SATO WS408 Label Printer: WS408 vs WS408DT Buying Guide

The SATO WS408 label printer is a 4 inch, 203 dpi desktop thermal printer from the SATO WS4 series, and it comes in two print methods: the WS408DT for direct thermal labels and the WS408 thermal transfer version for labels that use a ribbon. It suits shipping desks, retail back rooms, small warehouses and clinics where a compact printer has to handle steady daily label volume, and the full part number tells you the print method and the interfaces before you order.

This guide covers the four WS408 part numbers in our listing, how the WS408 and WS408DT differ, how to choose interfaces, and how the WS408 compares with the 305 dpi WS412. If you already know what you need, go straight to the WS408 specs table or the full range table.

Products in our listing

All four SATO WS408 label printer part numbers covered in this guide are below, one card per part number.

SATOWD202-400NN-EX1SATO WS408DT 4-Inch 203dpi Direct Thermal USB / Serial / Ethernet Desktop Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

SATOWT202-400NN-EX1SATO WS408 4-Inch 203dpi Thermal Transfer USB / Serial / Ethernet Desktop Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

SATOWT212-400NB-EX1SATO WS408 4-Inch 203dpi Thermal Transfer USB / Serial / Ethernet / Bluetooth Desktop Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

SATOWT212-400NW-EX1SATO WS408 4.1-Inch 203dpi Thermal Transfer / Direct Thermal USB / Serial / Ethernet / Wi-Fi Desktop Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

WD202-400NN-EX1 and WT202-400NN-EX1 are new, and WT212-400NB-EX1 and WT212-400NW-EX1 are refurbished and function-tested. Every unit carries the 30-Day Tech Seller USA warranty. Browse the full SATO printer range.

SATO WS408 specs: WS408DT vs WS408 thermal transfer

The table summarizes the WS408 models in our listing by print method. Values come from our product listings, and where a listing does not record a value we say so. Check the exact part number before you order, because details vary between part numbers.

What the SATO WS408 label printer is built for

The WS408 is a SATO WS4 printer for the desktop, not an industrial one. At 3.9 lbs for the direct thermal model and about 5.3 lbs for the thermal transfer models in our listings, it sits on a packing desk, a counter or a shelf next to a workstation. SATO describes the WS4 series as a 4 inch desktop printer with a small footprint, a three-color status LED, firmware updates over USB, and a print head and platen roller the user can replace.

The 4 inch class print width covers the labels most desks print: 4 x 6 shipping labels, carton and bin labels, product and shelf labels, specimen and pharmacy labels, and asset tags. The media range on WD202-400NN-EX1 runs from 0.88 to 4.53 inches, so narrow labels and full width shipping labels both fit. If your daily volume is high and runs all shift, compare the job against an industrial printer first. Our guide to industrial versus desktop label printers sets out where the line falls.

The WS408 also matters to buyers replacing older SATO desktop printers. SATO Asia Pacific lists the CW408 as reaching end of sale in May 2022, with the WS4 and CT4-LX as suggested replacements. If you run CW408 units, the WS408 is one of the models SATO points to, but test your label formats and media on a sample unit before you replace a whole fleet.

WS408 vs WS408DT: choosing the print method

This is the first decision, because it decides what the printer can do for the rest of its life. The WS408DT, part number WD202-400NN-EX1 in our listing, prints direct thermal only. It darkens heat-sensitive labels without a ribbon, which keeps running costs and loading simple. Direct thermal output fades with heat, light and abrasion, so it suits labels read within days or weeks, such as shipping labels, pick labels and short life specimen labels.

The WS408 thermal transfer models use a ribbon to lay the image onto the label. The result lasts far longer, which suits product labels, asset tags, shelf labels and anything that must stay readable for months or years. In our listing the WT part numbers are the thermal transfer models, and WT212-400NW-EX1 is also recorded as direct thermal, so it can run direct thermal stock without a ribbon when the job calls for it.

A simple rule works for most buyers: if any label you print must last, buy the thermal transfer model. Our guide on direct thermal versus thermal transfer printing covers the line between the two, and label media and ribbon selection covers matching ribbon to label stock.

Media and ribbon

SATO lists a ribbon capacity of 984 feet for the WS4 series, on 0.5 inch or 1 inch core inner diameters, and support for labels and ribbons wound in or wound out, with an adjustable I-mark sensor. Our WT202-400NN-EX1 listing records a 300 m ribbon, face-in or face-out, and our WT212-400NW-EX1 listing records labels and tags on a 1.0 inch or 1.5 inch core with a 5 inch maximum outer diameter.

