFP category. “We were impressed by the wealth of ease of use features that Canon has added to this product, such as the new swivel-mounted 3.5-inch colour TFT screen, a scroll wheel for fast data entry, two host USB ports for print and scan users and SD card printing capability,” said David Sweetnam, BLI’s European Lab and Research Manager. “Printing digital camera pictures from SD and CF memory cards was a very simple process and the capability includes a useful index print feature, a preview mode taking advantage of the vibrant TFT colour screen and the ability to print up to four pictures onto a single page for perfect album size images.”
  • Auto-Colour mode. Lower toner consumption, fewer click charges and better image quality are all factors that users benefit from with Canon’s auto-colour mode on the iRC1021i. In contrast, the Xerox Phaser 6180MFP/D only has black or colour modes, which means that black pages in amongst colour pages must be printed using composite black (mix of C, M, Y and K). [DS1]
  • Triple the standard RAM:Standard RAM included with theiRC1021iis 768 MB – three times the 256 MB of RAM included with the SP C222SF. Users of the SP C222SF needing more memory are forced to pay an additional fee to upgrade it.
  • Twice the maximum RAM: The SP C222SF’s memory cannot be expanded beyond 384 MB. In contrast, users of the iRC1021i get twice the RAM (768 MB) without having to pay for additional memory.
  • Higher document feeder capacity. The reversing automatic document feeder included standard with the iRC1021i handles up to 50 sheets double-sided paper at a time, while the SP C222SF’s document feeder is limited to only 35 sheets maximum and single-side scanning. This could complicate the procedure for creating copies of documents longer than 35 pages for users of the SP C222SF.
  • 100-sheet bypass tray. The bypass tray for the SP C222SF handles only one sheet of paper, while the bypass tray for the iRC1021i has a 100-sheet capacity. This allows users of the iRC1021i to use the bypass tray as a separate paper source for feeding of preprinted letterhead and other specialist media, plus envelopes which cannot be fed through the main paper tray. What’s more, the iRC1021i’s bypass tray can handle heavier media (176 gsm versus 160 gsm).
  • Higher maximum paper capacity. Users of the iRC1021i can upgrade their paper supply to a total of 850 sheets from three paper sources. Users of the SP C222SF are limited to a maximum of only 750 sheets from two paper sources.
  • Higher output tray capacity. The iRC1021i’s output tray can handle up to 250 sheets, while the SP C222SF’s output tray is limited to only 150 sheets. This means that users of the SP C222SF will have to spend more time emptying the output tray in the course of an average workday.
  • Higher toner yield. Rated toner yield for the iRC1021i is 6,000 impressions black/6,000 impressions colour – triple the rated toner yield for the SP C222SF (2,000 impressions black/2,000 impressions colour). This means users of the SP C222SF spend more time replacing toner supplies and less time doing their actual jobs. (See Chart 1.)
  • Faster scanner. The scanner for the iRC1021i runs at a rated engine speed of up to 20 ipm in both colour and black. In contrast, the scanner for the SP C222SF has a rated speed of only 6 ipm colour/12 ipm black. (See Chart 2.)
  • Better multitasking. BLI’s Lab Test Report on the SP C222SF noted, “Users cannot perform some secondary job functions until the scanning and copying of documents is completed.” This is not an issue on the iRC1021i, which allows users to program the next copy job as soon as all the pages in the current job have been scanned.
  • Better copy functionality. High-level copying functions available for the iRC1021i but not for the SP C222SF include book copy, erase and program-ahead capabilities.
  • Better fax functionality. TheiRC1021i offers a fax resolution of 600 x 600 dpi – nine times the 200 x 200 dpi fax resolution for the SP C222SF. Plus, the iRC1021i includes up to 200 one-touch dials (versus 20 on the SP C222SF) and 300 speed dials (versus 50 on the SP C222SF).
  • Smaller file sizes keep network bandwidth low. In BLI laboratory tests, when both units were asked to print a variety of file types, the iRC1021i created file sizes that were significantly lower than those processed by the SP C222SF in four out of five tests. For example, when printing a 114 KB Word document, the SP C222SF’s print driver actually increased the size of the file to 119 KB before sending it over the network, while in contrast, the identical file was processed by the iRC1021i so that it consumed only 10.3 KB of network bandwidth – less than one-tenth the file size compared to the SP C222SF. This is significant because transmitting a lot of large files across the corporate network can slow down processing of all types of files, for all users, so lower file sizes generate fewer potential problems.

