The C5100S is the first step into colour production, and the C7100S is a machine for a medium print shop with steady work. Both are four-colour with the same print resolution, but their running costs are very different, and that is what many people do not work out when they choose.
The short answer
- Take the Ricoh Pro C5100S if you are a growing copy centre or a print shop just starting, your space is small, and your volumes are not yet large. Also if you need long paper banners up to 125 cm.
- Take the Ricoh Pro C7100S if you have daily work in volume, or print paper above 300 gsm. Its cost per sheet is lower by a wide margin.
Number by number
| Ricoh Pro C5100S | Ricoh Pro C7100S | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | 65 pages per minute | 80 pages per minute |
| Colours | 4 colours (CMYK) | 4 colours (CMYK) |
| Print resolution | 1200 × 4800 dpi | 1200 × 4800 dpi |
| Maximum paper weight | 300 gsm | 360 gsm (duplex) |
| Maximum size | 33 × 48.7 cm, and banner 31.6 × 125 cm | SRA3 |
| Monthly volume | up to 250,000 pages | up to 700,000 pages |
| Paper capacity | 3,850 sheets standard, up to 8,250 | 2,500 sheets standard, up to 16,200 |
| Full line length | about 2.36 m | about 3.18 m |
| Total weight | about 396 kg | about 897 kg |
| Power | one 10–12 A line, under 2,400 W | two 16 A lines, under 5,000 W |
| Toner set price in Egypt (4 colours) | EGP 21,500 | EGP 26,500 |
| A toner set prints about | 8,000 sheets | 12,000 sheets |
The difference that matters most: toner cost
The C5100S toner set is EGP 5,000 cheaper, so it is natural to think it is the more economical to run. The truth is the opposite: its set prints about 8,000 sheets, and the C7100S set about 12,000. This is the toner of each job, by order, on the two machines:
| Job | Order | C5100S | C7100S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poster one side · 1 per sheet100 posters | 100 posters | EGP 120 | EGP 99 |
| Folded A4 brochure two sides · 2 per sheet1,000 brochures | 1,000 brochures | EGP 633 | EGP 520 |
| Product stickers one side · 35 per sheet5,000 stickers | 5,000 stickers | EGP 234 | EGP 192 |
| A5 flyer two sides · 4 per sheet1,000 flyers | 1,000 flyers | EGP 455 | EGP 374 |
| Book or magazine cover one side · 1 per sheet500 covers | 500 covers | EGP 928 | EGP 762 |
| Wedding cards one side · 4 per sheet500 cards | 500 cards | EGP 271 | EGP 222 |
| A3 menu two sides · 1 per sheet100 menus | 100 menus | EGP 340 | EGP 279 |
| Business cards two sides · 24 per sheet1,000 cards | 1,000 cards | EGP 174 | EGP 143 |
| One sheet of everyday press work33 × 48 cm, one side | 33 × 48 cm, one side | EGP 2.69 | EGP 2.21 |
The figures come from everyday press work on the 33 × 48 cm sheet, a quarter of the full sheet. A job printed on both sides is counted with both sides. All prices are in Egyptian pounds.
So the same work costs about 22% more in toner on the C5100S than on the C7100S. Work it out on your own volume of everyday press work:
- 5,000 sheets a month: the difference is about EGP 2,400.
- 10,000 sheets a month: the difference is about EGP 4,800.
- 20,000 sheets a month: the difference is about EGP 9,600.
The more your volume grows, the faster the C7100S pays back its price difference. And if your volumes are small, the toner difference stays small, and the purchase price and the space decide.
These prices change, so confirm the current price. For the full calculation on your work (toner, spare parts and power), ask us.
Space and power
Here the C5100S clearly wins. Its line is about 2.36 m and it weighs under 400 kg, and it runs on a single power line. It goes into any shop without preparation.
The C7100S weighs about 897 kg, more than double, and needs two separate power lines. Check the floor and the distribution board before you order.
Paper
- Weight: the C7100S takes up to 360 gsm, and the C5100S stops at 300. If your cards and covers are on heavy stock, those 60 gsm matter.
- Banners: the C5100S prints paper banners up to 125 cm, and the C7100S goes to SRA3. That is a real advantage for the smaller machine if you produce long formats.
Speed and size of work
The C7100S is faster by 15 pages a minute, and its monthly volume is up to 700,000 pages against 250,000 for the C5100S. The C5100S is built for a smaller scale of work to begin with.
If your work is close to the limits of the C5100S, it will be running flat out all the time, and that shows in maintenance.
How do I choose?
- How many sheets do you print a month? Multiply the number by the cost difference per sheet from the table. If the monthly difference is large, the C7100S is the more economical over time.
- Can your space and power take a machine of about 900 kg on two power lines? If not, C5100S.
- Do you print paper above 300 gsm? C7100S. Do you print long banners? C5100S.
And if you want something in between, look at the C5200S: about the same size as the C5100S, a single power line and the same toner cost, but it takes paper up to 360 gsm.
Before you decide
Come to the showroom with a file from your work, print your sample on both and see the result yourself. Tell us how much you print a month and we will work out the cost per sheet on each.
