Researching and purchasing new hardware can be stressful for many end users.

That’s one of the reasons that we like to create specialized content to help you make the best purchasing decisions possible.

This Guide to Zebra Desktop Printers is full of easy-to-understand information and specifications on all of the different printer models that are currently available.

Let’s get started…

The Guide to Zebra Desktop Printers 

There are three families of Zebra Printers. They are as follows:

Mobile Printers
Desktop Printers
Industrial Printers 

Each family of printers is made up of several different printer models.

Let’s take a look at each tier of hardware that makes up the family of Zebra Desktop Printers.

Zebra Performance Desktop “GX” Series

The Zebra GX Series is part of the “Performance Desktop” Series of printers. These are all printers with a 4” print width, used in medical, retail, warehouse, and asset tracking applications.

Zebra’s “Performance Desktop” printers deliver best-in-class print speeds and features for improved efficiency and profitability.

Each model offers a variety of connectivity options, easy upgrades and integration with ZPL and EPL (GX models only) programming languages and reduced total cost of ownership as ENERGY STAR qualified printers.

All GX “Performance Desktop” printers feature media specs of a 1” core, with a 5” outer diameter.

• Zebra GX420D – Features a 4” print width, with direct thermal printing capabilities, with 203 dpi images. Available with various interface options. The “420” signifies a dpi of 203. The “D” stands for direct thermal. Check out our selection and prices here.
• Zebra GX420T – Features a 4” print width, with BOTH direct thermal and thermal transfer printing capabilities, with 203 dpi images. This printer uses a ribbon to print thermal transfer images. Available with various interface options.  The “420” signifies a dpi of 203. The “T” stands for thermal transfer. Check out our selection and prices here. 
  
• Zebra GX430T – Features a 4” print width, with thermal transfer printing capabilities. This printer does NOT offer any direct thermal printing. The images print at 300 dpi. Available with various interface options.  The “430” stands for 300 dpi. The “T” stands for thermal transfer. Check out our selection and prices here.
• Zebra ZD500 – Features a 4”print width, with both direct thermal and thermal transfer printing capabilities, with both 203 and 300 dpi images. This printer uses a ribbon for thermal transfer images. Available with various interface options. This printer is essentially a combination of all of the GX models. Check out our selection and prices here.

The Zebra GX420D

Zebra Advanced Desktop “GK” Series

The Zebra Advanced Desktop Series of Printers is essentially a more budget-friendly version of the Performance Desktop Series.

Remember that a budget-friendly printer does not constitute a “cheap printer”. All Zebra Desktop Printers are manufactured with the highest quality control standards.

These printers all feature media specs with a 1” core, and a 5” outer diameter.

• Zebra GK420D – Features a 4” print width, with direct thermal printing capabilities, and a 203 dpi image. Available with various interface options. This printer does NOT offer thermal transfer printing capabilities. The “420” stands for 203 dpi. The “D” stands for direct thermal. Check out our selection and prices here.
• Zebra GK420T – Features a 4″ print width, with direct thermal and thermal transfer printing capabilities, with a 203 dpi image. Available with various interface options. The “420” stands for 203 dpi. The “T” stands for thermal transfer. Check out our selection and prices here.

The Zebra GK420D

Zebra Value Desktop Series

The Zebra Value Desktop Series is a budget-friendly tier of printers for simple applications.

The Value Desktop Series is essentially the perfect entry-level label printer. If you have a simple printing application, then one of these printers has your name on it.

These printers all have media specs of 1” core, with a 5” outer diameter.

• Zebra GC420D – Features a 4” print width, with direct thermal printing capabilities, and a 203 dpi image. Available with different interface options. The “420” stands for 203 dpi. The “D” stands for direct thermal. Check out our selection and prices here.
• Zebra GC420T – Features a 4” print width, with thermal transfer printing capabilities, and a 203 dpi image. You will need a ribbon to use this printer. Available with different interface options. The “420” stands for 203 dpi. The “T” stands for thermal transfer. Check out our selection and prices here.

