LAB TEST. Xerox WorkCentre Xerox WorkCentre Buyers Laboratory Inc. Lab Test Report. 10 PPM Color 40 PPM Black Copier Printer Scanner Fax

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1 March 2008 Xerox WorkCentre 7242 Buyers Laboratory Inc. Lab Test Report A Comprehensive BLI Laboratory Evaluation Xerox WorkCentre PPM Color 40 PPM Black Copier Printer Scanner Fax Test duration: Two months, including a 125,000-impression durability test. Reliability... Very Good Multitasking... Excellent Administrative Utilities... Very Good Feedback to Workstations... Very Good Ease of Network Setup... Excellent Print Drivers... Excellent Applications Compatibility... Excellent Scan Functions... Good Color Print/Copy Quality... Excellent/Very Good Black Print/Copy Quality... Excellent/Very Good Color Print/Copy Productivity... Good Black Print/Copy Productivity... Good Ease of Use... Excellent Feature Set... Good Security Features... Excellent Toner Yield... Poor Cost per Page... * Value... Very Good Manufacturer s maximum monthly duty cycle1: 125,000 impressions. Average optimum monthly volume for models in this speed range: Up to 28,000 impressions2. BLI RECOMMENDATION ALSO INSIDE Test Procedures Certificate of Reliability Ratings scale: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. The Xerox WorkCentre 7242, which has a rated of speed of 10 ppm in color and 40 ppm in black, provided an outstanding overall performance in BLI s tests, including earning Excellent ratings for nearly all print quality categories evaluated. The unit, which offers standard copying and PC and network printing, as well as optional network scanning and faxing (walk-up, network, PC and Internet), proved to be highly reliable in BLI s two month evaluation, completing a 125,000-impression durability test with eight misfeeds, for a misfeed rate of one per 16,875 impressions. One service call, which was required because the device wasn t recycling black toner through the system and was producing poor image quality, was resolved by * The cost of supplies is included in service contracts and not provided by Xerox. 1 The manufacturer s maximum monthly duty cycle is the maximum volume, as specified by the vendor, that the unit is capable of producing in a month; however, it isn t recommended that the unit be run at this volume on a regular basis. 2 Based on a survey conducted by BLI. When comparing models, note that this lower optimum volume was instituted in May ThisBuyers report has been reproduced written permission of Buyers Laboratory Inc. Any duplication this report, in wholereport or part, in any or manner, 2008 Laboratory Inc. WARNING: This with materialthe is copyrighted by Buyers Laboratory Inc. and is the sole property of Buyers Laboratory.of Duplication of this proprietary or excerpts fromform this report, in any manthe orwritten of limited Buyers Laboratory, is unlawful and violators will be prosecuted Laboratory Inc. Laboratory. To purchase reprints, ner,without whether printed electronicpermission (including, but not to, copying, faxing, scanning or use on a fax-back system), is illegal and strictly forbidden withoutbuyers written permission from Buyers Violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. To purchase reprints of any BLIcontact reports or BLI articles, at (201) Buyers at contact (201)BLI (x17) or at info@buyerslab.com.

2 replacing the black developer housing and developer. The WorkCentre 7242 offers excellent ease of setup and print driver functionality, as well as very good scan functionality. Furthermore, this unit is priced substantially lower than the average for comparably equipped business color units in this speed range. BLI highly recommends the Xerox WorkCentre 7242 for montly volumes of up to 28,000 impressions and for occasional use at 125,000 impressions. STRENGTHS Highly reliable Priced substantially lower than the average for competitive models Superior color output quality bright colors and above average sharpness in business graphics; wide range of shades and above average color halftone range in photographic images; extremely large color gamut that remained consistent over the course of testing Above average job stream productivity in black mode when using the PostScript or PCL driver Above average overall black image quality in print and copy modes Standard EIP architecture allows for the integration of third-party software solutions with the MFP Genuine Adobe PostScript option Above average maximum paper capacity Jobs can be programmed ahead at the control panel while pages are being scanned Smaller than average color scan file size User-replaceable components help reduce downtime that would otherwise be required waiting for service WEAKNESSES In color mode using the PostScript driver, below average speed in job stream evaluation, when printing multiple sets in duplex mode and when copying multiple sets in 1:2 and 2:2 modes; below average first-copy time from platen Below average black and color toner yields Below average standard paper and document feeder capacities

