Zebra S4M Discontinued? Your Replacement Options

If your Zebra S4M has stopped printing and you have started looking for a new one, you have probably found that Zebra no longer sells it. The Zebra S4M is discontinued, and Zebra has also ended service and support for it. That leaves two practical routes for most operations: a refurbished S4M that drops straight into the same bench, or a step up to a refurbished Zebra ZT410.

We cover what Zebra says about the S4M lifecycle, how to choose between like-for-like and upgrade, and the checks for label formats, media, ribbon, mounting and connectivity. If you want the side-by-side view first, jump to the S4M vs ZT410 comparison table. For a specs overview of the printer itself, see our Zebra S4M industrial label printer guide.

Products in our listing

Two refurbished S4M models and two refurbished ZT410 models are shown below, and every S4M and ZT410 part number we list is in the full range table further down.

ZebraS4M00-2001-0200DZebra S4M 4-Inch 203dpi Direct Thermal Industrial Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

ZebraS4M00-2001-0100TZebra S4M 4-Inch 203dpi Thermal Transfer / Direct Thermal Industrial Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

ZebraZT41042-T010000ZZebra ZT410 4-Inch 203dpi Thermal Transfer Industrial Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

ZebraZT41043-T010000ZZebra ZT410 4-Inch 300dpi Thermal Transfer Industrial Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

All four models shown are refurbished and function-tested. Every unit carries the 30-Day Tech Seller USA warranty. Browse the full Zebra printer range.

What Zebra says about the S4M

Zebra's own S4M support page states that Zebra is no longer offering the product for sale. It lists a product discontinuation date of July 31, 2013 and a service and support discontinuation date of October 31, 2016, and it says customer support is not available after that date.

The same page names the ZT231 as the replacement model. We cover that family in our ZT230 vs ZT231 guide. This guide focuses on the two routes most S4M owners ask about: another S4M, or a ZT410.

It is worth knowing the ZT410's status too, because it affects how you plan. Zebra's ZT410 support page lists a product discontinuation date of October 1, 2020, a North America service and support discontinuation date of September 1, 2025, and names the ZT411 as its replacement. Neither printer here has factory support today, but both are practical refurbished routes to keep a ZPL bench running. If you want the current Zebra model, our ZT411 guide covers it, and Zebra industrial printer generations explains how the families line up.

S4M vs ZT410: quick comparison

The table summarizes the S4M and ZT410 models in our listing, plus the lifecycle facts from Zebra's support pages. Features vary by part number, so check the exact unit before you order.

Like-for-like or upgrade: how to decide

The answer depends on what surrounds the printer: the host sending it ZPL, formats tuned to its dot grid, media and ribbon bought to fit it, and the bench it sits on. A like-for-like replacement keeps all of that. An upgrade changes some of it.

Choose a refurbished S4M when the old unit simply failed and nothing else about the job has changed. If it runs on a serial or parallel cable from an older host, or the site keeps S4M spares, a matching S4M is usually the fastest way back to printing. Before you rely on a parallel connection, note that S4M00-3001-0100T is the only S4M in our listing with connectivity listed, so confirm the interface on the unit you order.

Choose a refurbished ZT410 when the failure is a prompt to fix something else. Every ZT410 in our listing has USB, serial, Ethernet and Bluetooth listed, so it suits a move from cable-attached printing to network printing. Our listing gives the 203 dpi ZT410 models a print speed of up to 14 inches per second and the 300 dpi models up to 10 inches per second, which helps when queues have grown. The ZT410 also lists EPL alongside ZPL and ZPL II, which matters if part of your estate still sends EPL.

Consider a newer model when you are standardizing a site for the long term and want a printer Zebra still sells. That points at the ZT231 or ZT411 rather than either printer here. Our repair, upgrade or replace guide covers that wider decision.

Which one fits your job

• One failed S4M on a serial or parallel host, nothing else changing: refurbished S4M at the same resolution and print method.
• Direct thermal shipping labels only, no ribbon: S4M00-2001-0200D or S4M00-2001-0700D, or the direct thermal ZT410, ZT41042-D310052Z.
• Long-life labels printed with ribbon: an S4M with thermal transfer / direct thermal listed, or a thermal transfer ZT410.
• Moving the bench onto the network: ZT410, since Ethernet is listed on every ZT410 in our listing.
• Small text or dense 2D codes: a 300 dpi model, S4M00-3001-0100T or ZT41043-T010000Z, after you have rescaled your formats.
• Mixed ZPL and EPL hosts: ZT410, which lists EPL in our data.