The Zebra GC420D

Compact Desktop Printer Series

The Zebra Compact Desktop Printer Series features two Next Generation label printers: the ZD410 and the ZD420.

The ZD410 and ZD420 feature user-friendly control panels, easy-to-load media options, and ultra-compact profiles that are easy to fit into your work space.

At PLS, we offer the best prices on these Zebra Desktop Printers.

We’ve also created blog posts that explain the different specs and features of each printer.

Check out our blog post on the ZD410 here.

Check out our blog post on the ZD420 here.

The media specs for the Compact Desktop Printer Series are a 1” core, with a 5” outer diameter.

• Zebra ZD410 – This printer features a print width of 2”, with direct thermal printing capabilities, and a 203/300 dpi image, depending on the model. This high dpi makes the ZD410 unique. Available with different interface options. Check out our selection and prices here.
• Zebra ZD420 – This printer features a print width of 4″, with direct thermal and thermal transfer printing capabilities, and a 203/300 dpi image, depending on the model.  The ZD420 is user-friendly and features an easy-to-load ribbon cartridge. Available with different interface options. Check out our selection and prices here.
• Zebra TLP 2824 Plus – This printer features a print width of 2”, with direct thermal and thermal transfer printing capabilities, and a 203 dpi image. The “T” in TLP stands for thermal transfer. Available with different interface options. Check out our selection and prices here.

The Next Generation Zebra ZD410

We’ve also created Youtube videos to highlight the useful features and specs of the Zebra ZD410 and ZD420.

Check out our ZD410 video here.

Check out our ZD420 video here.

Cartridge Based Wristband Printers

The Cartridge Based Wristband Printer Series is solely comprised of the Zebra HC100.

The Zebra HC100 is a Wristband Printer that uses wristbands that are loaded into a cartridge. These wristband cartridges are then loaded into the printer.

This cartridge-based system allows end users to consistently print perfect wristbands.

Please note that the Zebra HC100 is not built for high-volume wristband printing. The HC100 print head will automatically shut down when it is overheated.

The HC100 is primarily used in healthcare applications, but it is also used in retail, outdoor, and sporting applications.

• Zebra HC100 – Features a print width of 1.1875″, with direct thermal printing capabilities, and 300 dpi images. Available with different interface options. Check out our selection and prices here.

The Zebra HC100 Wristband Printer

Wristbands can also be printed on other hardware, including Desktop and Industrial printers.

PLEASE NOTE THAT MANY OF THE PRINTERS IN THIS GUIDE ARE AVAILABLE IN A HEALTHCARE VERSION.

THE HEALTHCARE VERSION IS IDENTICAL TO THE STANDARD VERSION, EXCEPT FOR THE OUTER MATERIAL.

HEALTHCARE PRINTERS ARE ALL MADE FROM CHEMICAL-RESISTANT PLASTIC.

We hope that our guide to Zebra Desktop Printers has given you the information you need to make the best purchasing decisions possible.

Do you have any questions or concerns regarding Zebra Desktop Printers?

Contact Professional Label Solutions anytime at 1-844-458-1078, or email us at info@professionallabelsolutions.com. Our reps are happy to help!

Your #1 Source for Printers, Printer Media, Software, & Accessories 

The world of Zebra Wristband Solutions is large and complex.

What type of wristband will work best for your application?

Will you need to purchase a separate printer?

Is it possible to print with different colors on a wristband?

Are there wristbands that are manufactured from eco-friendly materials?

The questions are never ending.

That’s why it’s so important to receive the correct, most up-to-date information regarding Zebra Wristband Solutions.

Let’s start with a few pieces of crucial information:

• You can only print on Zebra wristbands using a direct thermal printer.

• Zebra wristbands are only available as direct thermal media. 

• There are very limited options to print on wristbands using thermal transfer printing technology.

This means that your wristband printer choices are limited. You will need to pick a printer with direct thermal printing capabilities. Also, you will need to make sure that your wristbands have the correct core size and outer diameter settings for your printer choice.

Click here to find out information on the difference between direct thermal and thermal transfer printing. 

Let’s move on to the list of printers that you can use for printing on Zebra wristbands.

