A3 and A4 Printer: What’s the Difference?

When you hear about an A3 or A4 printer, they are essentially referring to the paper size. A4 equates to the European equivalent of 8.5″ x 11″ for the size of paper. Speaking of A3 paper, it is the European equivalent of 11″ x 17″, which is tabloid sized paper. In the context of a printer, when you see an A4 model, it means that your copier can print legal or letter-sized paper. If you have an A3 model, you can print the larger tabloid-sized paper.

Tabloid copiers will almost always cost you a thousand dollars extra, so if you will not use it, then you do not want it. In addition, tabloid can sometimes cost you more on a service contract. If you plan to buy a maintenance contract where paper will be covered, make sure that you will not be charged for two clicks when using tabloid-sized paper. In some cases, companies sneakily add this into the contract, which means that you will not be getting as good of a deal. Understanding the paper type that you plan to use can help you to find a copier that will meet your needs. It also helps you to avoid overpaying for an A3 model when you do not need it.