A4 vs A3 Multifunction Printers: Choosing the Right Format
A3 machines cost more and take up more space, but they do things A4 cannot. How to decide which paper format your office really needs.
One of the first choices when leasing a multifunction device is paper format: A4 or A3. It affects price, footprint and what your office can produce in-house, so it is worth getting right.
What A4 covers
A4 multifunction devices handle the documents most offices print every day: letters, reports, invoices and forms. They are smaller, cheaper to lease and easier to fit into a busy office. For many teams, A4 is all they ever need.
What A3 adds
A3 devices print and copy the larger A3 sheet as well as A4. That matters if you produce plans, spreadsheets, posters, booklets or marketing material. A3 machines also tend to be built for higher volumes and offer more finishing options such as booklet-making.
The cost and space trade-off
A3 multifunction devices cost more per month and take up more floor space. If you produce A3 work only occasionally, outsourcing those few jobs to a print shop can be cheaper than leasing an A3 machine you rarely use.
A quick rule of thumb
If A3 output is a regular part of your work, lease A3. If it is rare, an A4 device plus occasional outsourcing is usually the smarter spend.
Tell the calculator your format and volumes and we will estimate a suitable machine with realistic pricing.