Canon Arizona 480 GT vs Canon 6170 XTS. Which UV Flatbed Printer Is Right for Your Business?

Canon Arizona 480 GT vs Canon 6170 XTS is one of the most common queries we field at Let’s Print Now. Both are serious production machines. Both carry the Canon Arizona name. But they are built for different businesses, different volumes, and different priorities. Getting this decision right matters because the wrong machine costs you capacity or capital, and both are expensive mistakes at this level of investment.

This comparison covers the practical differences that actually affect how each printer performs in a working print environment, so you can make the call based on your production needs rather than a spec sheet.

The 480 GT: Quality, Versatility, and White Ink Capability

The Canon Arizona 480 GT is the stronger of the two machines when creative flexibility is the priority. Its eight independent ink channels support CMYK, white ink, and optional varnish in the same pass. That combination opens up applications that a standard four-colour system simply cannot produce: backlit graphics where white ink creates opacity on clear substrates, layered printing on dark or coloured materials, and tactile varnish finishes that add physical texture to printed surfaces.

For businesses serving demanding creative markets, the 480 GT earns its place through what it can produce rather than how fast it runs. Near-photographic image quality and the versatility to take on briefs that competitors with entry-level flatbeds cannot touch is where its commercial value lies.

The 6170 XTS: Industrial Throughput for High-Volume Operations

The Canon 6170 XTS is not competing with the 480 GT on versatility. It is competing on scale. This is an industrial production system for operations running hundreds of sheets per day where volume, uptime, and consistency across long runs are the metrics that matter. The 6170 XTS is built for businesses that have already proven their flatbed model and need a machine that matches their throughput demands without performance drift over extended production sessions.

Where the 480 GT earns its keep through creative range, the 6170 XTS earns its keep through output consistency and speed at scale. If your primary constraint is capacity rather than application range, this is the machine built for that problem.

How They Compare on Print Speed

The 6170 XTS operates at significantly higher throughput than the 480 GT, which is its primary design advantage. For businesses measuring profitability in jobs-per-day across consistent work types (exhibition graphics, rigid signage, retail POS material at volume), the difference in output speed translates directly into revenue per machine hour. For businesses with a more varied and creative job mix, where setup time, substrate changes, and bespoke finishing are part of the workflow, the raw speed advantage of the 6170 XTS is less relevant than the application range and quality ceiling of the 480 GT.

Is the Canon 6170 XTS Worth the Extra Cost Over the 480 GT?

That depends entirely on whether your production volume justifies it. The 6170 XTS carries a higher price point than the 480 GT, and the premium is warranted if your business is genuinely running at the kind of volumes the machine is designed for. If you are regularly turning down work because your current flatbed cannot keep up, or if you are running shifts to cover the output demand, the 6170 XTS will earn back that premium through increased capacity. If your bottleneck is application range rather than volume, the 480 GT addresses that constraint more directly and at a lower entry cost. The honest answer for many businesses sitting between the two is to start with the 480 GT, build the revenue that its white ink and varnish capability can generate, and plan the 6170 XTS as a second machine once volume justifies the investment. We are happy to talk through your specific production data and give you an honest recommendation.

Which Printer Should You Start With?

If you are new to UV flatbed printing or upgrading from an entry-level system, the Canon Océ Arizona 460 GT is worth considering alongside both machines discussed here. It represents the proven baseline in the Canon Arizona range and suits businesses entering serious flatbed production for the first time. If you are already operating at a level that justifies the 480 GT or the 6170 XTS, the choice comes down to whether creative versatility or production volume is the more pressing constraint on your current business. Our team at Let’s Print Now can help you work through that decision with your real numbers rather than generalised benchmarks. Alternatively, you can check out our resources page for more in-depth information.