Zebra ZT231 - Zebra's Most Affordable Industrial Printer with a Screen
By: Colton Redtfeldt - 2/3/2023

The [ZT231][1] is Zebra’s newest entry in their industrial line of barcode label printers. The most affordable industrial printer in Zebra's lineup, the printer offers reliable label printing with a user-friendly touchscreen interface ideal for most configuration and troubleshooting uses.

After our standard set of testing and spec comparison, we believe that despite its relatively-low cost - [a direct thermal model with a tear bar comes in at under $900][2] - Zebra didn't sacrifice features to get to the price point they did. In fact, the ZT231 is rated to print almost double the speed of its predecessors the [ZT220 & ZT230][3]. The ZT231 clocks in at 12 inches/second at 203dpi and 8 inches/second at 300dpi compared to the ZT230’s 6 inches/second

**A Useful Touch Screen**
One of the biggest upgrades to the ZT231 is the inclusion of an easy-to-use 4.3” three-color resistive. The discontinued ZT230 had a much smaller screen. The screen allows you to see the status of your printer at a glance, access setup and troubleshooting wizards, and adjust settings with the touch of a finger or gloved hand.

Additionally, with the printer's built-in Zebra Basic Interpreter (ZBI) support you can load custom programs into the printer, build custom UIs, connect peripherals like barcode scanners to the printer, and even the printer process print jobs without needing to be connected to a PC or network. [Click here to view Zebra's documentation on ZBI if you have any questions][4].

**Versatile Interface Options**
Looking at interfaces, all models come with USB, USB Host, Serial, and Ethernet and NFC compatibility. Some models will also come additionally with Wifi & Bluetooth 4.0 compatibility and you can also field-install a second Ethernet port, 802.11ac or an Applicator port using an interface card.

Furthermore, Zebra has designed the printer to allow field-installable upgrades when you need them. With this, you can add options such as a cutter or peeler or RFID encoding.

**Reliable Printing**
As noted previously, the ZT231 supports printing up to 12 inches/second at 203dpi and 8 inches/second at 300dpi - double the ZT230. Like all industrial printers, it can accept industrial-sized rolls all the way up to 8” in diameter on a 3-inch inner core and 6” in diameter on a 1-inch core. The printer accepts perforated, continuous, die-cut, notch, and black-mark media. In addition to traditional rolls of labels, the printer can also accept fan-fold media using a gap in the back of the printer.
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![ZT231][5][][]
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[1]: https://posguys.com/barcode-printer_1/Zebra-ZT231_3955/
  [2]: https://posguys.com/barcode-printer_1/Zebra-ZT231_3955/ZT23142-D01000FZ_1145700/
  [3]: https://posguys.com/barcode-printer_1/Zebra-ZT200_1279/
  [4]: https://www.zebra.com/us/en/support-downloads/printer-software/zebra-basic-interpreter-zbi.html
  [5]: https://posguys.blob.core.windows.net/content/images/blog/79004/ZT231.png

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Zebra ZT231 - Zebra's Most Affordable Industrial Printer with a Screen By: Colton Redtfeldt - 2/3/2023

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Zebra ZT231 - Zebra's Most Affordable Industrial Printer with a Screen
By: Colton Redtfeldt - 2/3/2023