Measure what you actually print
Read the page counter at the start and end of a typical month. Assess colour pages, duplex documents, scanning and peak days separately. If no records exist, collect a typical week's data and note events that could change the workload.
Define document sizes and purposes. A4 contracts, colour presentations and technical drawings are different workloads. The large-format photograph illustrates a separate printing category; such equipment is not a universal replacement for an office MFP.
Calculate costs consistently
Compare purchase, supplies, replacement parts and service over the same period. Divide supply cost by expected page count, remembering that advertised yield comes from particular test conditions. Actual page coverage and job patterns affect results.
An illustrative example: a supply costing 600 arbitrary units for 3,000 pages contributes 0.20 per page for that supply alone. Paper, drum, maintenance and the printer are excluded. These numbers explain the calculation; they are not NEKON prices or a forecast for a model.
Check details rarely included in advertisements
Check the life and cost of the drum, fuser, waste-toner container and other replaceable parts where applicable. Ask about supply availability and diagnostic turnaround in Dushanbe. A low theoretical page cost is less useful if a required part takes a long time to arrive.
For refilled or compatible supplies, discuss the precise model and cartridge condition. One promise of identical results across every printer is unreliable. Check sample quality, background marks, paper feeding and the agreed servicing conditions.
Test with your own documents
Print an anonymised contract with small text, a spreadsheet and several duplex pages. Test scanning to the required destination, network connections and your operating system. Real tasks reveal control-panel and document-feeder usability better than specifications alone.
For confidential documents, examine queue access and authenticated release where supported. Define how saved information is removed and how the MFP is handed over for repair before it enters regular use.
What to check
- Print volume and document formats are measured
- Supplies and replacement parts are included
- Service timing is agreed
- Printing and scanning are tested with actual documents
Sources
Check specifications and terms for the exact model and product version.