The setup and troubleshooting of the ZSB-DP14 can be frustrating, but once it runs, you can print 4 x 6 inch labels from any PC or mobile device.
When a company like Zebra boasted that its product is a “label printer that can…work”, it is setting itself up more criticisms, and it’s just…um…nothing. This is unfortunate, because even though it may be a challenge to get the ZSB series DP14 thermal label printer to work, once it is finally set up, it is a powerful device. Its main feature is that it can flexibly print wirelessly from Zebra’s Web application or any program on the computer, which is not available in other label printers of this size. Don’t be surprised when the ZSB-DP14 ($229.99) does not meet Zebra’s claim that it will “end the plug and pray.” If you don’t need the unique wireless printing function of the ZSB-DP14, please look for the cheap and reliable Arkscan 2054A-LAN, which is still our editor’s choice for 4-inch label printers.
Due to its cloud-based interface, the 4-inch ZSB-DP14 has almost no competitors. Zebra ZSB-DP12 has all the same functions, but only for labels up to 2 inches wide. Although it’s easy to find other printers that can handle 4-inch wide labels, we haven’t seen any printers that can be controlled through a web application. Therefore, if you want the ability to remotely print and print shipping labels from eBay, Etsy, FedEx, UPS, etc., ZSB-DP14 is the only option at the time of writing.
The simple design of the printer with beautiful rounded edges is suitable for any decoration. The plastic body is mostly white with a little gray near the top edge; it has a footprint of only 6.9 x 6.9 inches and is only 5 inches high. The gray area at the top surrounds a window through which you can see the label on the currently inserted ink cartridge. A button for power is located on the front, surrounded by a solid ring that occasionally lights up.
Unfortunately, in terms of ease of use, the ring around the power button is at best a problematic design choice. Although it has no obvious interruption, it is divided into four parts, each of which can be bright blue, green, red, yellow or white. Each part can be dimmed, lit up steadily, or flashed in one of a variety of patterns. Each combination of indications means different things.
The ring does make effective use of space without spending an LCD screen. But it is impossible to decode without instructions, and there is no hint in the quick start guide where to find a suitable Rosetta Stone. Zebra has an online FAQ with a lengthy list, but you must find it yourself or contact its support team for help.
If you experience problems, the lack of clarity around the status indicator can quickly become a problem. In my test, the printer stopped working in two different situations. Both the website and the mobile application reported that it was offline, so I couldn’t find the problem if I didn’t decode the ring light. I prefer a simple method to confirm whether the Wi-Fi connection is still active, and a Wi-Fi search button or equivalent to re-establish the connection. A more powerful quick start guide with a troubleshooting section is almost as useful. Zebra stated that it is aware of this issue and is revising the quick start guide.
To print, the ZSB-DP14 needs Wi-Fi connection to an internet-connected network, so it needs some way for you to enter the router or access point details. The method Zebra chose was to create a mobile app (available for Android and iOS) that allows your phone to act as a kind of Bluetooth remote control for the printer. Please note that Bluetooth support is only for setup. All printing is handled via Wi-Fi connection.
After you connect the printer to your Wi-Fi network using a Bluetooth printer to your mobile phone, you can create a Workspace account on the ZSB series website, including logging in with a password. You must enter it twice. After testing, this step is Unnecessarily difficult. There is no option to cancel the mask of the password you entered, so there is no way to confirm what you entered or correct errors. Zebra said it plans to add an unblock option.
Finally, once a Workspace account is set up, you can use any device that can log in to the site to print from the web-based Label Designer application. I found the application to be easy to use, but not well designed. For example, when using barcodes, shapes, or text tools, the application opens an immovable dialog box that usually covers part of the label itself. Zebra says it plans to solve this problem. To see the effect of the changes, you must close the dialog box and open it again to make more changes.