SATO also lists an optional external media unwinder for rolls up to 8.5 inches in outer diameter, and a label dispenser option, for desks that print in long runs or peel labels one at a time. Check which options a specific unit has before you plan around them, because the options are not recorded on our WS408 listings. Our guide to printer media handling modes explains when tear-off, peel or rewind setups make sense.

Interfaces and connectivity

SATO lists USB, RS-232 and Ethernet as standard on the WS4 series, with IPv4 and IPv6 support, and Bluetooth and 802.11 wireless LAN as options. Our listings follow that pattern: the two NN part numbers record USB, serial and Ethernet, WT212-400NB-EX1 adds Bluetooth, and WT212-400NW-EX1 adds Wi-Fi.

For a single desk, USB is simple. For a printer that several PCs or a warehouse system print to, Ethernet is the better choice, because the printer becomes a network device rather than belonging to one PC. Give it a static address or a DHCP reservation, so jobs do not silently stop when a power cut hands it a new address. Wi-Fi suits desks without a network drop, and Bluetooth suits printing from a nearby phone, tablet or handheld. Our guide to printer connectivity over USB, Ethernet, wireless and serial covers the tradeoffs.

SATO WS408 emulation, command languages and setup

SATO lists multiple printer emulations for the WS4 series: SZPL, SEPL, SDPL and SIPL. That matters if your label formats were written for another brand's printer, because an emulation can let existing formats print without a full redesign. Emulation is not always a perfect match, though, so print and scan a sample of every format you use, including the smallest text and densest barcode, before you switch a workstation over.

For a fleet, set one printer up fully, record its settings and firmware version, and copy that setup to every unit, so a replacement prints the same way on day one. Our explainer on printer command languages covers why formats do not always move cleanly between brands, and printer firmware and fleet configuration covers keeping a fleet consistent.

SATO WS408 vs WS412: resolution

The WS408 and WS412 are both SATO WS4 series printers. In our listing the WS408 prints at 203 dpi and the WS412 at 305 dpi. At 203 dpi, shipping labels, carton labels and linear barcodes with generous bar widths print cleanly. At 305 dpi, small text holds its shape and compact 2D codes keep their cells square, which matters on small product labels, pharmacy labels and specimen labels.

If your labels are large and simple, the WS408 is the right fit. If they are small and dense, look at the WS412, and print a sample of your real label on both before you decide. Our guide on 203 vs 300 vs 600 dpi label printer resolution explains the tradeoff, and our SATO WS412DT vs CG412DT guide covers the 305 dpi models in detail. For SATO's other 4 inch desktop line, see the SATO CG412DT guide.

Full WS408 range in our listing

Every SATO WS408 label printer part number we currently list is below. Select a part number to open its product page.

Buying a refurbished WS408: what to check

Two of the four WS408 units in our listing are refurbished. Desktop thermal printers have few moving parts, and most of the wear sits in a few places you can check before you order.

The print head is a consumable and the most expensive single wear part. A failing head prints a thin white line down every label, which is burnt elements rather than dirt, and cleaning will not recover it. SATO lists the WS4 print head as user replaceable, which makes a worn head a planned repair rather than a lost printer. See printhead failure diagnosis and replacement.

The platen roller drives the label past the head. Flat spots and adhesive build up cause tracking drift and uneven print, which is often mistaken for a head fault. Routine cleaning is covered in our thermal printer maintenance guide.

The box contents matter on a desktop printer. Confirm the power supply, the power cord and the interface cable you need, because a printer without its power supply cannot be used, and on a multi-unit order one missing supply holds up a whole desk. Our guide to refurbished hardware grading explains what our condition descriptions mean.

Which WS408 fits your job

• Shipping labels at a packing desk: the WS408DT, WD202-400NN-EX1, with no ribbon to manage.
• Product, shelf or asset labels that must last: a WS408 thermal transfer model such as WT202-400NN-EX1.
• A desk with no network drop: WT212-400NW-EX1, which records Wi-Fi.
• Printing from a nearby phone, tablet or handheld: WT212-400NB-EX1, which records Bluetooth.
• Small text and dense 2D codes: look at the 305 dpi WS412 rather than the WS408.

Common questions