3 Performance Overview, and represent positive, negative and neutral attributes, respectively. Reliability VERY GOOD During BLI s two month, 125,000-impression durability test, the Xerox WorkCentre 7242 had eight misfeeds, for a misfeed rate of one per 16,875 impressions. One service call was required because the device was not recycling black toner through the system and was producing poor image quality. Service replaced the black developer housing and developer, which resolved the image quality problem. Although the unit s photoconductor yield of 93,000 impressions (for both color and black) is below average for units in its speed range, the photoconductor is user-replaceable and won t result in an increased need for service. MULTITASKING EXCELLENT The number of copy jobs that can be programmed ahead while another copy job is in progress is limited only by memory capacity. The user has to press a key, Close, in order to program a copy job while one is already in progress. The next copy or scan job can be programmed ahead while the originals of the current copy or scan job are still being scanned, which is uncommon on most devices. Print jobs do not begin printing until scan jobs are completed. The Interrupt hard key can be used to interrupt either copy or print jobs to perform an immediate copy job. During testing, this unit automatically returned to non-interrupted mode within approximately one minute and 30 seconds for a copy or a print job and restarted the job that was interrupted without user intervention. The unit took a total of 3 minutes and 20 seconds to download 15 print jobs from the print queue. Unlike with some previous Xerox engines, a priority function cannot be established. Jobs are handled in the order in which they are received. However, jobs can be moved up in the queue using the Priority key.

4 Administrative Utilities VERY GOOD Administrative utilities for the WorkCentre 7242 include CentreWare Web for administrators and CentreWare Internet Services for administrators and users. CentreWare Web, which must be downloaded from Xerox s Web site, allows the administrator to monitor all simple network management protocol (SNMP)-compliant devices on the network, including non-xerox units, remotely from a desktop via a Web browser (SNMP is a set of protocols for managing networks). The administrator can perform installation, troubleshooting and track meter counts using this utility. CentreWare Internet Services is an embedded Web utility that allows the administrator to remotely configure the device and manage the device from any desktop. It also allows the administrator and users to view the status of the device toner levels, paper tray status or error messages or the color of the paper loaded in tray four, for example, from their desktop before sending a print job. In addition, the administrator can view the print queue and manage jobs hold, release, promote and delete and submit jobs to print. CentreWare Internet Services can also be password-protected so that users can be restricted from changing network settings. Web Notification Xerox s CentreWare Web server application enables an administrator to install, configure, manage, monitor and report on all networked printers and MFP devices in the enterprise, including other manufacturers printers and MFPs. Collected information includes device configurations, paper supply, consumables supply, meter counts and error codes. CentreWare Web also offers a Clone feature, which enables users to apply settings from one device to other like devices that support cloning. Xerox Internal Auditron allows administrators to track black-and-white and color usage for copy, print, fax and scan functions.

5 Web Clone Settings Xerox Standard Accounting tracks copies, prints, scans and faxes. Xerox Standard Accounting is embedded in the software of the device; therefore, there are no additional third-party applications required. Setup of different types of accounts is enabled via CentreWare Internet Services. Up to 1,000 user IDs, 750 group accounts and 500 general accounts are available. Both administrators and users can generate usage reports from Xerox Standard Accounting via CentreWare Internet Services. Web Consumables Gauges Web Paper Supply

6 FEEDBACK TO WORKSTATIONS VERY GOOD Both the PCL and PostScript drivers offer paper supply gauges in 25 percent increments, as well as toner supply gauges on the main screen, enabling users to check the availability of consumables at the point of need, before sending a job. An administrator can access all of the following from CentreWare Web: paper supply, toner supply, complete job, non-complete jobs and staple cartridge supply. Consumables gauges available on the Web page indicate the remaining life (in 1 percent increments) for toner and drum cartridges; remaining life of waste container, fuser and transfer belt is indicated only by OK or Empty messages. Job status information is available from the driver, including current jobs, a history of copy, scan and print jobs, error messages and amount of toner and paper available. No pop-up messages are available to alert users of completed jobs or error conditions. Icon alerts with color changes are available within the Web utility. EASE OF NETWORK SETUP The administrator can send alerts on device status to three users and alerts with meter readings to five users. The WorkCentre 7242 comes with one disk containing PCL 5e/6 and Post- Script print drivers, a TWAIN scan driver, user guides, links to Xerox s Web site for CentreWare downloads and additional utilities such as barcode solutions and a font management utility. The disk auto launches, taking six clicks for the standard PCL 6 install and 12 clicks to install all three drivers. Installing the three print drivers and the scan driver requires 14 clicks. The port is automatically created upon installation of the driver. However, utilities must be installed separately from the drivers. The drivers automatically detect configured accessories. EXCELLENT Distribution of drivers to workstations can be automated via CentreWare Web.

