COPIER REVIEW | 5 MIN READ
This article is a great guide for anyone looking to purchase or lease a Canon imageRUNNER DX C3830i or a Sharp MX-3051. Whether you are looking for a review of one of the machines just listed or a comparison of both, this article will give you a comprehensive and unbiased breakdown of both.
After all, as one of the southeast's leading copier dealers for Canon and Sharp, so we sell both machines. No need to worry about bias toward one or the other.
If you are looking for a general comparison/review between Canon and Sharp as an office technology supplier, you can take a look at our blog featuring a comparison of Sharp vs Canon copiers.
Not a lot of time? Skip to what you need:
Canon imageRUNNER Advance DX C3830i Review
Manufacturer Overview
As a disclaimer, all of our third-party information comes from our friend's at Keypoint Intelligence - a trusted industry research firm. Additional data was curated from our own customers and their purchasing of Canon and Sharp machines from Standard Office Systems.
Canon has long been synonymous as one of the market leaders in the multifunction copier/device business, but recently, Sharp has been making tremendous progress in closing the gap.
The high standard in reliability, security, and image quality that you can expect from a Canon machine can now be found with other manufacturers for a lower cost (in some cases). Sharp continues working to become increasingly more reliable, but security is now comparable to Canon copiers.
As for image quality? That comes down to preference. Technically, Canon still maintains a slight edge when it comes to third-party research, however, we have worked with many customers who feel that Sharp machines produce a superior image.
When choosing based on image quality, make sure to bring sample materials that you plan to print on your machine. After all, it needs to look the best with your artwork, not stock artwork that the dealer uses during their demo. This will ensure you are happy with your final decision and know what to expect.
At the end of the day, it's a matter of personal preference and only you can make that decision.
This article will give you pros and cons to each machine. We will not outright choose for you, but rather give you the tools to make a more informed buying decision.
Canon imageRUNNER Advance
DX C3830i Copier Review
Release Date: August 2021
Speed: 30 ppm
Prints: Color
Dimensions: 35-3/8" x 22-1/4" x 28-1/2"
The newest edition in a long list of high-performing machines from this series. This Canon multi-function printer is replacement for the Canon 3500 series and is known for its exceptional reliability, and as a result, increased productivity for small and medium-sized workgroups. Additionally, you can be sure you data is as secure as possible with Canon's highly-regarded security features and protocols.
Things to note about this device is the increased efficiency, thanks in part to the easily replaceable consumables. Additionally, including Syslog/SIEM and Verify at startup boosts security and keeps your organization's information secure.
Copier Strengths
- Above average speed when copying a two-sided document
- Quick first-copy times when printing in color
- Duplexing scan speeds are among the fastest in the industry
- Larger than average standard paper capacity for increased efficiency
Copier Weaknesses
- Slower-then-average when printing a PDF file
- Below-average hard drive storage space
- Cannot accommodate higher paper weights to the same extent as competitors
- Scanning/copying previews do not support on-screen editing and page rotation
Sharp MX-3051 Copier Review
Release Date: December 2018
Speed: 30ppm
Prints: Color
Dimensions: 33" x 24" x 26"
Although it is a considerably older model and technology has evolved in the past three years, the Sharp MX-3051 is a copier that holds its own when compared to the Canon DX C3830i.
It's fast first-copy time is balanced a bit by a slower warm-up time, but the two machines match in this department fairly well. Additionally, the MX-3051 has one additional paper source when compared with the Canon which can assist with added efficiency. Paper weight limits are also considerably higher for this device.
Copier Strengths
- Small and large print jobs are faster than average
- Among the fastest scanning for both single and double-sided documents
- Above-average memory and hard drive capacity for more-than-sufficient space for print task storage
- Maximum paper capacity is above average for increased efficiency when printing larger print jobs
Copier Weaknesses
- Not very intuitive procedure for secure printing which may lead to some user frustration
- The help panel is limited in what it offers and is not focus results on the context of the task attempting to be executed
- Paper drawers do not support soft closing, so may create noise within a workspace that is not favorable when the machine is being reloaded with paper
- The standard paper tray itself is below average in terms of capacity
What About Copier Service?
There are many more factors to consider when purchasing a copier. For instance, a great machine with terrible support or service becomes a very average piece of equipment. If reliability is at 99%, but the one time it does have issues takes days or weeks to receive service, then you negate that reliability.
Regarding the difference between dealers and manufacturers, we wrote an article on the myths when comparing copier dealers and manufacturers, and it has become an eye-opener for many. You might be surprised to learn that there are many similarities to the two and a few key differences.
Regardless of the decision you make, be sure to fully understand how to choose your copier vendor so that you can be assured your machines will be up and running without issue. With copiers being so comparable from manufacturer to manufacturer, the real difference is in the service you receive after the purchase.
If you would like to learn more details about the machines listed in this article, please reach out to us, today!