Zebra Wristband Printers

There are a variety of different Zebra printers that can print onto Zebra wristbands.

Some Zebra printers are specifically designed to print solely on wristbands. Other printers can print on a variety of different types of media, including wristbands.

Here are some of the best printer options for printing onto Zebra wristbands:

• Zebra HC100 Printer

The Zebra HC100 was specifically designed to print onto Zebra wristbands.

The HC100 is a cartridge-based wristband printer. This means that the wristbands must be manufactured into a cartridge, as opposed to being loaded onto a paper core.

The HC100 can only use wristbands that have been loaded into a cartridge. The easy to load features of the HC100 require minimal, if any, user action, whilst its smart technology senses the wristband type and auto-calibrates the settings for optimized print quality and reduced waste.

There is minimal training required to use the HC100 printer or to load or switch the cartridge; it’s a quick and simple task.

Cartridge-based wristband printers are easy to load, and they have no problems with media drift or calibration.

In addition, the HC100 offers printing at 300 dpi.

The HC100 only offers direct thermal printing capabilities. Also, there are a variety of different wristband colors and designs that are available as stock options.

The one drawback of the HC100 is it’s printing speed. The HC100 is best suited for printing wristbands on the fly; that is, you print the wristband when you need it. This makes the HC100 an ideal printer for healthcare and entertainment applications.

The HC100 does not work well for large volume wristband printing. The typical print speed of 6 ips will slow you down.

Zebra has a few alternatives if you need a wristband printer for large-scale projects.

The Zebra HC100

• Zebra Desktop Printers

Zebra desktop printers are well-suited for large-scale wristband projects.

Here are some of the best Zebra desktop printers for wristband printing applications:

• Zebra LP2824 Plus
• Zebra LP2844 Plus
• Zebra GK420D
• Zebra GC420D
• Zebra ZD410
• Zebra ZD420
• Zebra ZD500R

Remember that Zebra desktop printers have different media requirements than a cartridge-based wristband printer.

Wristbands for Zebra desktop printers will need to be ordered on a 1″ core, with a 5″ outer diameter.

Also, you may need to purchase a media guide adapter for your Zebra desktop printer.

Here is some more information on Zebra Desktop Printers.

The Next Generation Zebra ZD410

Zebra Industrial Printers

Last but not least, we have the Zebra Industrial Printer.

Zebra industrial printers are excellent for printing large volumes of wristbands.

Here are some of the best Zebra industrial printers for wristband printing applications:

• Zebra 105SL Plus 
• Zebra ZT230
• Zebra ZT410
• Zebra ZT420
• Zebra 110Xi4 
• Zebra 140Xi4

Remember that the media specifications for industrial printers are different from desktop printers.

Wristbands that are being used with a Zebra industrial printer will need to be ordered on a 3″ core, with an 8″ outer diameter.

Here is some more information on Zebra industrial printers.

The Zebra 110Xi4

Wristband Materials

There are a huge variety of Zebra wristband materials to choose from, including materials suited for healthcare/hospital applications, to waterproof materials suited for rugged outdoor applications.

Here are some of the most popular Zebra wristband materials:

• Zebra Z-Band wristbands are manufactured from 100% polypropylene. These wristbands are available in several different colors as a stock option, and can be ordered in a cartridge for the HC100, or on a 1″ or 3″ core for Zebra Desktop and Industrial Printers. The Z-Band wristband does offer some resistance to outdoor elements like dirt, water, and sweat. There are a few different types of Z-Band wristbands, like the Ultrasoft, Direct, Infant Soft, QuickClip, and Fusion. Find out more information on Zebra Z-Band wristbands here.
• Zebra Hospitality Wristbands are manufactured from 100% polypropylene. These wristbands are available in several different colors as a stock option, and can be orderered in a cartridge for the HC100, or on a 1″ or 3″ core for Zebra Desktop and Industrial Printers. There are two different types of Hospitality Wristbands: the Z-Band Fun and the Z-Band Splash. The Z-Band Fun and the Z-Band Splash are both highly resistant to outdoor elements like sun, water, sweat, and even sunscreen. These wristbands are the best option for outdoor entertainment options like water parks, pools, carnivals, etc.