7 A customer CD Pack is also provided, which contains three disks, including user guides, system administrator guides and additional information. However, available information for users is limited to only basic functions of the device. PRINT DRIVERS EXCELLENT Based on a 667-MHz print controller, the WorkCentre 7242 offers PCL 5e/6 and genuine Adobe PostScript print drivers. The PostScript and PCL print drivers are very similar in appearance, making navigating their screens easier for users who need to switch between them for different types of jobs. Most of the features required for a typical job are available on the main tab (the Paper/Output tab), including duplex and finishing. Further, users can select output type (black and white or color) and job type (normal print, sample set and delayed print) from the Paper/Output tab. Although quantity is not available from the Paper/Output tab, it can be selected from the Advanced tab. Additional features include scheduled print, secure print and sample print. The unit supports simultaneous RIP and print. Printing begins while the document is still being processed. All of the print drivers are bidirectional. Further, graphic changes occur in the print driver to indicate when settings such as staple or duplex are enabled. PostScript Print Driver Paper/Output Tab The drivers do not offer a point-and-click display for paper drawer selection and users cannot select the drawer from which they want paper to feed. PCL 5e Print Driver Paper/Output Tab

8 Unlike some other Xerox units tested, when a print job requiring a specific size of paper that is not available is sent to the device, the device stops; it does not proceed to the next job and resume printing of the other job once resources become available. File size remains the same when printing multiple collated sets, regardless of whether collate is selected from the properties screen of the driver or from the print screen within an application. Toner and paper gauges are located on the bottom of the default screen of the print drivers. APPLICATIONS COMPATIBILITY EXCELLENT No problems were experienced with any of the test files used in the applications compatibility tests. Units are tested for compatibility on Windows XP platforms with Microsoft Word 2000, PowerPoint 2000 and Excel 2000, as well as Adobe PageMaker 7.0, Photoshop 6.0 and Acrobat 6.0, using 25 application test files that contain text, graphics, halftone images, tables, etc., enabling BLI technicians to evaluate memory usage, file processing, font rendering and grayscale capability. SCAN FUNCTIONS Network scan functionality is available via the optional scan kit and includes TWAIN scanning capabilities, as well as scan to , FTP, SMB, hard-disk drive and Internet fax. Scan to fax, network scanning, scan to PC and scan to mailbox are all separate one-touch selections. Some other systems enable users to scan a document to multiple types of destinations in a single session. The scan function includes LDAP support, enabling users to access destinations from a server at the control panel. Scan modes include black, full color, auto color and grayscale and at resolutions from 200 dpi to 600 dpi. Destinations can only be accessed from one LDAP server. Multiple addresses cannot be entered on the fly via LDAP. GOOD The device does not offer a Favorites option for programming commonly used destinations.

9 There is no address book for storing destinations on the device locally. The administrator must create and import a.csv file, which must be revised and uploaded whenever changes are made. Compression modes include MH, MMR and JBIG2 (Arithmetic Encoded and Huffman Encoded). BLI thinks that the labels on the compression modes do not intuitively let users know which one to select for optimum results. When a color file was compressed using the unit s highest compression method, the file size was about half the average for models tested. A scan preview is not available. Additional scan features include mixed-size originals and edge erase. File formats include PDF, TIFF, mtiff, JPEG and XPS. Once optional scanning is activated, customers receive the Job Flow Sheets feature, which allows users to program everyday workflows at the control panel or lay them out at their PCs and then download them to the unit. This unit features scan presets available at the control panel, such as Sharing and Printing, Archival Records and OCR, for users who already have such programs installed. Users scan the documents and then route the document by selecting one of the preset destinations, which decreases the number of steps required. PRINT/COPY Quality The WorkCentre 7242 offers SMTP and network user authentication, whereby users can be required to log in using their network username and password. Twelve keystrokes are required to perform a scan to job using LDAP support with 300 dpi. Adding a second scan destination increases the number of keystrokes to 13. Scan to PC Desktop, which includes PaperPort scanning and organizing software and OmniPage OCR software, is available as an option. Color Print/Copy Quality EXCELLENT/VERY GOOD The color output of this unit is exceptional compared with other business models tested. Color business graphics in print and copy modes displayed bright colors and above average sharpness, background reproduction and production of pastel shades, as well as consistent coverage.

