Xerox WorkCentre 6605 Review: Features, Specs, Performance
Xerox WorkCentre 6605 Color multifunction printer
The Xerox WorkCentre 6605 is a colour laser multifunction device (print, copy, scan, fax) in the A4 form-factor, aiming at small to medium work-groups or offices that require colour output as well as black-and-white, along with scanning and sharing features. It offers speeds of up to ~35 ppm both colour and mono.Although the model is “no longer sold as new” in many regions (Xerox lists it as discontinued/new-sales-completed).
Thus if you are considering it now, you're likely looking at remaining inventory or a used/refurbished unit.
In short: the 6605 sits between desktop colour lasers and full departmental MFPs — offering a good balance of features for offices needing colour but not extremely high volume.
2. Key specifications & features
Here are the main specs that matter for business evaluation:
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Print speed: Up to 35 pages per minute (ppm) for both colour and mono (A4) in many configurations.
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First‐page-out time: As fast as ~9 seconds for mono / ~10 seconds for colour.
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Resolution: Up to 600 x 600 dpi native (with interpolation to 1200 x 1200) for print.
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Paper handling: Standard 550-sheet main tray + multipurpose tray (150 sheets) giving 700 sheets standard; optional 550 sheet tray to expand to up to ~1,250 sheets.
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Duplex Automatic Document Feeder (DADF) capacity: 50-sheet for scan/copy/fax.
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Media sizes: Multipurpose tray supports 76.2 × 127 mm up to 216 × 356 mm (A4/Legal). Tray1 supports 148 × 210 mm to 216 × 356 mm.
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Connectivity: Standard USB 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000Base-T). Optional WiFi connectivity (802.11 n/g/b) via adapter.
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Mobile / Cloud printing: Apple AirPrint®, Android Print Service, Xerox mobile print support.
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Security & Network: Secure Print, IP filtering, 802.1x, IPSec, SNMPv3, etc.
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Duty cycle: Up to ~80,000 images/month in one spec (though likely recommended average is lower).
3. Design & build quality
The 6605 has a robust build typical of shared office lasers rather than entry-desktop printers. It weighs around 32.5 kg and the footprint is 430 × 528 × 560 mm (W×D×H) in standard configuration.
User reviews highlight the user-interface: a 4.3″ colour touchscreen on the front panel which simplifies walk-up operations (copy, scan, email).
Paper path and feeder design are decent for its class, though some users mention that the device is fairly large and requires a suitable stand or dedicated space rather than being tucked under a desk.
From review:
“The duplexing ADF (automatic document feeder) holds up to 50 sheets … the standard WorkCentre 6605 comes with a 550-sheet paper tray … If you need even more … optional 550-sheet secondary tray… One thing we like is the expandable paper tray design.”
In short: build and usability are solid; for business use the design is appropriate though it is not ultra-compact.
4. Performance & real-world use
Print quality & speed
In real use, the 6605 delivers what the specs promise: 35 ppm colour/mono. The output quality for business documents is good; text is crisp, colour graphics and presentations are acceptable for internal and external documents.
From a review:
“For the Xerox WorkCentre 6605, you get a very flexible machine designed to handle light-to-medium duties… the LCD touchscreen provides easy-to-understand controls … the duplexing ADF did a great job.”
Scanning, copying & workflows
The inclusion of a DADF means the 6605 can handle scanning/copy tasks for work-groups. Scanning to email, folder, USB, network is supported. Reviewers note that scanning workflow is simple and the device is well-suited for shared use.
Cost of ownership & output volume
The 6605 is best suited for moderate print volumes (a few thousand pages/month) rather than extremely high volume. The cost per colour page in one review was quoted at ~15.4 cents (USD) for colour in one US review scenario.
In business deployment, to get good value:
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Use duplex default to reduce paper use.
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Monitor colour usage vs mono; if colour prints dominate cost may rise.
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Use optional trays if you have higher volume to reduce refill frequency.
Limitations
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Because print speed is 35 ppm, if you have high volume colour workloads (say tens of thousands of pages/month) you may reach capacity limitations or find faster machines more economical.
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The model is now discontinued; future support (firmware, parts) may become harder — this needs to be considered if deploying new.
