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Type: Color laser printer
Functions: Just print
contact: Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB
Maximum print speed: 33 ppm
Maximum paper size: A4/Letter
Print Quality: 600dpi (4,800dpi enhanced)
Apple AirPrint: yes
Consumables include: 4x Setup Cartridges (1,000 Color x 1,500 Black)
Dimensions/Weight: 318 x 455 x 421 mm (WXDXH)/21 kg
The Xerox C320 is an upper mid-price laser printer that packs all the features demanded by a busy workgroup, while also appealing to the home worker with high print demands. It is built for volume printing with a fairly fast print speed of 35 ppm (pages per minute), with a paper capacity of 250 sheets and a duty cycle of up to 65,000 pages per month.
It has premium features such as touch screen interface, USB host port and is supported by optional components including paper cassettes. There’s also a separate manual feed slot and the strong security I’ve come to expect from Xerox products.
It looks a bit clumsy to my eye, the square toner cartridge is raised to the right, rather than inside the printer body. However, more easily accessible toner cartridges promise brighter colors and it turns out, I’m not disappointed.
Xerox C320: Design and Construction
Moving four toner cartridges adds some height, making the Xerox C320 larger in all dimensions than the more affordable Xerox C230. The boxy form factor makes more sense in the multifunction version of this printer, the Xerox C325, where one of the two pillars holding up the scanner section forms a square toner compartment.
I noticed that the toner compartment opens almost easily and the toner cartridges disintegrate on light contact. The front access flap also opens very easily so the whole thing is felt. The same is true with lightweight cartridges. Xerox is using 30% recycled plastic here, which is great, as long as all these moving parts are sturdier than they look. It comes with a one-year warranty like the C230 series.
Xerox C320: Features and Specifications
As a step-up model, the Xerox C320 is higher-end and has a few more features than the C230. A small price difference of around US$27 buys you a 2.8-inch touchscreen with a more intuitive user interface and a USB host port, so it’s worth paying a bit more in my opinion.
It’s noticeably faster at 35 ppm and has twice the internal memory (1GB). Paper handling is the same, with room for 250 sheets in the main tray and a single sheet in the front-loading manual feed slot. Up to 216gsm on media in both inputs and 105gsm in duplex mode. It’s somewhat limited, but it’s a printer that doesn’t like heavy paper too much.
This variant includes a removable Wi-Fi module and is AirPrint and Chromebook compatible. It’s using a 1 GHz dual-core processor and unlike the cheaper C230, the C320 is supported by a range of accessories. These include a 100-sheet bypass tray and a 550-sheet feeder, which means your printer can keep up with your print demands.
The only thing missing is, which is often useful in a shared office where staff are able to finish their print jobs using NFC-enabled ID cards. You’ll find this feature on more expensive models like the Xerox Verlalink B600DN.
Xerox C320: Setup and Operation
A responsive 2.8-inch touchscreen, a print-only device an exceptional luxury, the Xerox C320 makes it easy to operate and set up. Once you’ve loaded some paper in the main tray, plugged in and turned on, the display will prompt you to select a language and print a test page.
Another tip suggests you download the free Xerox Easy Assist app on your iOS or Android device. This cool app helps you create a wireless connection with the printer and get it to your Wi-Fi network. It easily connects to a MacBook or Chromebook.
Xerox C320: Performance
The Xerox C320 printed quickly and efficiently in my tests, and with very little noise. Laser printers are generally louder than inkjets, but this one has a quiet mode that keeps sound pressure levels below 51db.
However, I tested two paper jams containing both inputs. The first was a case of many sheets of plain paper from the main tray at once and was easily cleaned. The second was my fault when I accidentally printed on duplex 210GSM paper, which is too thick for this printer to bend. It was easy enough to open the front flap and remove the offending sheet, but it’s hard to convince the printer that the problem is solved. It took some time and several reboots to resume printing.
This error may be a one-time occurrence and the Xerox C320’s strong print performance makes up for it. Black text on plain A4 paper looks as clean and crisp as any premium laser printer, with characters consistent with tiny point sizes. Print speed is accurate at a cost-effective 33PPM for continuous simplex A4 pages (35PPM for slightly smaller letter-size pages). It’s significantly faster than the Xerox C235, but slower than the HP LaserJet Pro 4002DN. In duplex mode, pages are turned faster so overall, it feels like a very efficient print rate.
Speeds are similar for printing color documents, which this printer is particularly good at, thanks to the bright toner in Xerox’s square cartridges. Mixed color pages look vibrant in my multi-page Word presentation with no sign of banding or fading. What really surprised me is how well the Xerox C320 prints color photos. In general, laser photos are worse than inkjets because they cannot print on the same coated photo papers (laser photo paper is much like regular paper) and their resolution is usually limited to 600x600dpi.
The Xerox C320 has its original 600DPI resolution increased to 4,800DPI, making images look more detailed and natural. Combined with the boldness of the C/M/Y toner, the result is a very satisfying image. I used Expert Laser Photo Paper for this test, which offers a more subtle improvement in image quality than plain paper.
Xerox C320: Consumables
Square toner cartridges are a departure from the usual elongated shape and they feel suspiciously light. Sure, bundled setup carts have less toner than standard carts and will only hold 1,000 color pages and 1,500 black pages. Happily, there are high-capacity cartridges available that will give you up to 5,500 color pages and 8,000 monochrome. A set of these will cost around US$670 (£500 EX VAT), which works out to a competitive CPP (cost per page) that will please any business with high print demands.
Xerox C320: Restoration
The good news is that routine maintenance for your Xerox C320 is a simple matter of dusting the outside and apertures and replacing the imaging unit, which is very easy to access and remove after 125,000 pages, or when indicated. The bad news is that a new imaging unit costs US$338 (80,480 ex VAT).
But because these imaging units last so long and need to be replaced so often, the CPP is still low enough to make this printer efficient, if not more, than many competing lasers and inkjets. You can print an instrument report and quality check that will show the supply level at any time, but be warned that this will eat up nine sheets of paper.
Xerox C320: The Final Verdict
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Despite my first impressions being dampened by the paper jams and unnecessary feel of the Xerox C320, I’m completely won over by its crisp print quality. It’s certainly equipped with two paper inputs, Wi-Fi, a USB host port and a helpful touchscreen interface. It prints quickly in duplex mode and text pages always look crisp and professional.
Although it has clear color prints. Photos especially benefit from the bright toner and enhanced 4,800dpi print resolution. If you go for a high-capacity cartridge for this printer, it’s also quite economical to run, making it a solid choice for any shared office with high print demands.
For more advanced options, I’ve tested this The best home printers And Best Small Business Printers.
1 Comment
I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.