Businesses spend US$110 billion every year on printers for homes and offices.

But what are the key differences between those printer types? What do those difference mean for your office? And which kind of printer is the right choice for you? Join us now as we take a look at these printers – and what they can do for your business.

Choosing the Right Size

When it comes to office printers, the two most common sizes are A3 and A4. A4 refers to the sort of regular-sized paper (210mm by 297mm) used for general printing jobs, while A3 models deal with paper twice that size (297mm by 420mm).

Sizes are a bit different in North America, where imperial measurements are used, and where “letter-sized” paper (8.5 inches by 11 inches) and “tabloid” paper (11 inches by 17 inches) are common. But in most cases, modern printers can handle both metric and imperial standards.

In fact, most offices do relatively little printing at A3 size. One study found that A3 paper typically accounted for just 2.35 percent of printouts. However, needs can vary a lot depending on which department is doing the printing. The study found that finance and HR departments usually print the most A3 copies.

Beyond the ability to deal with larger paper sizes, what makes A3 printers truly useful in the workplace is their power and versatility. In addition to their ability to print on A4 paper as well as A3-size paper, A3 printers can usually handle envelope-printing, legal-sized paper and a variety of other specialized print jobs.

Far-reaching Functionality

What else makes these two types of printer different? Generally, A3 printers are larger and more heavy-duty, designed for offices and coping with heavy workloads. A3 models also tend to have a wide range of other handy features, such as larger paper trays, three-hole punches, staplers and finishers. They can also handle a wider range of material options, and can often print on cloth and transparency film.

A3 printers also are more likely to be multi-function printers (MFPs), meaning they have the ability to scan, copy, fax and more.

But with all this added functionality tends to come size. A3 printers are typically larger than A4s by an average of 70 percent. For companies and individuals with limited floor space, it is often the case that an A3 device simply takes up too much room.

The A3 market is worth some $55 billion per year, and of that number sales, small- and medium-sized businesses account for 65 percent. Larger enterprises and organizations comprise most of the rest. But even if A3 machines themselves are usually more expensive than A4 devices, this does not reflect factors like total cost of ownership (TCO), where A3 models can often come out on top.

Controlling Costs

Issues like services, toner costs and lifespan can greatly affect just how much your office really ends up paying for its printing and document management solutions. And Samsung Printing Solutions’ MFPs are regularly judged by ratings agencies to be the most reliable and durable in the world – passing Industry Analysts’ Million Page test with flying colors.

The K7600GX line of MFPs can print up to 60 pages per minute, and its dual-sided scanner can handle a full 240 impressions per minute. That kind of performance is good for dealing with the very heaviest of office workloads.

Samsung Printing Solutions’ MFPs also feature the Smart UX Center, a 10.1-inch tablet device that gives users unprecedented control over their devices. Its range of handy document management apps can reduce your company’s printing load, helping you determine which documents really need to become printouts – and which can be digitally archived instead.

Meeting Your Company’s Needs

For simple, low-volume printing needs, a A4 printer can get often the job done. But for the best in power, functionality and lower cost of ownership for enterprises that deal with heavier print workloads, Samsung Printing Solutions’ A3 MFPs let your business do more – and do it more effectively.