Superior Image Quality

In BLI Lab Test Reports, the iRC1021i’s output was rated better than that of the SP C222SF in numerous critical image quality categories, including:

  • Better printedline art. According to BLI Lab Test Reports, the colour business graphic output from the iRC1021i was rated “Very Good,” while the quality of the same output printed on the SP C222SF was rated lower (“Good”).
  • Better printed halftones. Similarly, the BLI Lab Test Report on the iRC1021i rated its halftone pattern output “Very Good,” while the SP C222SF received a rating of only “Good” in the identical category.
  • Better copied text. The iRC1021i was also rated “Very Good” in copied text quality. The SP C222SF was rated only “Good” in the same category.
  • Better copied halftones. BLI rated copied halftone patterns and ranges from the iRC1021i “Very Good” while the SP C222SF earned a rating of only “Good” in the same category.
  • Better colour business graphics. The iRC1021i also earned a higher rating (“Very Good” versus “Good”) than the SP C222SF when BLI rated copied colour business graphics output by both machines.
  • Better copied photographic images.Another area where the iRC1021i was rated higher than the SP C222SF in BLI’s Lab Tests was in the colour photographic images category, where again, the Canon device was rated “Good” while the Ricoh device’s output was rated “Fair,” with BLI noting “graininess in copied photographic output.”
  • Higher print density. Measured print density from the iRC1021i was higher than that from the SP C222SF, with the iRC1021i producing a range from 1.54 to 1.59, while in contrast the SP C222SF produced a range of only 1.46 to 1.55.

Faster Colour Speeds

When Buyers Laboratory conducted identicalprint productivity tests on both the SP C222SF and theiRC1021i engines, theiRC1021iemerged the winner in numerous colour tests. TheiRC1021i’sadvantages over the SP C222SF include:

  • Faster rated engine speed. The iRC1021i has a faster rated engine speed than the SP C222SF (21 ppm in black and colour versus 20 ppm in black and colour.
  • Faster colour graphic processing speed.In BLI testing, theiRC1021i produced much faster first prints than the SP C222SF when printing the 20 MB colour graphic TIF test file, with its first print out in only 26.08 seconds. In contrast, the SP C222SF took more than a full minute (81.34 seconds) to produce the first print of the identical file.
  • Better job stream efficiency. BLI’s job stream test is critical in understanding how a device will function under the stresses of a busy work environment. In this test, a group of nine different types of files (Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, etc.) is sent to print simultaneously, with BLI lab technicians measuring the device’s ability to process the job stream. In this test, the iRC1021i proved more efficient at printing the job stream in both black and colour modes, with a black job stream efficiency rate of 38.3% (versus a black job stream efficiency rate of 18.6% for the SP C222SF) and a colour job stream efficiency rate of 35.3% (versus 14.0% for the SP C222SF when using the identical print driver). (See Chart 3.)
  • Faster black first copy time. When BLI tested both units’ first-copy times, the iRC1021i was faster in all categories tested. For example, black first-copy time from the platen was 13.36 seconds for the iRC1021i, while it took the SP C222SF about twice as long (26.19 seconds) to complete the same task. The iRC1021i’s black first-copy time from the document feeder was 17.49 seconds (versus 25.83 seconds for the SP C222SF). (See Chart 4.)
  • Faster colour first-copy time.TheiRC1021ialso proved faster at providing first copies from both the platen and the automatic document feeder when running in auto-colour mode in BLI testing. From the platen, theiRC1021i’s first copy was delivered in 13.44 seconds, while it took the SP C222SFmore than twice as long (30.47 seconds) to complete the identical task. From the automatic document feeder, theiRC1021i’s first auto-colour copy was delivered in 17.68 seconds, versus 27.58 seconds on the SP C222SF.(See Chart 7.)
  • Higher overall colour copy efficiency rate. The iRC1021i proved more efficient than the SP C222SF when copying colour documents, with an overall 1:1 colour copy efficiency rate of 88.9% versus an efficiency rate of only 69.8% for the SP C222SF in the identical mode.

