The Evolis Primacy is a popular mid volume production printer, which along with the Evolis Zenius (a small batch model, more eco-friendly) forms the most prominent models in the company’s next-generation line of products. Below is a detailed review of the Evolis Primacy.
Matching Card Hoppers
The first thing you notice is that the manufacturer has gotten it right with matching input and output card hoppers, just like they did with the higher-end Dualys. Primacy gives a 100 input hopper as well as a 100 output hopper, available on not just the single-side versions, but also the double-sided ones. Evolis clearly understands the significance of input/output performance, and making it symmetrical eases workflow considerably.
Another great new feature in this model is the output hopper’s door, which keeps things neat and tidy. There is also a rear output hopper in Evolis Primacy, which is capable of holding up to 30 cards at a time. This mainly finds use with encoding jobs, which means your print job is in no danger of getting stalled in case a card with a lousy mag strip shows up in the batch.
Plenty of Field Upgradable Options
The Primacy brings a dual-side option, which the Evolis Zenius does not. The best part is that this, as well as the numerous encoding options, is field upgradeable. That means if you wished to start small and then later decided to expand, that is very much something you could do.
Quicker Printing
Evolis Primacy delivers impressive numbers in comparison to earlier models.
- Full color single-sided: 190-225 cards per hour
- Monochrome single-sided: 600-850 cards per hour
- Dual-sided, with full color, and black on the back and front: 140 cards per hour
Color Options
The Primacy is manufactured in two colors: Fire Red that is sure to appeal to the feisty, and a common theme of the Evolis line; and a new addition – Brilliant Blue. While decidedly bland, the latter does look appealing from quait few angles.
Intelligent Ribbon Configuration and Installation
The main change Evolis has brought in, is the RFID-included ribbon cartridge. The lack of this never really affected sales of earlier models, but the sheer hassle of having to repeatedly set the ribbon type when changing between monochrome and color, was profound enough to linger in plenty of customers’ memories.
Primacy and Zenius make this easier. You just drop the ribbons in and then close the lid. The RFID chip informs the driver right away, and you are ready to print. The new print cartridge aside, Evolis also has a highly accessible Premium Suite meant for Windows users, which cover useful information such as remaining ribbon percentage, cleaning cycles, etc.
Included Card Design Software
The Primacy comes in a package that also includes Evolis’ own CardPresso Software, which significantly eases customization of plastic cards and badges. You could make visitor cards, student card, corporate IDs, loyalty cards, etc., inside minutes using this greatly helpful software. The range of features is vast, and covers both contactless encoding and smart card coding, both integrated into a user-friendly environment where cards can be issued as and when you need them.
3-Year Standard Warranty
Evolis Primacy is compatible with both Mac and Linux operating systems, with dedicated drivers accompanying the product. The package contains both LAN and USB connectivity to enhance user flexibility, which apparently is their prime goal. The most impressive thing about this model is that it comes backed by a 3-Year Standard Warranty, which is one of the best deals you would get in the whole industry. All you need to do to stay inside coverage is be punctual with your cleaning cycles, because otherwise, the print head loses coverage. You could just order an added Primacy cleaning kit so that this side of things is taken care of.
Overall Verdict
Evolis Primacy is hard not to be impressed by, and we found it to be the best printer for short run jobs which is currently in the market. The main pros are that it carries faster output capability, gives a good color punch, delivers superior card coverage, and of course, let you simply drop the cartridge in and shut the door. You would be hard pressed to find a better machine to meet your short run production needs.
Starter Kits
Evolis Primacy can be bought as a comprehensive ID system, which means it would also have the ID Card Group’s starter kits (either basic or complete). The warranty too can be extended to cover an extra year on top of the default three. The complete kit without extended warranty brings a primacy printer, a full-color ribbon, a Webcam, 300 PVC Cards, and a cleaning kit, which is a lot better than what the basic kit brings.
If you're interested in purchasing the standard Evolis Primacy you can do so here: Evolis Primacy
