If you’re considering IDP’s SMART Series card printers for your organization, the SMART-31 and SMART-51 are likely at the top of your list. Both are high-performance models designed to meet the demands of larger organizations, but each serves different production volumes and requirements. To help you choose the right fit, here’s a side-by-side comparison of the card printers features and capabilities.
Design & Build
- SMART-31: Built with a compact, plastic-framed design ideal for tight spaces like small offices or service counters
- SMART-51: Boasts a rugged metal frame, steel ball bearings, and a durable build—ready for heavy-duty environments and higher usage demands
Print Quality & Color
Both models utilize IDP’s FINE™ Imaging Technology:
- Direct to Card dye-sublimation printing
- Excellent edge-to-edge coverage of up to 16.4million colors
- Resolution:
- Color: 300 dpi
- Monochrome: 300, 600, or 1200 dpi
Speed & Throughput
- SMART-31:
- Prints a full-color card in ~20–23 seconds (~180 cards/hour)
- Prints monochrome in just 5 seconds (~720 cards/hour)
- Hopper capacity is 80 input / 25 output
- SMART-51:
- Delivers significantly faster color performance at ~17 seconds per card (~212 YMCKO cards/hour & ~720 cards/hour in monochrome)
- The input hopper holds up to 200 cards with the cover open
Features & Upgrades
- SMART-31:
- Optional duplex (double-side) printing, Ethernet connectivity, magnetic and smart card encoding, and even rewritable printing
- SMART-51:
- Optional duplex (double-side) printing, Ethernet connectivity, magnetic and smart card encoding, plus
- Built-in LCD display panel for simple user interaction, messaging, and printer status monitoring, and
- Optional over-lamination of clear or holographic laminates which can increase card-life up to five years
Warranty & Reliability
Both card printer models come with an industry-leading 3-Year Advance Exchange Warranty and a 20,000 print printhead warranty, ensuring peace of mind and protection against hardware issues for larger print jobs with less manual effort and more flexibility, making it a great investment for growing teams or higher-security environments.
Summary Table
Feature |
SMART-31 |
SMART-51 |
|---|---|---|
| Chassis | Compact plastic | Heavy-duty metal |
| Color speed | ~20–23 sec (~180 cph) | ~17 sec (~212 cph) |
| Monochrome speed | ~5 sec (~720 cph) | ~5 sec (~720 cph) |
| Hopper capacity | 80 in / 25 out | Up to 200 in with cover open |
| Duplex printing | Optional | Optional |
| Encoding options | Magnetic and smart cards | Magnetic and smart cards |
| Lamination | — | Optional (single/dual-sided) |
| Connectivity | USB, Ethernet (optional) | USB, Ethernet, Wi‑Fi (optional) |
| Display/Prompts | Basic LED Button | LCD Display with user prompts |
| Warranty | 3‑Year Advance Exchange | 3‑Year Advance Exchange |
Our Recommendation
Go with the SMART-31 if:
- You’re a small office, school, or lower-volume user (under 1000 cards a year)
- You have budget and space are considerations
- You need a solid, reliable printer without the need for lamination or ultra-high throughput
Go with the SMART-51 if:
- You require high volume printing (1000+ cards a year)
- You want enhanced durability with the optional lamination
- You need quick, on-demand card issuance printer with a simple user interface
Final Thoughts
Both printers deliver excellent print quality and reliability. Your choice comes down to budget, volume, and card-durability, and whether the SMART-51 advanced features are essential to your workflow.