10 Color photographic image output was rated Excellent in print mode. The device was able to produce a wide range of shades and an above average color halftone range. Images displayed above average sharpness and an average amount of graininess. Flesh tones were natural. Color photographic image output was rated Very Good in copy mode. The unit produced an above average color halftone range with distinct separation between levels and an average range of shades. Images displayed natural flesh tones and an average amount of graininess. The unit produced an extremely large color gamut, which remained consistent over the course of testing. Primary color shift was minimal, with a very slight increase in magenta and yellow. Secondary color shift was also minimal, with a slight shift of red toward magenta and blue toward cyan. Black Print/Copy Quality EXCELLENT/VERY GOOD Text, halftones and solids in black print mode were rated Excellent. Text, which did not exhibit any toner overspray or halo effect with or without magnification, was rated above average for darkness, sharpness, fully formed characters and smoothness of curves, lines and serifs. Solids received high marks for darkness and consistency of coverage. Halftone pattern did not exhibit any graininess or banding. Halftone range was visible from the 4% to the 100% dot-fill levels with distinct separation between most levels. Line art in black print and copy modes was rated Very Good. Stair-stepping of diagonal lines was rated average. BLI technicians gave above average ratings to consistency of line thickness, fully formed circles and the separation of closely spaced fine lines. No toner overspray or halo effect was visible even under magnification. Halftone range and solids in black copy mode were rated Excellent. Halftone range was visible from the 15% (the minimum coverage on the original) to the 100% dot-fill levels, with distinct separation between all levels. Solids were rated above average for darkness and consistency of coverage. Text and halftone pattern in black copy mode were rated Very Good. Text received high marks for darkness, sharpness, fully formed characters and smoothness of curves, lines and serifs. No toner overspray was visible with or without magnification. BLI technicians noted, however, that characters viewed under magnification were jagged around flat edges and curves, particularly the former. Halftone pattern, which did not exhibit any banding, displayed an average amount of graininess. 10

11 PRODUCTIVITY GOOD Color Print/Copy Productivity GOOD A business color model designed primarily for monochrome output, the WorkCentre 7242 is one of the few models that uses a single drum. Because the drum must rotate four times once each for cyan, magenta, yellow and black the unit s tested color speed is slower than that of many competitive units. Consequently, as tested with the PostScript driver, although the efficiency was above average, the running speed was below average. Although the WorkCentre 7242 s job stream efficiency in color mode when using the PostScript driver is the highest for business color models in this speed range tested to date, its actual running speed is below average, in fact, it s the second lowest. When using the PCL driver, job stream efficiency is also the highest for competitive models, while the actual running speed is competitive. The WorkCentre 7242 s actual running speed when printing multiple sets using the PostScript driver is competitive in 1:1 mode and below average in 1:2 mode, while its efficiency in both modes is below average. The unit s actual running speeds when printing multiple sets using the PCL driver are below average in simplex and duplex modes, while its efficiency in both modes is the highest for competitive models. Although the unit s color copy efficiency is above average in all modes evaluated (1:1, 1:2, 2:2), its actual tested running speed is competitive in 1:1 mode and below average in 1:2 and 2:2 modes. The unit s first-copy time from the document feeder is competitive, while its first-copy time from the platen is below average. Black Print/Copy Productivity GOOD The unit s productivity when printing BLI s job stream in back mode using either the PostScript or the PCL driver is above average when compared with color models in this speed range tested to date; in fact, the unit s running speed is the fastest for competitive models. The WorkCentre 7242 s productivity when printing multiple sets with the PCL driver in black mode is competitive in 1:1 mode; in 1:2 mode its running speed is competitive, while efficiency is below average. When using the PostScript driver, the device s running speed is competitive in 1:1 mode and below average in 1:2 mode, while its efficiency in simplex and duplex modes is below average. 11

12 When copying multiple sets in black mode, although the unit s efficiency is below average in all modes evaluated (1:1, 1:2, 2:2), it running speeds are competitive. First-copy times from both the platen and document feeder are competitive for the group. EASE OF USE EXCELLENT The WorkCentre 7242 features a very easy-to-use 7-11/16"-x-3" albeit monochrome touch-screen display. Other models in this range offer a color display. The control panel features hard key selections for All Services, Job Status and Machine Status. Brightness can be adjusted via a dial on the control panel. Most of the features required for a typical copy job can be programmed from the main screen of the display; the screens are very well laid out, with well-labeled selections, and enable intuitive programming. Eight keystrokes are required to program a typical copy job at the device (duplexing two sets with reduction, single staple and auto cassette selection on). Copy is not the default screen; several keystrokes are required to access the copy screen. However, these steps can be reduced by changing the unit s default settings. When users press the All Services hard key, they are presented with selections for copy, fax, scan to mailbox, , network scanning, send from mailbox, Internet fax, scan to PC and Job Flow sheets. So, if, for example, users want to send a fax and scan to a mailbox, they must select each function separately and then return to the main screen. Additional selections include ID card copying, poster mode, color effects, lighten/darken, background suppression, auto contrast, manual contrast, auto color/full color/black-and-white modes and up to 18 language selections. A Sample Job key is available via the Job Assembly tab. By pressing the More selection on the Paper Supply tab, which shows paper size, users can also see paper type and color. Print jobs appear at the control panel of the device. Users can view a list of active jobs, completed jobs and secure print jobs from the Job Status screen. Up to five jobs are displayed. 12

