Comparativa de generación · Konica Minolta

What is new in the bizhub i series compared with the older C series

The Konica Minolta bizhub catalogue has two generations sitting side by side on Spanish dealer listings: the older C-series (2015 launch) and the current i-series (2019 launch, refreshed for 2026). Both run on the same Simitri toner family; both share the bizhub brand on the front panel. Beneath that surface they differ on eight structural points that change the day-to-day experience for users and the management surface for IT. This guide walks each difference in turn, with an upgrade-decision matrix at the end for offices on a lease renewal window.

— GENERATION 01 · LEGACY —

bizhub C-series

2015 · 2018 · still on Spanish leases

7.0"

Panel

120 ipm

Scan rate

Simitri HD

Toner

Edge security

Stable, capable office workhorses across the 2015 to 2018 chassis generation. Still in service on Spanish floors on lease cycles signed 2019 to 2022.

— GENERATION 02 · CURRENT —

bizhub i-series

2019 · 2026 refresh · current shipping

10.1"

Panel

240 ipm

Scan rate

Simitri V

Toner

Built-in

Edge security

The current chassis, with a unified UI shared across the AccurioPress production line. Carries every feature the 2026 refresh added, including AI scan classification.

Eight structural differences, walked one at a time

Touch panel and UI

C-series7 inch capacitive touch panel running the older OpenAPI 4.x UI. Tile-based home screen, limited customisation. Spanish language pack present but layout dense.

i-series10.1 inch capacitive panel with the unified UI shared with AccurioPress. Larger tiles, drag-and-drop home screen customisation, dedicated favourites strip per user.

Embedded edge security stack

C-seriesStandard firmware integrity check on boot. No active malware scanning of scanned documents. Vulnerabilities patched through firmware updates only.

i-seriesBitdefender real-time scan of every uploaded file, McAfee firmware integrity continuous monitoring, Trellix endpoint monitoring integrated. The MFP shows up on the SIEM dashboard.

Scanner throughput

C-seriesSingle-pass DADF rated at 120 ipm. Adequate for daily scan loads up to 200 sheets per day; slows under heavy batch jobs.

i-seriesDual-pass DADF rated at 240 ipm. Both sides captured in one transit. Heavy batch jobs (300 to 800 pages per day) clear at predictable speeds.

Toner formulation

C-seriesSimitri HD polymerised toner. Fusing temperature around 195 °C. Energy use measured at 1.2 kWh per 1000 pages.

i-seriesSimitri V polymerised toner with reduced wax content. Fusing temperature around 170 °C. Energy use measured at 1.06 kWh per 1000 pages, a 12 percent reduction.

Paper handling

C-seriesTwo 500-sheet trays plus 150-sheet bypass standard. Maximum chassis capacity 3,650 sheets with optional trays.

i-seriesTwo 500-sheet trays plus 150-sheet bypass standard. Maximum chassis capacity 6,650 sheets with two large-capacity feeders and tandem trays.

Connectivity

C-series1000Base-T LAN standard, Wi-Fi optional through external module. USB 2.0 host port. Bluetooth not supported.

i-series1000Base-T LAN, Wi-Fi 6 built in, USB 3.0 host port, Bluetooth 5.0 for mobile tap-to-print. Native AirPrint and Mopria certification.

AI features (2026 refresh)

C-seriesNo on-device AI. Scan classification done after upload, in the ECM application layer.

i-series · 2026 refreshOn-device document classification model. Recognises invoices, contracts, ID cards on the panel itself, extracts metadata, routes the document without operator selection.

Workplace Hub integration

C-seriesNot Workplace Hub compatible. The MFP cannot host the edge IT stack.

i-seriesWorkplace Hub-ready. The MFP can host the Konica Minolta small office IT stack including managed backup, security, and file sync.

The three reasons to upgrade now

Why C-series offices upgrade to i-series in 2026

— REASON 01 —

Security compliance

The EU Cyber Resilience Act takes effect in late 2026. The C-series cannot meet the firmware-signing requirement; the i-series ships compliant out of the box.

— REASON 02 —

Energy targets

The 12 percent energy reduction on Simitri V toner pays back roughly 80 EUR per device per year on a 12K-page monthly load. Multi-device fleets see four-figure annual savings.

— REASON 03 —

Scan-led workflows

The dual-pass DADF doubles the throughput on the scan workflow that drives most office document handling today. Document-heavy offices see noticeable user-facing improvements.

Two reasons not to upgrade yet. If the C-series device is on a lease with more than 18 months to run, the early-termination fee usually outweighs the upgrade benefits. If the office uses the device for print-only workflows with no scan-to-ECM, the i-series advantages do not show up on the day-to-day surface.

ROI of the upgrade · five-year scenario

Cost comparison · C-series replacement vs i-series upgrade

Cost line	Stay on C-series · 5 years	Upgrade to i-series · 5 years	Delta
Hardware	0 EUR (already owned)	5,200 EUR (or lease equivalent)	+5,200 EUR i
Energy use over 5 years	680 EUR	600 EUR	−80 EUR i
Drum and consumables	3,600 EUR	3,400 EUR	−200 EUR i
Service contract	2,400 EUR	2,400 EUR	0 EUR
Productivity gain from faster scan	0 EUR	−1,800 EUR (estimated, mid-size office)	−1,800 EUR i
Security incident exposure	Higher · uncovered by Cyber Resilience Act	Covered	Risk reduction
5-year total cash cost	6,680 EUR	9,800 EUR	+3,120 EUR upgrade premium

The arithmetic above puts the upgrade premium at around 3,100 EUR per device over five years, with the security and productivity benefits sitting against that figure. Offices that quantify the scan productivity benefit at more than 1,800 EUR per device close the gap. Offices in regulated sectors (healthcare, legal, financial services) see the Cyber Resilience Act exposure as the deciding factor, since the C-series cannot meet the signing requirement.

The two i-series-only features that matter most

From the eight differences listed above, two stand out as the most-cited reasons for upgrade decisions in the Spanish dealer network. The first is the dual-pass DADF, which doubles scan throughput at no incremental operator effort. The second is the embedded security stack, which is a hard requirement under the Cyber Resilience Act and a soft requirement under most public sector tenders. Offices that are scan-heavy or regulation-heavy land on the i-series for one or both of these reasons. Offices that are print-only and unregulated see less compelling reasons to upgrade before lease end.

How the upgrade conversation usually goes

Spanish dealers pitch the i-series upgrade in three steps. First, an audit of the C-series device against the Cyber Resilience Act compliance checklist; offices in scope see this audit as the conversation starter. Second, a one-week scan throughput trial with an i-series demo unit alongside the existing C-series; the throughput delta usually shows up in the trial logs. Third, a lease quote that includes the i-series unit, the Workplace Hub stack if the office wants it, and the migration of HyPAS-equivalent apps to the new chassis. Most upgrades complete inside two weeks once the lease paperwork is signed.

For Spanish buyers placing the upgrade decision into context, the bizhub brand and 2026 lineup overview sets the wider strategic backdrop. For buyers heading into production-class workloads, the AccurioPress production series guide covers the production-tier siblings of the i-series. For ongoing fleet owners, the J1 and J2 jam code decoder covers the day-to-day operator surface that both generations share.