Xerox B315 — Features, Specs, Performance & Business Use

The Xerox B315 is a compact, monochrome multifunction laser printer (MFP) designed for small-to-medium businesses, branch offices, and busy home-office environments that need dependable black-and-white print, scan, copy and fax functionality in a space-efficient package. It’s positioned between basic desktop lasers and larger departmental MFPs — offering higher throughput and more robust paper handling than entry-level printers while keeping footprint, complexity and cost lower than enterprise devices. Below is a detailed look at the B315’s hardware, software, real-world performance, total-cost considerations and recommended business use-cases.

Quick snapshot (tops you need to know)

Functions: Print, copy, scan, fax (MFP model).
Print speed: Up to 40 A4 pages per minute (up to 42 ppm Letter in some regional spec sheets).
Resolution / quality: 600 × 600 dpi with image enhancement up to 2400 (marketing “image quality”) for crisp mono text and graphics.
Recommended monthly volume: Up to 8,000 pages; duty cycle up to 80,000 images/month (peak).
Paper handling: Standard 250-sheet main tray + 100-sheet multipurpose tray; optional 550-sheet tray; standard duplexing. citeturn0search0
Scan: Flatbed + 50-sheet automatic document feeder (single-pass duplex ADF), optical scan up to 600 × 600 dpi.
Connectivity: Ethernet 10/100, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n; mobile printing (AirPrint, Mopria, Wi-Fi Direct).

Design and build — small footprint, office-grade reliability

The B315’s chassis is compact and intentionally utilitarian: it’s built to sit on a desk or a small pedestal while serving a team of users. Key design highlights include a simple front control panel with a small display, easily accessible toner and paper paths, and an ADF that handles duplex scanning. The device strikes a pragmatic balance — not a premium industrial appliance, but built with robust enough mechanics for steady daily volumes typical of small business workflows.

Core hardware and printing engine

Speed & output

With rated speeds up to 40 ppm (A4) the B315 delivers near-departmental performance in a compact footprint. For offices that have frequent multi-page documents — reports, contracts, invoices — the speed is noticeably better than consumer lasers and keeps small teams productive. First-page-out times are fast (commonly cited ~5–6 seconds), so short print jobs don’t feel sluggish.

Image quality

The engine prints at 600 × 600 dpi; Xerox applies internal image enhancement to deliver finer halftone and sharper text. For black-and-white documentation — crisp text, line art, tables and moderate grayscale images — the quality is professional and more than adequate for internal and external documents. The B315 is not designed or marketed for photo-quality output; its strengths lie in document clarity and speed.

Paper handling & media

Standard capacity is 250 sheets in the main tray plus a 100-sheet multipurpose tray (useful for envelopes, card stock, or preprinted forms). Duplex printing is included, and an optional 550-sheet feeder scales capacity for busier offices. Supported media sizes run from small custom sizes up to legal (8.5 × 14) and A4. These features make the B315 flexible for everyday office tasks while keeping manual feed and intervention to a minimum.

Scanning, copying & faxing — a true MFP workflow

One of the B315’s strengths is its scanning subsystem: a flatbed plus a 50-sheet automatic document feeder (ADF) that supports duplex (two-sided) scanning in a single pass. Optical scan resolution is up to 600 dpi which is suitable for creating searchable PDFs, OCR capture, and digital archiving of contracts, invoices and forms. Onboard fax functions (for MFP variants) offer typical business features such as fax forwarding and broadcasting, which remain relevant in verticals like legal and healthcare.

Connectivity, mobile access & security

The B315 is built to integrate into modern office networks:

Networking & mobile — wired Ethernet, Wi-Fi and USB connectivity make deployment flexible; AirPrint, Mopria and Wi-Fi Direct enable mobile workers to print without drivers.
Drivers & management — standard PCL/PS drivers and Xerox’s management tools let IT deploy and monitor the device across small fleets.
Security — Xerox includes security features appropriate for SMBs: secure printing options, basic hard-drive/data handling protections (depending on configuration), and network protocol protections. For regulated industries, confirm the specific security firmware/feature pack with your reseller.

Performance in real use — what to expect day-to-day

Throughput: Expect snappy behavior for both short jobs and multi-page runs. The rated 40 ppm applies to sustained B/W text jobs; mixed graphics or heavy duplexing lower effective speed slightly.
Scan/capture: Single-pass duplex scanning greatly speeds paper conversion workflows (e.g., invoice scanning into an accounting system). OCR and scan-to-email/folder workflows are supported via bundled software.
Reliability & maintenance: Mechanically the B315 is dependable for small business duty cycles — but if you plan continuous heavy monthly volumes near the upper recommended limit, consider service coverage and the optional 550-sheet feeder to reduce user intervention.

Consumables, running costs & TCO

Toner yield, energy consumption and maintenance kits drive the B315’s cost of ownership:

Toner: Typical starter cartridges are included (starter yield often lower); replacement toners are available in standard and high-yield SKUs. Using high-yield cartridges and duplex printing reduces per-page cost. Retailers list starter yields around 2,500 pages with replacement cartridges significantly higher. citeturn0search6turn0search0
Energy & standby: The B315 is relatively efficient in standby and offers power modes to reduce energy draw when idle — a useful consideration for offices watching energy costs.
Service: For predictable TCO, procure service contracts that cover parts commonly exposed to wear (ADF, fuser, rollers) and validate firmware update support from Xerox or authorized partners.

Who should buy the B315 — best fit business cases

The B315 is compelling when the following describe your environment:

Small/branch office needing compact MFP power: Teams of 3–15 users who require fast mono printing, reliable duplex scanning and occasional faxing.
Offices that value mobile printing and flexible connectivity: With AirPrint/Mopria and Wi-Fi Direct, the B315 is mobile-worker friendly.
Departments converting paper workflows: Fast duplex scanning and OCR capability make the B315 a good capture gateway for finance, HR and legal intake workflows. citeturn0search11

Not ideal if:

You require color output — the B315 is monochrome only and should be paired with a color MFP or printer for color materials.
You need very high monthly volumes — for continuous thousands of pages per month, a larger departmental device may yield lower per-page cost and more robust duty cycles.

Deployment tips & configuration advice

Right-size trays: Add the optional 550-sheet feeder if you have heavy daily volumes to reduce refill interruptions.
Enable duplex by default: Saves paper, reduces cost and is supported natively.
Use network authentication for shared environments: Enforce secure printing release for sensitive documents.
Keep firmware current: Xerox periodically issues security and reliability updates — coordinate firmware updates with IT and test before wide rollout.

Final verdict

The Xerox B315 is a practical, well-balanced monochrome MFP for small to medium offices that need fast, reliable document handling without the footprint or expense of larger departmental machines. It excels at text and document workflows, offers modern connectivity and single-pass duplex scanning, and scales modestly with optional paper capacity. For teams that print primarily in black and white and need dependable scan/capture features, the B315 is a strong, cost-conscious choice — just pair it with a color device if your workflow requires vibrant marketing materials or color proofs.

Sources & further reading

Core specifications and datasheets reviewed: Xerox product pages and official spec PDFs, plus reseller pages for real-world yields and deployment notes. For complete, model-specific configuration sheets, toner part numbers and the latest firmware/security bulletins consult Xerox’s B315 product page and the official B305/B315 user guides.

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