Often times we speak to people that are puzzled about which register to buy. The question is often in regards to which is better; the SAM4s ER-650 or SAM4s ER-5200M Cash Register.
There is no easy answer to that question as they are both great cash registers designed for restaurants. However there are many difference. So lets explore which one has the best features for you. Below I try to point out which machine has the better feature in important categories.
Keyboard: No doubt the ER-5200M has a much bigger keyboard at 117 item buttons.
Display: With question the ER-650 kills the ER-5200M in this category. The 650 features an 8 line LCD display that makes operating and programming much easier.
Printer: Well this one is a toss up depending on your needs. The ER-5200M features a two station printer with both receipt and journal tapes. The ER-650 only has one tape. If you want a journal you use the electronic journal feature. Both machines printers are high speed thermal printers.
Cash Drawer: A draw! They are both the same. 5 bill 5 coin
Kitchen Printer: Features I think the ER-650 wins this feature. Although they can both have a kitchen printer the ER-650 makes better use of modifiers and add-ons
Rear Display: A Draw! They are the same
Credit Card Interface: Draw! Both cash registers interface with Datacap credit card interfaces and Gift Card Interface
Computer Interface: Draw! They both interface to two different computer to cash register software packages
Inter-Register Communications: The ER-650 takes this category hands down. The ER-650 features standard register to register communications that allow program downloading and report consolidation. The ER-5200M does not have this feature
Scale Interface: Draw! They both have it.
Bar code Scanner: Interface Draw! They both have it.
Quick Books Interface: Draw! They both do it using PC Poll Software
DVR Interface: Draw! They both interface to several DVR systems like the Talon DVR
Window Buttons: The ER-650 wins this one. With the ER-650 you can program up to 8 buttons that are windows of items. So maybe you have a sandwich button, you press the sandwich button and a list of up to 8 items pops up in the display, you then choose which item you want by number or by scrolling up and down. Not used often, but when needed it is a powerful feature!
Order Review on Screen/Display: Another win for the ER650, you can review your entire order on the display. The ER-5200 has no such feature you would have to look at the tape.
Selective Voiding via The Display: Again the ER-650 takes this one. The SAM4s er650 has the 8 line LCD display that makes that feature possible.
Programming Ease: Well the ER-650 takes the cake when it come to being easier to program then any other cash register on the market, not just the ER5200M. Not at all that the ER-5200M is hard to program it is just that the 650 is made much much easier because of the display. I have had customers program the machine without ever opening the manual
OK, I know the ER-650 won a few more categories then the ER-5200M, but look at the keyboard size and the fact that the ER-5200M has both receipt and journal. Just those two items can push the 5200M to the best choice.