RFID Wristbands

Zebra does offer direct thermal wristbands with RFID capabilities.

Zebra RFID wristbands are not a stock option. They must be ordered as a custom job.

All Zebra RFID wristbands must be paired with a Zebra RFID printer.

Click here for more information on Zebra RFID wristbands.

Recycling Your Old & Unused Wristbands

All Zebra wristbands are manufactured from 100% polypropylene.

This makes them 100% recyclable, as long as your recycling program accepts #5 plastics.

Please make sure to double check with your local recycling program to see if they accept #5 plastics.

PLS Can Help You Implement Your Zebra Wristband Solution

Zebra Wristband Solutions are one of our specialties at PLS.

We’ve worked with many end users, big and small, to implement a variety of different wristband printing solutions. From healthcare to outdoor events, we can help you pick the best hardware and media for your application.

Check out our huge selection of stock Zebra wristbands here.

Got questions? Feel free to contact us anytime at 1-844-458-1078, or email us at info@professionallabelsolutions.com. Our reps are happy to help!

Your #1 Source for Printers, Printer Media, Software, & Accessories 

What is a “stock label”?

A stock label is a label that is immediately available for purchase from the manufacturer. This means that the label is a popular size or dimension, and that it has no special features or qualities. There is an enormous selection of quality stock labels available from various manufacturers.

Those of us in the AIDC/ERP industry call labels “printer media”.

What is a “custom label”?

A custom label is a label that has special features or qualities. These features can range from different adhesives, materials, core sizes, colors/borders, RFID capabilities, etc.

Those of us in the AIDC/ERP industry call these labels “custom media”.

Custom Printer Media is MORE than just a label with a custom image.

Many customers have the idea that custom labels are simply labels with a “custom” image printed on them.

This is NOT true.

Custom labels have a variety of features that can be customized; the image is NOT the only option.

When will I need Custom Printer Media?

There are many applications that will work well with stock labels. There are MORE applications that will require custom labels, especially with the introduction of RFID technology.

Do you need a label with an odd dimension and a removable adhesive for your application?

Then you’ll need to get a custom label.

Perhaps you need an RFID shipping label to pair with a mobile RFID printer and scanner?

You’ll definitely need a custom label.

Do you have a special event coming up at your company? Maybe you need a special design on a wristband to label your volunteers?

You will need to order custom wristbands to print on.

Do you need a large label that can withstand extreme temperatures that will need to be printed on a direct thermal printer?

A custom label is your solution.

There are endless examples of applications where custom printer media is the best option.

Custom printer media is a solution that PLS specializes in.

Properly ordering custom media is a very difficult process.

Custom printer media CANNOT be ordered from a website. You WILL need to speak with a sales representative to make sure that all your media has all the necessary features.

What are these features? What makes custom printer media so difficult to order?

There are many bases to cover when you’re ordering custom printer media.

You will need to make sure that you have the right materials for your label.

You will need to make sure that your media will be compatible with your printers.

You will need to make sure that your media has the correct sensors; this can range from black bar sensing to gap sensing.

Now can you see why it’s impossible to order custom printer media without speaking to a sales representative?

Other resellers have a long ,drawn out process for ordering custom media. This is made worse by the lack of attention that you receive from your customer service representative.

Nothing is worse than getting bad service, except for getting a bad product!

At PLS, we understand custom media like no one else. Our representatives are trained to ask the right questions, and to help you make the most cost effective decisions. We’ll make sure all your bases are covered, from getting you the right materials and adhesives, to ensuring that you receive your custom media on time.

You won’t have to play tag with our sales staff. We are available when you are available, and our job is to serve you.

The next time you’re in the market for custom printer media, contact PLS for a FREE quote. Our toll-free number is 1-844-458-1078, and our email is info@professionallabelsolutions.com.

We’re happy to address any questions or concerns that you might have. We’ll help you to meet your deadlines, and to provide you with the best customer service available.

Your #1 Source for Printers, Printer Media, Software, & Accessories.