Zebra ZT410 vs 105SL Plus vs 110Xi4: Which Industrial Printer Do You Need?

Comparing the Zebra ZT410 vs 105SL Plus vs 110Xi4 usually starts with a printer that has failed, a line that needs one more unit, or a quote that lists all three. They are all Zebra industrial printers in the 4 inch class, they all run ZPL, and they all take full size media rolls, so on paper they look interchangeable. They are not. They come from different generations, connect differently, and only one offers 600 dpi in our listing.

This guide sets out how the three compare in duty, build, resolution, connectivity and media capacity, where each one fits, and what to check before you buy a refurbished unit. If you want the short version, go straight to the comparison table.

Products in our listing

Four of the printers compared in this guide are below, and every ZT410, 105SL Plus and 110Xi4 part number we list is in the full range table further down.

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

Zebra102-801-00000Zebra 105SLPlus 4-Inch 203dpi Thermal Transfer / Direct Thermal Industrial Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

Zebra112-801-00000Zebra 110Xi4 4-Inch 203dpi Thermal Transfer / Direct Thermal Industrial Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

Zebra116-801-00001Zebra 110Xi4 4-Inch 600dpi Thermal Transfer / Direct Thermal Industrial Label PrinterIn stockView Details →

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

ZT410 vs 105SL Plus vs 110Xi4: quick comparison

The table below summarizes the ZT410, 105SL Plus and 110Xi4 models in our listing. Features vary between part numbers inside each family, so check the exact part number before you order.

Where each printer sits in the Zebra lineup

All three printers are discontinued by Zebra, and knowing where each one sits tells you what you are buying into. According to Zebra's own product and support pages, the 105SL Plus and the 110Xi4 were both discontinued on April 2, 2018 in most regions, with Zebra service and support ending on May 2, 2023. Zebra names the ZT610 as the replacement for the 110Xi4, and its UK product page for the 105SL Plus names the ZT510. The ZT410 is the newest of the three. Zebra lists its discontinuation date as October 1, 2020, with service and support ending on September 1, 2025 in North America, and names the ZT411 as its replacement.

In practice that means none of the three is backed by factory support today, and that is normal for refurbished industrial printers. What changes is who you rely on when something breaks. You plan your own spare printheads, platen rollers and, on a larger fleet, a spare printer. Our guide to an end of life spares strategy covers how to size that, and Zebra industrial printer generations shows how these models connect to the current ZT range.

Duty and build: what industrial class means here

All three are industrial printers rather than desktop units. They are built to sit on a production line, a packing bench or a warehouse dock and print through a full roll of labels without a break. Every ZT410 in our listing is recorded at 36 lbs, and the 110Xi4 models are recorded at 50 lbs. The 105SL Plus listings are recorded at 35 or 50 lbs depending on the listing, so check the product page if bench space or shipping weight matters.

Zebra's ZT410 specification describes a metal print mechanism and a metal media cover with a clear viewing window. Industrial class does not mean unlimited, though. The right printer is the one sized for your real daily label count and print length, not the biggest one you can find. Our guide to duty cycle and print volume sizing walks through that calculation, and industrial versus desktop label printers explains when a desktop unit is enough.

Resolution: 203, 300 or 600 dpi

Print resolution is the number of printhead dots per inch, and it decides how small your text and barcodes can be before they break up. All three families in our listing offer 203 dpi and 300 dpi part numbers. Only the 110Xi4 has a 600 dpi option in our listing, part number 116-801-00001.

203 dpi suits shipping labels, carton labels and pallet labels with large linear barcodes. On the ZT410 models we list, 203 dpi is recorded at up to 14 in/sec and 300 dpi at up to 10 in/sec. 300 dpi suits product labels with small text, compliance labels with dense content and compact 2D codes. 600 dpi is a specialist choice for very small labels, such as electronic component labels. Zebra's Xi4 specification lists 6 in/sec at 600 dpi, so it is a deliberate trade of speed for detail.

Whichever you choose, print your real label at your real size and read it with the scanners used in the workflow. Our guide on 203 vs 300 vs 600 dpi goes deeper, and label print position and offset calibration covers getting small labels registered correctly.