13 Xerox WorkCentre 7242 Control Panel The job queue is accessed via the Job Status hard key, displaying total sets completed and total sets programmed. Copy and print jobs share the same queue. Jobs can be moved to the second slot in the queue with the Promote Job function. Jobs can be deleted by highlighting the job and selecting Delete; however, this can be restricted to the administrator only. The Machine Status hard key provides users with very detailed information on the unit. Under the Supplies tab, the percentage of toner and SMart kit life remaining is displayed. The Billing Information tab provides users with the number of black impressions, color impressions and total impressions. Adjusting the drawers for different sizes is easy. The drawers contain sliding length guides, which are preferred to guides that must be removed and reinserted. The drawers also have automatic paper sensors, which detect the size of the paper loaded and reflect it in the control panel. However, users must confirm the paper size on the control panel, which is an extra step that some competitive units do not require. Procedures for replacing toner are simple overall. The four toner cartridges are stored in a revolving carousel mounted inside the unit. When one of the cartridges is empty, it automatically rotates to the supply port for replacement. In addition to toner, user-replaceable consumables include toner, drum, the fuser, waste bottle and staples, which BLI found to be easy to replace overall. Further, the waste container and drum are located at the front of the device for easy access. Misfeed removal procedures are simple as well. Misfeeds are accessed from the side of the unit. The graphic displayed when misfeeds occur is dynamic, instructing users after each misfeed is cleared. 13

14 FEATURE SET GOOD Although the WorkCentre 7242 s standard paper capacity of 520 sheets is below average, its maximum paper capacity is higher than the average for competitive models. The unit s bypass tray capacity of 100 sheets is competitive. The unit s hard drive capacity of 40 GB and its standard memory capacity of 1.2 GB are competitive. The unit s paper drawers and bypass tray accommodate up to 80-lb. cover, which is competitive and higher than the average, respectively. The unit s optional duplexing automatic document feeder has a capacity that, at 75 sheets, is below average for models in this range. Two finishing options are available for the WorkCentre 7242: a 1,000-sheet office finisher that staples up to 50 sheets in three positions and a 500-sheet integrated office finisher, which can staple up to 50 sheets in one position. Users can choose between a single-line or three-line fax option. Fax features include a 33.6-Kbps modem with JBIG compression, 200 speed-dial destinations, batch transmission (to memory capacity), battery backup, smoothing, timers, duplex transmission and reception, and secure fax. The unit is EIP-enabled so that Xerox and third-party software can seamlessly integrate with many different types of businesses. The WorkCentre 7242 offers 1 to 999 multi-copy capabilities. Copying features include 500 copy control codes, ID card copy (allows users to copy both sides of an ID card, such as an insurance card or a driver s license, onto a single page) and Bates stamping. EA-HG toner technology is engineered to have uniform size and shape, which aids in the area of image quality, according to Xerox. The unit is RoHS and ENERGY STAR compliant. 14

15 SECURITY FEATURES EXCELLENT Security Features Administrator password length (characters) Authentication Network user authentication Windows NT Novell NetWare NDPS LDAP authentication Authentication via department or user ID codes that are registered on the machine Number of codes Restrict usage of color Restrict usage of other features Authenticated printing Common Criteria Certification Digital user signature Encrypted PDF mode (encrypted scanning) Encrypted secure print Hard drive encryption Hard drive lock Hard drive overwrite up to 12 characters 1,000 user, 750 group, 500 general Pending Optional Optional Max number of overwrites after every job 3 Overwrite method IP address filtering IPsec Job logs (e.g., activity monitoring, compliance auditing) MAC address filtering Password-protected mailboxes Port disablement Removable hard drive Secure fax Encrypted TX/RX Fax forwarding Fax line access prevention Fax memory lock Confidential mailbox Secure print Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Third-party security features Transport layer security Unauthorized copy prevention (secure watermark) USB block Additional security features DoD No No No No No INA Audit Log, Encrypted scan-to- , SNMP v3.0 and HTTPS 15

16 TONER YIELD POOR The WorkCentre 7242 s tested toner yields for black and color toner are below average for business color units in its speed range tested to date. In fact, they are the lowest or second lowest when compared to models tested. It should be noted, however, that the few tested models that use a single drum also have below average color toner yields. VALUE VERY GOOD The unit is priced substantially below the average of business color units in its speed range tested to date. Supplies cost per page could not be calculated because the cost of userreplaceable components is included in service contracts and not provided by Xerox. 16

