This Week in Imaging: In the A3 Versus A4 War, A4 Likely to Be the Victor

This week on my Linkedin feed, a certain post caught my eye. In a nutshell, it advised enterprises to ruthlessly evaluate their printing and its costs. Foremost among the advice was to stop purchasing A3 multifunction printers. Other advice was to limit access to color printing, and don’t pay – or overpay – for managed print services. And, in a nod to the pandemic, which resulted in a significant shift in office print volumes, know and buy based on current print volumes – not what they were before the pandemic.

The company that posted this was PathForward, an enterprise-print consultant that’s based in Penn Yann, New York. Like other consultants, it’s advising clients to consider A4, noting on its website for instance:  “One of the most common mistakes is buying A3 and color devices when there is no need.”

Indeed, it notes that in one client’s case, it found that 80 percent of the client’s MFP fleet, which consisted of some 8,000 MFPs was A3, although less than 0.5 percent  was actually using 11″ x 17″ media. The client also paid $5,000 more per device than an A4 MFP would have cost. 

Arguments for A3

The traditional argument for A3 MFPs are that they boast faster print speed, higher recommended monthly volumes, are more durable, have a lower cost per page, can be equipped with document finishing and digital workflow solutions, and are also more secure.

In our opinion, while these arguments are valid for low-end consumer A4 models, in many cases, today’s office A4 MFPs match A3 MFPs in terms of print speed, cost per page, ease-of-use, durability, optional document finishing, device and fleet management, and digital workflows.

For instance, Canon has made a concerted effort in this regard. Its A4 imageRUNNER Advance MFPs provide virtually all of the same capabilities as its A3 MFPs, including digital workflow and security, as A4 imageRUNNER Advance MFPs integrate with Canon and third-party software for digital workflows including document capture and processing. There’s also advanced security including McAfee Embedded Control whitelisting to protect against malware and tampering of firmware and applications.

Our Take

Over the years, as we’ve periodically revisited the A3 versus A4 topic, it appears that each time A4 becomes stronger. To date, there’s still the lingering perception that A3 MFPs are simply more durable and suitable for higher volumes. But A3’s higher cost and the minimal need for 11″ x 17″ may negate this. Newer generations may eventually come to appreciate A4’s lower cost and compact size. While it’s doubtful that A3 will ever go completely away – there will still remain applications for 11″ x 17″ – in the long run, and in our opinion, it appears A4 – as it continues to match A3 capabilities – will win the war and become the dominant technology.

This Week in Imaging

Lexmark Releases Official Statement Regarding Ninestar Ban

Security

Confidence in Printer Security Down as Print-Related Security Incidences Rise

Cloud Print and Management

Y Soft Launches New Cloud-Based Print and Scan Solutions

Workflow and Content Management

Hyland Announces New Content-Services Product Enhancements

Document Scanners

Ricoh’s PFU Launches New Workgroup Document Scanner

Imaging Supplies

Canon Announces New Toner-Cartridge Removals from Amazon