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Quick answer: The MP series is Ricoh's older workhorse line, discontinued as the IM series rolled out from 2019 onward. The IM series is the current generation — software-upgradeable via Ricoh's Always Current Technology, with a longer runway of firmware and parts support. Used, MP machines typically cost 20–40% less than the equivalent IM model at the same speed, and they're mechanically proven. Buy MP for maximum value on a tight budget; buy IM for support runway, current firmware, and resale value. Both are built on the same Ricoh engine DNA.
For most of the 2010s, Ricoh's office line was the MP series — MP for black-and-white (MP 3555, MP 5055) and MP C for color (MP C3004, MP C6004). Starting in 2019, Ricoh replaced the whole line with the IM series, branded "Intelligent Devices": IM for B&W (IM 5000, IM 6000), IM C for color (IM C3000, IM C6000). We recondition and sell both every week, so this guide compares them the way a buyer actually experiences them — price, panel, parts, and how they hold up.
| Ricoh MP series | Ricoh IM series | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | ~2012–2019 (discontinued) | 2019–present (current line) |
| Status | Succeeded by IM, still fully serviceable | Actively sold and updated by Ricoh |
| Panel | Touch panels; late models ("04"/"04ex") have Smart Operation Panels | Newer-generation Smart Operation Panel standard |
| Firmware | Fixed feature set | Always Current Technology — features added via firmware updates |
| Cloud & apps | Limited | Built for cloud workflows and app integration |
| Parts & toner in 2026 | Widely available; huge installed base | Widely available; current supply chain |
| Typical used price | 20–40% less than equivalent IM | Higher, holds value longer |
| Best for | Budget buyers, back offices, predictable workloads | Longer holds, growing offices, cloud-heavy workflows |
Late-generation MP machines already had touch-screen Smart Operation Panels, so the difference isn't "buttons vs touchscreen." The real shift is under the glass: IM machines run Ricoh's Always Current Technology platform, which means the machine you buy can gain features and security updates through firmware for years. An MP machine is the machine it shipped as; an IM machine is a platform Ricoh keeps updating.
Both series scan fast — single-pass duplex feeders appear on both. The IM generation raised scan speeds at the top end and integrates more cleanly with cloud destinations (Sharepoint, Drive, email workflows) out of the box. If your office scans to a shared folder and prints Word documents, you will not feel a difference. If you're building cloud document workflows, the IM series is where Ricoh's investment went.
Here's the part that surprises people: MP-series supplies are not scarce. Ricoh built one of the largest installed bases in the industry, and toner, drums, and maintenance parts for machines like the MP 3555 and MP C3004 remain widely available, often at lower prices than IM supplies. The honest caveat is direction: the MP parts pipeline will thin out over the coming years, while the IM pipeline is still in its prime. If you plan to run a machine seven years, that matters. For a three-to-five year hold, it mostly doesn't.
Abstract percentages are less useful than real machines, so here's the comparison straight from our current inventory:
Black and white, 50–60 ppm: the MP 5055 at $2,195 against the IM 5000 at $2,795 — $600 for the newer platform at the same speed class. And occasionally the gap disappears entirely: our MP 6055 and IM 6000 are both $2,495 right now — when that happens, take the IM.
Color, 30 ppm: the MP C3004 at $1,795 against the IM C3000 at $2,295 — $500 apart for near-identical day-to-day capability.
Compact A4: the MP 402SPF at $850 against the IM 430 at $1,195 — the cheapest way to see the series gap in action.
For full context on what used machines should cost this year, see our 2026 used copier price guide.
Choose MP when the budget is the constraint and the workload is predictable: back-office printing, a second machine for overflow, a small office that prints and scans the same way every day. The engines are thoroughly proven — these are the machines the IM series had to live up to. At 20–40% below IM pricing, an MP with a low meter is the best cost-per-capability deal in used office equipment.
Choose IM when you're planning to keep the machine five years or more, when cloud workflows matter, when IT wants current security firmware, or when resale value is part of the math. Within the IM line there's a second generation question too — the 2023 "10-series" models — which we've covered in detail in our IM C3000 vs IM C3010 comparison.
Off-lease MP and IM machines cross our dock every week, and the pattern is consistent: the failure points are the same consumable items on both series — feed rollers, fusers, drums — because the mechanical hearts are siblings. What we do not see is MP machines aging out prematurely. A 2017 MP with a low meter and a fresh reconditioning behaves like what it is: a lightly used commercial machine with years left. That's why we stock both series without hesitation — and why Ricoh leads our resale-value rankings in both generations. If you want to understand the sourcing behind these machines, our guide to refurbished vs used vs off-lease explains exactly what you're buying.
Yes — Ricoh replaced the MP line with the IM series starting in 2019. Discontinued doesn't mean unsupported: toner and parts remain widely available, and MP machines make up a large share of the used market.
Yes, easily. The MP installed base is enormous, so supplies are plentiful and often cheaper than IM equivalents. Expect availability to stay strong for the next several years, thinning gradually after that.
If you'll keep the machine five or more years, want current security firmware, or care about resale value — yes. For a budget-focused three-to-five year hold with predictable workloads, an MP at 20–40% less is the better value.
No. Each series — and in some cases each generation within a series — uses its own cartridge part numbers. Always buy supplies for your exact model.
A low-meter MP reconditioned today should serve reliably for years; parts availability, not mechanical wear, will eventually retire the series. For most offices that's a 2030-ish horizon, comfortably beyond a typical ownership cycle.
Every machine we sell — MP or IM — is a low-meter, off-lease unit that's inspected and tested before shipping, backed by our 30-day money-back guarantee, with free delivery and installation across Southern California including Orange County. Browse all used Ricoh copiers, or call 714-696-6082 with your monthly page volume and budget — we'll tell you which series, and which machine, actually fits.