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The cost per colour page may be higher compared to newer machines with more efficient colour lasers or ink-based systems.
5. Business use & deployment suitability
Where it fits very well
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Small to medium teams (e.g., 5-20 users) that need colour printing and multifunction (print/scan/copy/fax) in shared office space.
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Offices with moderate print/scanning demands, where 550-700 sheet capacity suffices and refill/manpower overhead is manageable.
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Environments where mobile printing and network scanning are useful (BYOD, tablets, remote workers) — the 6605 supports those workflows.
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Cost-conscious deployments wanting colour option but in moderate volume, rather than needing full production colour device.
Where you may want to reconsider
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Branches or service centres with very high volume (15k+ pages/month) or high colour demand — a higher throughput colour MFP may reduce cost per page and produce faster output.
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If you expect long lifecycle (7-10 years) and need parts/firmware availability, pick a current model rather than a discontinued one.
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If you require very large paper sizes (A3 +) or advanced finishing (booklets, heavy stapling, binding), this A4 machine may fall short.
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If colour printing is rare and mostly mono printing is used — you might get better cost per page with a dedicated mono laser.
6. Strengths & weaknesses – summary
Strengths:
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Good all-round speed and feature set for A4 colour MFP (35 ppm colour plus multi-function).
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Strong connectivity, mobile/airprint support, network scanning and secure printing features.
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Expandable paper handling; standard feeder plus optional additional tray.
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Intuitive user interface (4.3″ touchscreen) and good workflow support (scan to email/folder/USB).
Weaknesses:
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Discontinued model — may face parts/firmware/support limitations going forward.
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Cost per colour page is higher compared to newer machines; colour may remain relatively expensive.
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For very high print/colour volumes or advanced finishing, there are higher-tier devices more suited.
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A4 only — if your workflow involves A3 size you’ll need a different machine.
7. Deployment tips & recommendations
If you choose to deploy the WorkCentre 6605, here are practical tips to get the most value:
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Standardize configuration: Use the main 550-sheet tray + multipurpose tray setup; if volume warrants, add the optional 550-sheet tray for 1,250 sheet capacity.
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Default to duplex printing: Set devices to two-sided by default to save paper and reduce cost.
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Colour use policy: Monitor and control colour printing usage (especially if colour cost per page is higher) — use drivers to restrict colour to certain users/jobs where possible.
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Mobile/Tablet printing: Enable AirPrint/Mopria and communicate to staff how to print from mobile devices; this improves user satisfaction with minimal admin overhead.
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Scan workflows: Set up scan-to-folder/email presets via the touchscreen to reduce operator time. Train staff for one-touch workflows.
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Consumables/maintenance tracking: Track toner yield (standard cartridges yield approx 2,000-3,000 pages for colour cartridges in this model). Keep stock of maintenance kit items (imaging unit, fuser etc) since wear parts for discontinued models may become harder to source.
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Lifecycle planning: Since the model is discontinued, factor in a refresh window (e.g., 3-5 years) and budget for potential parts/supply cost increase over time.
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Driver/OS compatibility: Ensure all devices in network can use Xerox’s Global Print Driver and confirm compatibility for your OS (Windows, Mac, etc) to simplify support burden.
8. Final verdict
The Xerox WorkCentre 6605 is a capable and balanced colour multifunction device well suited to small/medium business groups that require print, scan, copy and fax in colour. It offers good speed, connectivity and features in an A4 format, making it versatile for a broad range of office workflows.
If your print volumes are moderate and you want to include colour without stepping up to a full production colour MFP, the 6605 is a strong choice — especially if you can secure it at good price (since it is discontinued).
On the other hand, if your business demands heavy colour printing, large format output, advanced finishing, or you plan for a long hardware lifecycle under heavy usage, you might want to consider newer models (e.g., Xerox’s VersaLink or AltaLink series) to ensure future support and lowest cost per page.
In summary:
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✔ Excellent fit for medium office colour MFP needs, up to maybe ~5-10k pages/month.
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⚠ Less ideal for very high volume or A3/advanced finishing workflows.
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✔ Good value if sourced at reasonable cost, but upgrade path and support availability should be factored.
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