17 SUPPORTING TEST DATA Test Environment Test Equipment Test Duration Tested Configuration This product was tested in BLI s 10,000-square-foot test lab, in an environment monitored by a Honeywell Temp/RH chart recorder, which replicates typical office conditions. BLI s dedicated test network, consisting of Windows NT 4.0, 2000 and Microsoft Exchange servers, Windows 2000 and XP workstations, 10BaseT/100BaseTX network switches and CAT5 cabling. Products are tested for two months, five weeks of which consists of a durability test during which the product is run at its manufacturer-rated maximum monthly duty cycle, with 50 percent of the test volume comprised of copy jobs and 50 percent comprised of print jobs. BLI s daily test usage is designed to replicate real-world use over an eight-hour workday, and as such includes a mix of various-size documents, simplex and duplex modes, and a mix of short, moderate and long run lengths, and on/off cycles, throughout the day. The durability evaluation also includes testing of the document feeder/scanner for an additional 10 percent of the monthly maximum volume, evenly divided over the course of the test. Xerox WorkCentre 7242 base model, plus the two tray module, high capacity feeder, scan to kit, data security kit, network scanning kit, Adobe PostScript, office finisher, single-line fax option and DADF. Test Procedures The test methods and procedures employed by BLI in its lab testing include BLI s proprietary procedures and industry-standard test procedures, including a BLI-developed variation of ASTM s Test Method for Determination of Productivity using Electrostatic Copy Machines. In addition to a number of proprietary test documents, BLI uses an industry-standard KATUN test original for evaluating black image quality and test suites from Quality Logic to evaluate applications compatibility. In addition to a visual observation, color print quality is tested using the ANSI standard IT8 Color Test Target, which is read using the Minolta CM503I Spectrophotometer, and samples are analyzed using the CIE XY Chromaticity Diagram. In addition, density of black and color output is measured using an X-Rite 428 Densitometer. Georgia-Pacific Spectrum Multi-Use 20-lb. bond is used in the tests, 10 percent of which is recycled paper containing 30 percent post-consumer content. Image quality is tested using Georgia-Pacific Printing Paper (95 brightness, 22-lb. bond). Buyers Laboratory Inc. 20 Railroad Avenue Hackensack, NJ USA (201) Michael Danziger CEO Mark Lerch COO Anthony F. Polifrone Managing Director Daria M. Hoffman Managing Editor Lynn Nannariello Asst. Managing Editor Marlene Orr Printer Industry Analyst Tracie Hines Associate Editor George Mikolay Associate Editor Carl Schell Associate Editor Timothy Captain Associate Editor Jamie Bsales Associate Editor Lisa Reider Research Editor Marc Bussanich Technical Analyst Pete Emory Manager of Laboratory Testing Pia Beddiges Manager of Competitive Services Ken Nardone Technical Manager, Field Testing Anthony Marchesini IT Director T. R. Patrick Art Director 17 without whether printed the or written electronic permission (including, but not of limited Buyers to, copying, Laboratory, faxing, scanning is unlawful or use on and a fax-back violators system), will is illegal be prosecuted. and strictly forbidden 2008 without Buyers written permission Laboratory from Buyers Inc. To Laboratory. purchase Violators reprints, will be prosecuted

18 Reliability PMs/Malfunctions Service Required Meter Count (Beginning of Test) 0 Meter Count (Impressions) Impressions Between Service Poor image quality and device not cycling black toner through system; black developer mixed with CMY developer Replaced black developer housing and developer. 111,835 End of Test Period 125,000 impressions Total Misfeeds/Misfeed Rate 8/1 per 16,875 impressions Service Calls 1 PMs * Total Service Calls (incl. PMs) 1 * Xerox does not have scheduled preventive maintenance for this unit. Service is performed by service. MULTITASKING Primary Function Secondary Function PRINT SCAN COPY PRINT SCAN 1 COPY 1 Note that the print job will not start printing until the entire scan job has been scanned through the document feeder and partially transmitted. Note: A indicates that the user can initiate the secondary function while the primary function is taking place and that no further user intervention will be required for the secondary function to take place. In addition to a single-user multitasking test, which evaluates a unit s ability to initiate or perform one function while another function is already in progress (see chart above), BLI also tests a multifunctional product s ability to handle multiple jobs that would be likely to stack up in a multi-user networked environment. 18

19 PRINT/COPY Quality Print Quality Text Line Art Halftone Pattern Halftone Range Solids Color Business Graphics Color Photographic Images Excellent Very Good Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Color Density Readings Color Cyan Magenta Yellow Print Density Density of a printed image with blocks of all solid colors (based on the average of two readings for each color). Print density Black print density: 1.33 to 1.42 WorkCentre 7242 Density for business color models tested to date: 0.98 to 1.78 Range for tested units Measurements are based on four readings corresponding to four different solid black locations on the output. The higher the density reading, the darker the image. Halftone range: Grayscale is visible from the 4% to 100% dot-fill levels, with distinct transitions between most levels. 19

