TSC MB241: an industrial printer with RFID as an option
A machine with a metal housing that a European dealer lists below the desktop unit of the same brand. That is not a bargain but an unfinished calculation: none of the dealers we checked prices the RFID option. This page gives everything that is documented and marks clearly what is missing.
What the MB241 is and who it was built for
The MB241 is a 4-inch industrial label printer with a metal housing, 12 labels a second and eight-inch roll capacity. On this range RFID is an option, not standard equipment — either fitted at the factory or retrofitted through the dealer.
- Form factor
- 4-inch industrial printer, die-cast mechanism with a metal cover
- Models
- MB241 and MB241T (203 dpi), MB341 and MB341T (300 dpi)
- Speed
- 12 ips / 304.8 mm/s and 9 ips / 228.6 mm/s
- Print width
- 107 mm at 203 dpi, 105.7 mm at 300 dpi
- RFID
- UHF, factory option or dealer-fitted retrofit kit
- RFID protocol
- RAIN UHF Passive, GS1 EPC Gen2 v2 / ISO 18000-63
- Label pitch
- from 15.9 mm; on-metal up to 1.65 mm thick
- Media
- roll up to 203.2 mm, width 20–120 mm, ribbon up to 450 m
- Memory
- 256 MB flash, 256 MB SDRAM
- Size and weight
- 248 × 274 × 436 mm, 9.1 kg
- Temperature
- 0 to 40 °C
- Price
- from 727.50 € net — no RFID surcharge stated
TSC runs the range in two generations. The older one is called the MB240 series and covers the MB340 and MB340T; we found no RFID reference for it in any source. The current one is the MB241 series, introduced in 2025, and consists of four models: MB241 and MB241T at 203 dpi, MB341 and MB341T at 300 dpi. The T stands for a colour touch display; the models without a T have a colour LCD with buttons.
What separates it from a desktop machine is less the RFID function than the housing and the throughput. The print mechanism sits in a die-cast frame under a metal cover, the machine weighs 9.1 kilograms and measures 248 by 274 by 436 millimetres. It takes label rolls up to 203 millimetres in outer diameter — around half as much again as a desktop unit — and ribbons up to 450 metres. And it prints at 12 inches per second instead of eight.
For a single-site shop that is more machine than the work demands. When tagging existing stock the printer is not the bottleneck; the hand attaching the label is, at 200 to 300 pieces per person per hour in our experience. The MB241 is still worth a look, and for a reason that has nothing to do with performance — a European dealer lists it below the desktop machine. Why that calculation does not add up is in the price section.
A second reason to look at it: a US dealer recommends the MB241T as the successor to the end-of-life T4000. TSC itself has not discontinued the T4000, but the MB241 generation is the younger range, and on a machine you keep for eight years that is an argument.
Technical data at a glance
| Item | MB241 / MB241T | MB341 / MB341T |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 203 dpi | 300 dpi |
| Print speed | 12 ips / 304.8 mm/s | 9 ips / 228.6 mm/s |
| Max. print width | 107 mm | 105.7 mm |
| Display | colour LCD with buttons; models with a T have a colour touch display | |
| Printing method | thermal transfer and direct thermal | |
| Media width | 20 to 120 mm | |
| Roll diameter | up to 203.2 mm (8 in), core 25.4 to 76.2 mm | |
| Ribbon | up to 450 m, core 25.4 mm | |
| RFID | UHF, factory option or dealer-fitted retrofit kit | |
| RFID protocol | RAIN UHF Passive, GS1 EPC Gen2 v2 / ISO 18000-63 | |
| RFID antenna | external fixed antenna above the media | |
| Minimum label pitch | 15.9 mm (0.625 in) | |
| On-metal labels | up to 1.65 mm thick | |
| Frequency band | not given in the datasheet | |
| Memory | 256 MB flash, 256 MB SDRAM | |
| Interfaces | RS-232, USB 2.0, USB host, Ethernet; optional MFi Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi | |
| Dimensions | 248 × 274 × 436 mm | |
| Weight | 9.1 kg | |
| Operating temperature | 0 to 40 °C | |
| Housing | die-cast print mechanism with a metal cover | |
Figures from the official MB241 series datasheet, with dimensions and weight confirmed identically by the US dealer Atlas RFID for the MB241T. ips means inches per second. Retrieved 03.09.2026.
Two lines that make the difference from a desktop machine
The first is the roll diameter of 203 millimetres. On a label 40 millimetres high that is roughly twice as many labels per roll as a desktop printer taking 127 millimetres. Anyone tagging by the stack in goods receiving changes rolls correspondingly less often — in a shop handling a few hundred pieces a month it makes no difference.
The second is the housing. A die-cast frame under metal is not a marketing point but the answer to dust, knocks and continuous work. A plastic desktop unit belongs in an office; this one tolerates a corner of the stockroom too. The price for that is 9.1 instead of 2.8 kilograms and a footprint you have to plan for.
How the MB241 encodes
Documented: RAIN UHF Passive to GS1 EPC Gen2 v2 and ISO 18000-63, an external fixed antenna above the media, a minimum label pitch of 15.9 millimetres, on-metal labels up to 1.65 millimetres, Encode During Print and automatic calibration. Not documented: the frequency band.
The antenna statement is the most interesting difference from the desktop machines. It sits externally and above the media, so it is not built into the paper path. In practice that means the distance between antenna and chip is slightly larger and more even, and the mechanism inside stays clear. For tolerance towards inlays placed differently from batch to batch that is rather favourable.