Label formats and ZPL: the migration check

Both families in our listing list ZPL and ZPL II on most part numbers, so most S4M formats will run on a ZT410 without being rewritten. Still, the same language does not guarantee the same label, and differences show up in a few places. Our ZPL vs ESC/POS guide explains how command languages work if you need the background.

Resolution is the first check. ZPL positions fields in dots, so a format built for 203 dpi prints at roughly two thirds of the size on a 300 dpi printer unless it is rescaled. Replace 203 dpi with 203 dpi unless you are redesigning. Zebra's ZT410 specification also notes that EPL is supported only at 203 dpi.

Stored objects are the second. Formats, fonts and graphics stored on the old printer's memory do not travel with the host. Export them from the old unit if it still powers on, or rebuild them, and load them before go-live.

Settings are the third. Darkness, speed, label top, tear-off position and media type are printer settings, not label data. Factory defaults will often print your format out of position or too light. Record the old unit's configuration label if you can, then set the replacement to match. See label print position and offset calibration, print darkness and speed tuning and printer firmware and fleet configuration.

Then print every stored format on the new printer, put each next to a label from the old printer, and scan each barcode with the scanners your operation actually uses.

Media and ribbon fit

Zebra's S4M specification sheet and Zebra's ZT410 technical specifications both list an 8.0 inch maximum media roll on a 3 inch core, so a standard industrial label roll should load on either printer. The usable media width differs a little. The ZT410 specification lists 1.00 to 4.50 inches in tear-off or cutter mode and 1.00 to 4.25 inches in peel or rewind mode, while the S4M sheet lists a narrower minimum of 0.75 inch. Check very narrow labels against the ZT410 range.

For ribbon, both specifications list a 1 inch ribbon core and a 450 m maximum ribbon length, and the ZT410 specification says ribbon is wound ink side out. The ZT410 lists a ribbon width of 2.00 to 4.33 inches, while the S4M sheet lists a minimum of 1.57 inches, so very narrow ribbons may not carry over. Keep the same ribbon grade that works on your labels today. Our label media and ribbon selection guide covers matching ribbon to stock, and direct thermal vs thermal transfer printing covers which method fits which label life.

One more check: if your S4M peels labels or uses a rewinder or cutter, the replacement needs the same option fitted. Our printer media handling modes guide explains tear-off, peel, rewind and cutter set-ups.

Mounting, footprint and connectivity

The ZT410 is a larger and heavier machine. Zebra's specification sheets list the S4M at about 10.7 inches wide, 11.6 inches high and 18.8 inches deep, and the ZT410 at about 10.6 inches wide, 12.75 inches high and 19.5 inches deep. Our listing gives the S4M at 27.2 to 27.5 lbs and the ZT410 at 36 lbs. Measure depth and the clearance above the printer, since the cover must open fully for loading.

On connectivity, confirm what the old printer was really using. If the S4M was on a serial cable, every ZT410 in our listing has RS-232 serial listed, though baud rate and handshake settings must be matched. If it was on parallel, note that parallel is not listed on any ZT410 in our data, and Zebra lists it as an option for that model, so plan on USB, serial or Ethernet instead. See printer connectivity: USB, Ethernet, wireless and serial.

Full S4M and ZT410 range

Every active S4M and ZT410 part number in our listing is below, with the specifications as listed on each product page. Where a field is not listed, ask us and we will confirm it on the unit.

Buying a refurbished replacement: what to check

Every S4M and ZT410 in our listing is refurbished. Wear concentrates in a few parts.

The printhead is a consumable. A failing head prints a thin white line down every label, and cleaning will not recover it. Ask about head condition, and see printhead failure diagnosis and replacement.

The platen roller drives the media. Flat spots and adhesive build-up cause drift and uneven darkness that is often blamed on the head.

The box contents matter. Confirm the power cable, interface cable, media hanger and ribbon spindles. A thermal transfer printer without its ribbon spindles cannot print with ribbon. Our refurbished hardware grading guide explains our condition descriptions.

When you order, send the full part number of the S4M you are replacing, its resolution, whether you print with ribbon, how it connects to the host, and any peel, rewind or cutter option. Returns are accepted within 30 days, with a 25% restocking fee that is waived for defective or wrongly shipped items.

Common questions