Zebra GT800 300 dpi thermal transfer printer

Name: Zebra GT800
Brand: Zebra

Zebra GT800

Discontinued — drivers and repair still supported

The GT800 300 dpi is the GT800 with a 12 dots/mm printhead, printing up to 4 ips (101.6 mm/s) and taking both 300 m and 74 m ribbons. Among its successors, the ZD220 is 203 dpi only, so the two models that carry on 300 dpi are the ZD421t and ZD621t.

Manufacturer service and support

Ended March 31, 2023

Max print speed

4 ips (101.6 mm/s)

Drivers and manuals6 files

GT800 specifications

Status

Discontinued. End of sale January 31, 2020; manufacturer-designated successors: ZD220, ZD421, ZD621, ZD888 (China only)

Manufacturer service and support

Ended March 31, 2023

Resolution

300 dpi (12 dots/mm, optional printhead)

Max print speed

4 ips (101.6 mm/s)

Print method

Thermal transfer / direct thermal

Ribbon

Zebra genuine 300 m (core 25.4 mm, OD 66 mm) / 74 m (core 12.7 mm, OD 34 mm), width 33.8-109.2 mm

Media width

Width 19.05-114 mm / length 6.35-991 mm / thickness 0.08-0.18 mm

Media roll

OD up to 127 mm (25.4 mm and 38 mm cores). Core inner diameter range 12.7-38.1 mm

Media sensors

Full-width movable black mark (reflective) sensor, multi-position gap (transmissive) sensor

Interfaces

USB, RS-232 serial, parallel (36-pin Centronics). 10/100 Ethernet option installed in place of the parallel port

Operating temperature

4.4-41°C, humidity 10-90% (non-condensing)

Dimensions and weight

197 W x 184 H x 273 D mm, 2.63 kg

The GT800 with a 12 dots/mm printhead

This model is the configuration ordered with a 12 dots/mm (300 dpi) printhead instead of the standard 203 dpi head, with a top speed of 4 ips (101.6 mm/s). The body, 300 m and 74 m ribbon mechanism, and connection ports are the same as the 203 dpi model; the head and speed differ.

By top speed, it is 20% slower than the 203 dpi model (5 ips). Uses by resolution are covered separately in 203 dpi vs. 300 dpi.

Successor models that carry on 300 dpi

Among the models Zebra designated as GT800 successors, the ZD220 comes only in 203 dpi, so labels printed at 300 dpi cannot continue at the same resolution. If you need 300 dpi, choose from the other two models.

Model	300 dpi top speed	Ribbon
GT800 300 dpi	4 ips (101.6 mm/s)	300 m and 74 m
ZD421t	4 ips (101.6 mm/s)	300 m and 74 m
ZD621t	6 ips (152.4 mm/s)	300 m and 74 m

The ZD421t matches the GT800's 300 dpi speed, and the ZD621t is 1.5 times faster even at 300 dpi. The China-only ZD888 is excluded from successor candidates in Korea. Sales ended on January 31, 2020, and Zebra service and support ended on March 31, 2023.

Media width 19.05-114 mm and roll specifications

Media width is 19.05-114 mm, label length 6.35-991 mm, and it accepts thickness up to 0.08-0.18 mm. Rolls up to 127 mm OD fit inside the unit (based on 25.4 mm and 38 mm cores), and folded (fanfold) media enters through the rear opening.

Two sensor types come standard: a movable black mark sensor that travels the full width and a gap (transmissive) sensor set to multiple positions.

Installation environment 4.4-41°C and built-in fonts

The operating temperature is 4.4-41°C and humidity 10-90% (non-condensing), and the unit measures 197 W x 184 H x 273 D mm and weighs 2.63 kg. It includes Simplified and Traditional Chinese fonts; factory-installed licensed ZPL fonts, if erased with a delete command, do not come back even after reloading firmware and must be purchased again.

Drivers are on the same GT800 download page as the 203 dpi model.

FAQ

How should I store the GT800 300 dpi if it will not be used for months?

Left for a long time, the head can stick to the platen roller, so place a label or sheet of paper between the head and roller. When shipping, remove the media roll before packing.

Does the printer tell me when to replace the head?

There is a head cleaning and life warning (Print Meter), but it is off at shipment. Turn it on with a single line: the ZPL ^JH,,,,,E command or the EPL oLY command.

How do I tell whether a GT800 300 dpi unit has a cutter?

The cutter is a factory-installed option, so it is only on units whose configuration label prints LINER/TAG under CUTTER TYPE. Cut width is 19-108 mm, and cut lengths shorter than 25.4 mm risk cutter jams and errors, so set label length to at least that.