If you are one of those who are daily faced with the need to scan all kinds of paper that comes your way, such as documents, invoices, tickets or business cards, the family of scanners Fujitsu ScanSnap fulfills the best conditions to carry out this work.
The company presented several models that renew its portfolio, with which the self-employed, small businesses and even households can find their needs covered. The ScanSnap iX1400 analyzed here is the most basic and economical you can buy. Let’s get into the details.
Quality design and construction
If anything has characterized Fujitsu personal scanners over the years, it’s their simplicity and ease of use. Data such as the figure of more than 5 million units sold worldwide supports this fact.
Thus, the new ScanSnap iX1400 retains its personal compact scanner format presented in a desktop format with the idea that it takes up as little space as possible if you place it next to your monitor on your office table.
Weighing just over 3kg and finished in white, it is easy to transport from one place to another, even in cases where the need arises to take it to another place or to a second residence.
Its top cover has evolved from generation to generation in such a way that the current one allows the scanner to be completely covered to protect its internal mechanics and safe from possible exposure to dust when not in use. .
If you deploy it, the scanner wakes from hibernation without the need for a power button. This is when this cover acts as an input tray, with a 50-sheet automatic feeder and support for all types of paper weighing between 40 and 209 grams.
Plus, its output tray features multiple fold sections to comfortably collect pages that are scanned at high speed, preventing them from falling to the floor or scattering across the table.
With this we realize that in times when the scanner is not in use, its dimensions are very small and compact and can go unnoticed.
Commissioning and operation
The iX1400 model we have in hand is the most basic and the easiest to use, as it has a single button to control the scanning of a new job. The lack of a control panel prevents you from making some previous settings from the machine.
Getting started is frankly simple and almost instantaneous. Connect the scanner to your computer, Windows or Mac, and the Windows or macOS operating system will install the Conductors corresponding to be recognized.
In just a few moments, the ScanSnap is ready to scan all the documents you need. With him Software ScanSnap Home main management system, you will be able to manage a quick and intuitive menu, which compensates for the lack of control panel on the device itself.
In fact, here we find one of the main differences between the base ScanSnap iX1400 model and the first two iX1500 and iX1600. And it is that the latter two offer an LCD touch screen from which to make these adjustments.
This has an explanation, since the one analyzed here depends at all times on connection to a PC for its operation, as it lacks Wi-Fi connectivity. The two most advanced models both have Wi-Fi to manage them from from your mobile device.
If you are certain that your use of the scanner will always be linked to a PC computer, with the iX1400 you will have your needs covered. However, be aware that for just $ 100 more, you can expand your reach and eliminate PC dependency.
Speed and qualities
As we have pointed out, the operation is very intuitive. By simply lifting the scanner cover, your PC screen will launch the ScanSnap Manager software so you can choose where to store the document, either locally or in the cloud.
The quick menu option also lets you choose the file type you want, whether it’s a searchable PDF, editable Word, Excel or PowerPoint files, or save it as a JPEG image format. .
A standard 9-page DIN-A4 document with two-sided information gave us an ultra-fast total scan time of just 11 seconds, which is pretty close to the ideal speed set by the manufacturer of 40 pages per minute at quality of 300 dpi.
We have tried scanning single-sided documents and the speed is the same, as the carriage system used by Fujitsu is based on the inclusion of two independent readers for each side of the sheet, so the speed is not affected by this. .
And is the speed not a problem for the ScanSnap. We tried to save the job in a searchable PDF format and the scanning speed did not change, although in the end and of course the system takes a little longer to process the document.
We find the options collected by ScanSnap Home very interesting, as it is possible to add custom profiles for use in corporate or service environments. You can edit profiles and choose image qualities, apply dates to receipts or associate suppliers.
Additional software
If you are looking for an OCR scanner solution that you can have readable documents to process in your editor, you are in luck as well. A license for the use of two programs with advanced functions is included with the scanner.
This is the case with ABBYY FineReader for ScanSnap and Nuance Power PDF Standard with which you can apply automatic corrections, locate content by keywords and organize captured documents according to company name.
If you want to be able to scan large volumes of documents on a daily basis, these programs will allow you to achieve optimized management, with automatic detection of the paper size, removal of blank pages, as well as color detection.
Price
We have already pointed out that ScanSnap iX1400 It is the most basic model of those recently presented by Fujitsu, priced at $ 358.49. The question is, are you ready to ditch the more advanced options of the iX1500 and iX1600?
Both add Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can have an LCD touchscreen control panel to sort jobs, or even better manage and manage them from the app on your mobile device without having to turn on the PC to use it.
Model ScanSnap iX1500 It offers all this for just $ 100 more, which seems a priori a more judicious purchase given a more advanced and personalized use.
Verdict
Fujitsu ScanSnap scanners are not the cheapest on the market, but over the years they have gained great recognition from the professional user community seeking speed, efficiency and ease of use in their operation. job.
Perhaps due to their price, they represent an additional investment if they are to be used in a home environment. But since the number of documents to be scanned is high, there is no similar solution in the market that solves the ballot.
In fact, this is a family of products that has traditionally been linked more to small business or professional office environments, such as agencies, and over time they have come closer to the needs of our homes.
The iX1400 analyzed here attempts to lower the price to attract this user profile, however, the lack of Wi-Fi connectivity and the absence of the LCD panel limit its full potential and splendor.
Characteristics
- Desktop scanner
- 600 dpi optical resolution
- 50-sheet automatic document feeder input tray
- Double page scanning mode
- Output formats: JPEG, PDF, searchable PDF, PDF password, PDF / A
- USB 3.2 connection interface
- Software included:
- ScanSnap Home and ScanSnap Manager
- ABBYY FineReader
- Nuance Power PDF Standard
- TWAIN controller with OCR
- Power consumption 17 W (1.5 W in standby mode)
- Dimensions 292 x 161 x 152 mm
- 3.2 kg weight
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