20 Copy Quality Text Line Art Halftone Pattern Halftone Range Solids Color Business Graphics Color Photographic Images Very Good Very Good Very Good Excellent Excellent Very Good Very Good Color Density Readings Color Cyan Magenta Yellow Original Density Copy Density Density of a printed image with blocks of all solid colors (based on the average of two readings for each color). Color Fidelity Readings Color Cyan Magenta Yellow Red Green Blue Black Fidelity Color fidelity of a copy to its original (using a KATUN test original containing blocks of all solid colors: tested in walkup mode using the machine default settings in full color mode and auto exposure settings); average of two readings for each color. Measurements are taken with a Minolta CM-503i spectrophotometer. The closer the number is to 0, the closer the copy s color fidelity is to the test original (based on the average of two readings for each color). Copy density Original WorkCentre 7242 Range for tested units Density of black original: 1.63 to 1.69 Black copy density: 1.48 to 1.57 Range for tested units: 0.99 to 1.89 Measurements are based on eight readings corresponding to eight different solid black locations on the output. The higher the density reading, the darker the image. Halftone range: Grayscale is visible from the 15% (the minimum coverage level on the original) to the 100% dot-fill levels, with distinct transitions between all levels. 20

21 PRODUCTIVITY Job Stream Auto-color mode: The unit completed the job stream using the PostScript driver in 2 minutes and 3.88 seconds, running at 9.2 ppm, which translates to an efficiency rate of 92.0%. Auto-color mode: The unit completed the job stream using the PCL 6 driver in 2 minutes and 5.97 seconds, running at 9.0 ppm, which translates to an efficiency rate of 90.0%. Auto-color mode: The unit completed the job stream using the PCL 5e driver in 2 minutes and 5.94 seconds, running at 9.1 ppm, which translates to an efficiency rate of 91.0%. Black mode: The unit completed the job stream using the PostScript driver in seconds, running at 30.8 ppm, which translates to an efficiency rate of 77.0%. Black mode: The unit completed the job stream using the PCL 6 driver in seconds, running at 30.4 ppm, which translates to an efficiency rate of 76.0%. Black mode: The unit completed the job stream using the PCL 5e driver in seconds, running at 23.7 ppm, which translates to an efficiency rate of 59.3%. BLI s job stream includes Word documents, Outlook messages, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint, HTML and Acrobat PDF files, totaling 19 pages. This test simulates the type of traffic a typical device might experience in a real-world, multi-user environment. All of the files are sent to the printer as a group, at which time the stopwatch begins; timing ends when the last page of the last file exits the device. Job stream efficiency is determined by the percentage of the rated speed at which the unit operates when producing real-world jobs. The closer the rate is to 100%, or if it exceeds 100%, the more efficient the unit. 21

22 Platen Document Feeder First-copy time First-copy time (auto color): seconds from the platen seconds from the document feeder. First-copy time (black): 7.43 seconds from the platen seconds from the document feeder. 1:1 1:2 2:2 PS 1:1 PS 1:2 PCL 6 1:1 PCL 6 1: Seconds Auto color Black Overall Efficiency Percent BLI obtains the overall efficiency for each copy/print mode by averaging the efficiency ratings (derived by dividing the tested speed of the device by the rated speed and then multiplying by 100) for each run length (1, 5 and 10 sets in copy mode and 1 and 5 sets in print mode). Copy Print Mixed Color and Black Copy/Print Efficiency for Multiple Sets Sets Time PPM Efficiency Overall Efficiency COPY 1:1 1 0: % 124.6% 5 3: % 127.2% 10 7: % 128.3% COPY 1:2 1 1: % 62.1% 5 6: % 69.3% 10 12: % 72.0% COPY 2:2 1 2: % 68.6% 5 12: % 73.3% 10 25: % 75.3% PRINT 1:1 PostScript 1 0: % 121.4% 5 3: % 124.5% PRINT 1:2 PostScript 1 1: % 62.4% 5 6: % 69.2% PRINT 1:1 PCL 6 1 1: % 87.3% 5 5: % 90.0% PRINT 1:2 PCL 6 1 1: % 75.7% 5 5: % 81.1% Efficiency is tested using a 10-page document, consisting of six black pages and four pages containing black text and color, with the unit in auto-color mode (in which it automatically detects whether the originals are black or color and switches accordingly). In print mode, the document is printed using the PostScript and the PCL 6 drivers at 600 dpi. 22