Print method and ribbon

Every 105SL Plus and 110Xi4 in our listing is recorded as thermal transfer / direct thermal, so each one can run with a ribbon or without one. The ZT410 is different in our listing. Most ZT410 part numbers are recorded as thermal transfer, ZT41042-D310052Z is recorded as direct thermal, and ZT41042-T31A000Z and ZT41042-T210000Z are recorded as thermal transfer / direct thermal. If you need both modes on a ZT410, choose one of those two.

Direct thermal labels fade with heat and light, so they suit labels read within weeks. Thermal transfer uses a ribbon and can last for years with matched stock. Our guides on direct thermal versus thermal transfer and label media and ribbon selection explain where the line falls.

Connectivity and command language

This is where the ZT410 pulls ahead for most new installations. Every ZT410 in our listing records USB, serial, Ethernet and Bluetooth. The 105SL Plus and 110Xi4 listings that record connectivity show USB, serial, parallel and Ethernet, with no Bluetooth. If the printer connects to an older host that still prints over parallel, those two older models keep that link in place. For everything else, Ethernet is the connection to plan around. Give each networked printer a DHCP reservation or a static address so it does not drop off the line after a power cut. See printer connectivity explained for the options in more detail.

On language, all three run ZPL, and the ZT410 listings that record a command language also show EPL. Memory follows the generations too. Most ZT410 models record 512MB flash and 256MB RAM, while the 105SL Plus records 16 MB SDRAM and 8 MB flash where it is listed. Our guide to ZPL and other printer command languages explains why format compatibility usually comes down to the label files rather than the printer badge.

Media and ribbon capacity

All three are full size industrial printers with similar media capacity. Zebra's specifications list an 8 inch maximum roll diameter on a 3 inch core for the ZT410, the 105SL Plus and the 110Xi4, and a 450 m ribbon option for all three. The 105SL Plus and 110Xi4 specifications also list a 300 m ribbon. In our listing, most ZT410 models record a media width of 1.00 to 4.50 inches, and one 105SL Plus records 0.79 to 4.5 inches.

Media handling options vary by part number, not by family. In our listing, ZT41042-T31A000Z records a peeler, 102-801-00200 records a peeler with rewinder, 102-801-00100 records a cutter, and 112-801-00100 records a cutter and is listed as RFID ready. If your process depends on one of these options, choose that part number. Our guide to printer media handling modes explains tear off, peel, rewind and cut.

Which one fits your job

• New installation on a network, mixed systems or Bluetooth needed: the ZT410, which records USB, serial, Ethernet and Bluetooth on every model we list.
• Like for like replacement of a 105SL Plus: another 105SL Plus keeps the same mounting, media path and label formats. Read our guide on replacing a 105SL Plus before deciding.
• Very small labels with fine text or 2D codes: the 110Xi4 at 600 dpi, 116-801-00001.
• Product and compliance labels with small text: a 300 dpi ZT410, 105SL Plus or 110Xi4.
• Tags that must be cut to length: 102-801-00100 or 112-801-00100, both recorded with a cutter.
• Host that still prints over parallel: a 105SL Plus or 110Xi4 listing that records a parallel port.

Full ZT410, 105SL Plus and 110Xi4 range in our listing

Every ZT410, 105SL Plus and 110Xi4 part number we currently list is below. Select a part number to open its product page. Where a field shows not listed, ask us before ordering.

Buying a refurbished industrial printer: what to check

Every printer in this guide is refurbished in our listing, which is what you expect for discontinued industrial models. These printers refurbish well, because the wear sits in a few known places.

The printhead is the most expensive consumable. A thin white line running down every label means burnt elements, and cleaning will not fix it. Ask about head condition, and keep a spare head on any printer that runs all shift. See printhead failure diagnosis and replacement.

The platen roller drives media past the head. Flat spots and adhesive build up cause drift and uneven darkness that are easy to mistake for a head fault. Our thermal printer maintenance guide sets out a cleaning schedule.

The firmware and formats matter when you replace one generation with another. Load your real label files and print them before go live. Our guide to refurbished hardware grading explains what our condition descriptions mean.

Ordering

Send us the full part number on the unit you are replacing, your label width, the resolution you need, whether you print with a ribbon, any cutter, peeler or rewinder you rely on, and your daily volume. We will confirm the matching configuration before you order. Browse the full printer range, and if you are open to the current generation, read our Zebra ZT411 guide.

Common questions