You can also download drivers to print labels from programs on Windows or macOS computers, such as address labels generated by Word or Excel, or shipping labels from shippers or markets. At the time of writing, it is not possible to print shipping labels from mobile phones, but Zebra said it plans to deploy an update to add this feature to mobile phones soon.
After setting, the printing effect of ZSB-DP14 is good enough, which can make up for the trouble of setting procedure and incomprehensible status ring light to a large extent.
Zebra sells eight label sizes. The smallest size is 2.25 x 0.5 inches, suitable for labeling small items such as jewelry. The largest size is 4 x 6 inches, which is ideal for shipping labels. The price of each label ranges from 2 cents for the smaller size to 13 cents for the 4 x 6 size. Mailing labels (3.5 x 1.25 inches) are 6 cents each. The size selection is based on the needs of small companies selling through online sites such as eBay, but they should be suitable for any business that needs labels up to 4 x 6 inches in size.
Timing printing speed is a challenge. We usually avoid running our printer tests over Wi-Fi, because the speed will depend on the quality of the connection at the time. As you know, if you have ever seen streaming services appear chaotic in the middle of a movie, adding cloud-based services to the mix will only complicate the problem. It takes 2.3 to 5.2 seconds to reprint the same 4-inch long label. For address tags run with 60 tags, the results are more consistent, with 62.6 to 65.3 tags per minute. However, this is significantly lower than Zebra’s rating of 73 address tags per minute or 4.25 inches per second. Depending on your Wi-Fi and Internet connection, your results may vary. The wired label printers we have tested, including iDPRT SP410, Arkscan 2054A-LAN and Zebra’s own GC420d, have printing speeds in the range of 5-6ips.
The standard output quality of the label printer is very good, mainly due to the 300 x 300 dpi resolution. Even at small dot sizes, the text is readable. At 7 points or less, the text looks a bit gray, but it can be easily fixed by setting it to bold. Larger fonts and filled shapes, including QR codes and standard barcodes, are suitable for black and have sharp edges; they can be easily read by any scanner.
Although the ZSB-DP14 has not fulfilled Zebra’s “just…work” promise, it is easy to use once you have completed the setup and initial learning curve. Speed and output quality are suitable for small companies that sell products through online websites.
The only question is whether a cloud-based printer is what you want. If you need to print on 4-inch wide paper and you prefer to plug in only the cable, then it is better to use the Arkscan 2054A-LAN, which won the Editor’s Choice Award. However, if you want to be able to print 4-inch labels from any networked device, Zebra ZSB-DP14 is the only label printer that can meet these needs.
The setup and troubleshooting of the ZSB-DP14 can be frustrating, but once it runs, you can print 4 x 6 inch labels from any PC or mobile device.
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M. David Stone is a freelance writer and computer industry consultant. He is a recognized generalist and has written credits on various topics such as ape language experiments, politics, quantum physics, and an overview of top companies in the gaming industry. David has extensive expertise in imaging technology (including printers, monitors, large-screen displays, projectors, scanners, and digital cameras), storage (magnetic and optical), and word processing.
David’s 40 years of technical writing experience includes a long-term focus on PC hardware and software. Writing credits include nine computer-related books, major contributions to the other four, and more than 4,000 articles published in national and global computer and general interest publications. His books include Color Printer Underground Guide (Addison-Wesley) Troubleshooting Your PC, (Microsoft Press), and Faster and Smarter Digital Photography (Microsoft Press). His work has appeared in many print and online magazines and newspapers, including Wired, Computer Shopper, ProjectorCentral, and Science Digest, where he served as a computer editor. He also wrote a column for Newark Star Ledger. His non-computer-related work includes NASA’s Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite Project Data Manual (written for GE’s Astro-Space Division) and occasional science fiction short stories (including simulation publications).
Most of David’s writing in 2016 was written for PC Magazine and PCMag.com, as a contributing editor and lead analyst for printers, scanners and projectors. He returned as a contributing editor in 2019.
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Post time: Dec-03-2021