23 1:1 1:2 2:2 PS 1:1 PS 1:2 PCL 6 1:1 PCL 6 1:2 Overall Efficiency Percent BLI obtains the overall efficiency for each copy/print mode by averaging the efficiency ratings (derived by dividing the tested speed of the device by the rated speed, and then multiplying by 100) for each run length (1, 5 and 10 sets in copy mode and 1 and 5 sets in print mode). Copy Print Black Copy/Print Efficiency for Multiple Sets Sets Time PPM Efficiency Overall Efficiency COPY 1:1 1 0: % 63.4% 5 1: % 69.3% 10 3: % 72.7% COPY 1:2 1 0: % 39.8% 5 2: % 49.8% 10 3: % 54.4% COPY 2:2 1 1: % 43.1% 5 3: % 55.4% 10 6: % 61.6% PRINT 1:1 PostScript 1 0: % 61.1% 5 1: % 67.1% PRINT 1:2 PostScript 1 0: % 38.6% 5 1: % 51.3% PRINT 1:1 PCL 6 1 0: % 62.2% 5 1: % 67.4% PRINT 1:2 PCL 6 1 0: % 39.7% 5 1: % 52.0% Efficiency is tested using a 10-page document in black mode. In print mode, the document is printed using the PostScript and the PCL 6 drivers at 600 dpi. 23

24 SCAN FUNCTIONS Scan speed (auto color, 300 dpi, PDF): 1:1 mode: 40.9 originals per minute. 2:2 mode: originals, or 22.3 images, per minute. Scan speed (full color, 300 dpi, PDF): 1:1 mode: 28.6 originals per minute. 2:2 mode: originals, or 22.3 images, per minute. Scan speed (black, 300 dpi, PDF): 1:1 mode: 46.6 originals per minute. 2:2 mode: originals, or 25.3 images, per minute. Scan File Size Mode Single-Page File Black & White 41 KB Mode Single-Page File Full Color 1,569 KB 286 KB Note: There are multiple modes that affect the file size, but the names of the modes don t reflect the level of compression, which will make selecting the right mode difficult for users. BLI used MRC compression, which is the mode that allows for the highest level of compression. MRC 24

25 PRINT DRIVERS Xerox WorkCentre 7242 Print Driver Features Windows XP Adobe PostScript 3 PCL 6 PCL 5e Auto Feature/Device Detection Booklet Printing No No No Collate Sets Consumables Gauge Delayed Print Max Paper Sources per Job N-up Printing 2 to 16 2 to 16 2 to 16 Overlay No No No Paper Gauge Print and Hold Proof Print Quantity Selection Up to 999 Up to 999 Up to 999 Reduction/Enlargement 25% to 400% 25% to 400% 25% to 400% Resolution Modes (dpi) 600 High speed High quality Save Settings Secure Printing Watermarks/Custom Watermarks / / / 600 TONER YIELD Tested Toner Yield and Supplies Cost per Page (5% Coverage per Color) Color (5%) Net Weight (Grams) Toner Yield (Impressions) Impressions per Gram Toner Cost per Page 1 Black , * Cyan , * Magenta , * Yellow , * Total Toner Cost per Page 1 Supplies Cost per Page 2 * * * Supplies cost per page could not be calculated because the cost of user-replaceable components is included in service contracts and not provided by Xerox. Tested Toner Yield and Supplies Cost per Page (6% Page Coverage) Color (6%) Net Weight (Grams) Toner Yield (Impressions) Impressions per Gram Toner Cost per Page 1 Total Toner Cost per Page 1 Supplies Cost per Page 2 Black , * * * * Supplies cost per page could not be calculated because the cost of user-replaceable components is included in service contracts and not provided by Xerox. 25

26 CERTIFICATE OF RELIABILITY AWARDED TO XEROX CORPORATION For the performance of the Xerox WorkCentre 7242 throughout BLI's in-house durability test. This is to certify that when subjected to a 125,000-impression Buyers Lab durability test in a networked environment, the Xerox WorkCentre 7242 proved to be a highly reliable product. ANTHONY F. POLIFRONE MANAGING DIRECTOR RELIABILITY CERTIFIED TESTED TESTED NBUYERS LABORATORY I NBUYERS LABORATORY I C C March 2008 DATE the leading independent office products test lab and business consumer advocate THE LEADING INDEPENDENT OFFICE PRODUCTS TEST LAB AND BUSINESS CONSUMER ADVOCATE BUYERS LABORATORY BUYERS LABORATORY INC. 20 INC. RAILROAD 20 RAILROAD AVENUE AVENUE HACKENSACK, HACKENSACK, NJ NJ USA Copyright 2008 by Buyers Laboratory. Reproduction without written permission from BLI is illegal and strictly prohibited. Copyright 2008 Buyers Laboratory. This certificate has been reproduced with the written permission of BLI.