Superior Scan Functionality

BLI Lab Test Reports onCanon’s iRC devices consistently rate the Canon scan solution as “Excellent,” which is the highest possible rating given by BLI. In contrast, the BLI Lab Test Report on the SP C222SF rated its scan functionality lower (“Very Good”). Among the reasons Canon’s scan solution is rated so highly by BLI:

  • Standard iSend functionality.TheiRC1021icomes standard with iSend, which according to BLI’s Lab Test Reports, “offers very easy-to-use and feature-rich scan functionality.” iSend is a powerful document creation, distribution and archiving utility. It supports scan to e-mail, FTP sites, document management applications, Internet fax destinations, Webdav and user mailboxes.
  • Searchable PDFs. The iRC1021i allows users to scan documents into PDF documents that can be searched for text strings or phrases. This useful capability can significantly enhance productivity in any office where electronic documents are archived, and it is not available for users of the SP C222SF.
  • Automatic double-side scanning. The Canon iRC1021i comes with a reversing automatic document feeder which allows double-sided documents to be scanned in a single operation. Ricoh’s SPC222SF is limited to single-sided scanning, with double-sided documents requiring multiple steps from the operator. With environmental and paper cost saving initiatives driving more businesses to duplex printing, this weakness in the Ricoh is likely to have a growing impact.
  • uniFLOW Output Manager compatibility: Users of theiRC1021ican improve the control and efficiency of their print devices by incorporating uniFLOW Output Manager, a powerful modular software package that can be configured to the specific needs of their business environment. This open, Web-based system can integrate with a company’s existing systems to provide seamless and controlled access to network print devices. There are uniFLOW Output Manager modules designed especially for the office environment, allowing functions including biometric authentication, desktop accounting, secure printing, remote printing, and server clustering, as well as production-oriented modules for job ticketing, load balancing, web queue, PDF workflow, intranet watchdog, copy shop and document archiving. Whatever an office requires, uniFLOW provides the flexibility and modularity to ensure that each individual environment can improve efficiency, document workflow, cost control and increased information security. The uniFLOW Output Manager solution is proprietary Canon software and is not available for Ricoh products.
  • Standard scan to USB memory key capability. The iRC1021i allows users to scan files directly to USB memory cards, allowing easy portability of key documents such as sales presentations. There is no comparable capability available to users of the SP C222SF.
  • Scan to Internet fax capability: Unlike the SP C222SF, which does not offer Internet fax capabilities even as an option, users of theiRC1021ican scan files directly to Internet fax (with the optional fax unit installed) via standard iSend, allowing the documents to be sent to another Internet fax-capable device.

Superior Ease of Use

Not only does theiRC1021ioffer a scalable feature set, but it was designed to be exceptionally user-friendly, offering advantages over the SP C222SF including:

  • Better feedback to workstations. BLI’s Lab Test Report on the SP C222SF notes, “Whereas the embedded Web pages of some devices have graphical representations or approximate percentage of paper, the embedded Web page indicates only the size of paper available in the tray.” In contrast, the iRC 1021i’s Remote User Interface provides detailed device status information to users at their PCs, including the approximate amount of available paper and remaining toner.
  • Scan to multiple destinations at once. According to BLI’s Lab Test Report on the iRC1021i, “Users can send documents to multiple destination types in a single action. Scanning destination options include e-mail, Internet fax, fax destinations, FTP sites and the desktops of users using the innovative SMB network browse feature found on larger Canon office multifunctional devices.” In contrast, users of the SP C222SF can scan to only one destination at a time.
  • Simplify repeat scan task.Canon’s iSend includes the ability to store an entire scan workflow as a one touch favourite, including multiple destination routes (email, FTP, network folder) and all scan image quality settings (resolution, colour or greyscale, PDF compression, searchable PDF, etc.). There is no such capability for the RicohSP C222SF.
  • Easier scan destination programming. Programming e-mail destinations at the control panel via the alphanumeric keypad on the Ricoh SPC222SF is time consuming, as users must press each numeric key multiple times to enter the desired letter. In contrast, Canon iRC1021i users can take advantage of a scrolling wheel which facilitates fast data entry when adding new email addresses or other text.
  • Tilting control panel adjusts for easier viewing. The control panel for the iRC1021i can be tilted to accommodate the needs of users in wheelchairs, or to account for different lighting situations. This is not possible with the control panel for the SP C222SF.
  • Easy-to-use UFR II print driver:TheiRC1021i offers printing via UFR II, which is Canon’s proprietary print driver. UFR II is easy to use, and utilises the power of a user’s PC, along with theiRC1021i itself, to process data, basically splitting the job load. There is no UFR II equivalent available for the SP C222SF, with all processing having to be handled by the Ricoh’s 400 MHz controller with 256 MB of RAM.
  • Simple printing of digital camera pictures: Using Canon’s SD and CF memory card reader and colour TFT screen users can quickly view and print selected digital photos.

Summing Up