ID Maker Value vs. ID Maker Zenius

Reminder…these are the three most important questions to answer before you start:

1.       Do you want to print on one or both sides of the card?

2.       Will your cards need special encoding (magnetic stripe, contact chip, contactless)?

3.       How many cards will you print, on average, per year?

Below are the basic specifications for the ID Maker Value and ID Maker Zenius printers. When put side by side, you can see these printers offer a lot of the same features. Both are lightweight and compact, which makes them portable and great for small print runs. Both also have a two-year warranty.

These printers were designed for fast, efficient printing of single-sided cards. The ID Maker Value is hand feed only, so batch printing cards is not an option. The ID Maker Zenius, on the other hand, does offer an automatic feed option. The hopper can input 50 cards at a time, but only outputs 20 at a time, so you’ll need to keep an eye on it. Neither printer offers a dual-sided upgrade, but if you’re in a pinch, you can print on one side and then reload the card to print on the other.

If added card security is a must-have for your organization, the ID Maker Value has the capability of adding an anti-fraud watermark to the surface of the card. (FYI: There are 4 pre-defined HoloKote® options to choose from.) This printer is also the least expensive in IDville’s printer line-up, making it ideal for small organizations operating on a tight budget.

One distinct difference between the ID Maker Value and ID Maker Zenius is that the Value can be upgraded to include magnetic strip encoding. This is not currently an option on the Zenius.

With only small differences between printers, the key is knowing what your organization’s needs are and reviewing the printer specifications side by side to decide on the best fit. All ID Maker printers and complete One-Box Systems come with free and full lifetime technical support, which includes a loaner printer if your printer needs to be sent in for repair. This is a valuable benefit that is often overlooked when purchasing a new printer. But here at IDville, we believe you can never be too prepared! Learn more about our IDville Difference.

We hope this post helps you in your printer search! If you have any more questions or would like to talk with someone about your printer needs, call us at 1.866.438.4553.