The minimum label pitch of 15.9 millimetres — TSC writes 0.625 inches — is the point below which labels can no longer be encoded individually with confidence. For swing tickets in fashion retail that is a long way off; it becomes relevant on very short labels, ring tickets for jewellery for instance. TSC states the same figure for the T800, T4000 and T6000e; it is evidently a property of the encoder assembly rather than of the individual machine.
On-metal labels up to 1.65 millimetres thick is a more generous figure than the T4000, whose product page stops at 1.2 millimetres. Such labels are needed by anyone tagging goods in metal packaging or jewellery; for textiles they are unnecessary and too expensive.
One point the sources do not settle
Whether the RFID option applies to all four models of the range or only to the base model cannot be answered conclusively from the public material. The official MB241 series datasheet runs its RFID section across all four columns — MB241, MB241T, MB341 and MB341T — without a model-specific restriction. The product page text says “available for the MB241 series”, meaning the same collective term. One automated reading of the same page, by contrast, once concluded that RFID was available for the MB241 only. We hold the datasheet version to be the more reliable, but we state the contradiction rather than smoothing it over: if you want an MB341T at 300 dpi with RFID, have that combination confirmed explicitly.
It is also worth noting that TSC's own RFID reference manual does not list the MB series among its models. It covers the T800, T4000 and T6000e. That is no sign of a weaker function, but it does indicate that the documentation for this range is thinner than for the older RFID models.
The price, and why it is not your price
tsc-drucker.com lists the four models between 727.50 and 882.00 euro net, with the note “plus VAT”. In all four cases that is a machine with no stated RFID build. An RFID-capable MB241T costs more — how much more, none of the sources we checked says.
| Model | List price | Net selling price | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| MB241, 203 dpi | 970.00 € | 727.50 € | tsc-drucker.com, “plus VAT”, 03.09.2026 |
| MB241T, 203 dpi, touch | 1,070.00 € | 802.50 € | tsc-drucker.com, 03.09.2026 |
| MB341, 300 dpi | 1,160.00 € | 812.00 € | tsc-drucker.com, 03.09.2026 |
| MB341T, 300 dpi, touch | 1,260.00 € | 882.00 € | tsc-drucker.com, 03.09.2026 |
| RFID option, factory or retrofit kit | not stated | not stated | priced by none of the dealers we checked |
| MB241T at a US dealer | — | 2,917.00 USD | atlasrfidstore.com, 03.09.2026 – expressly not converted into euro |
The dealer Jarltech quotes the same four list prices as a recommended retail price, without stating a tax basis there. Dealer prices are snapshots; project prices are frequently lower. All euro prices here are net, excluding VAT, and business buyers in another EU country with a valid VAT identification number are invoiced under the reverse-charge procedure. HANGCOUNT does not sell this machine at the dealer prices named.
The comparison that does not work without the surcharge
At first glance the case is clear: 802.50 euro for an industrial machine against 1,626 euro for a desktop unit of the TH series would make the MB241T half the money. Except that one price is for a machine with a built-in RFID module and the other for one without. What the RFID option costs, ordered as a factory build or fitted as a retrofit kit, appears in none of the sources we checked. The US figure of 2,917 USD for an MB241T at an RFID dealer suggests it is not a small item — but a US price says nothing about a European one.
The practical consequence is one line in your enquiry. Ask for a quotation in which the RFID build appears as a line of its own with its own price, for the specific model version at the resolution you want. Only then can you work out whether the industrial machine is really the cheaper route compared with the desktop unit. Without that figure you are comparing two different things.
What comes on top of the printer
- Labels. RFID labels cost roughly 12 to 15 cents apiece in the small quantities a fashion shop buys. For 4,000 existing pieces that is 480 to 600 euro to get started.
- Ribbon. Rolls up to 450 metres, matched to the label material.
- Printhead. A wear part; have the price of a replacement put in the quotation up front.
- Bench space. 25 by 44 centimetres plus room to open the cover and for the roll. It sounds trivial and is regularly underestimated in a shop office.
- Label layout. A one-off setup; with us part of the delivery.
What this machine is not for
- Die-cast mechanism under a metal cover — tolerates dust, knocks and continuous work
- 12 inches per second at 203 dpi, markedly faster than any desktop machine in the brand
- Rolls up to 203 mm and ribbons up to 450 m — fewer roll changes
- RFID available both from the factory and as a retrofit kit, unlike the TH series
- Protocol, label pitch and on-metal thickness are stated in the datasheet
- 256 MB flash and 256 MB SDRAM, twice what the desktop machines carry
- RFID surcharge stated by none of the dealers we checked — the list price is for a machine without the module
- Whether RFID is offered across all four models of the range is not conclusive between datasheet and product page
- Frequency band not given in the datasheet
- 9.1 kg and 248 × 274 × 436 mm — not a machine for a desk
- TSC’s own RFID reference manual does not list the MB series among its models
- For a shop handling a few hundred pieces a month, simply oversized
The most serious objection is not in the table but in the calculation. As long as the RFID surcharge is unknown, the apparent price advantage over the desktop machine is not an advantage but a gap. Anyone who asks and receives a figure that lands the machine at the level of the TH240R has a real decision to make: more machine for the same money, but also three times the weight and a good deal more space.
Alternatives compared
| Machine | Form factor | Speed | Net price with source |
|---|---|---|---|
| TSC MB241T | industrial, metal, 9.1 kg | 12 ips | 802.50 €, no RFID surcharge stated (tsc-drucker.com) |
| TSC TH240R | desktop, 2.8 kg | 8 ips | from 1,626.00 € with built-in RFID (Jarltech) |
| TSC Alpha-40L | mobile, 985 g, battery | 5 ips | 1,775.00 € (Jarltech) |
| TSC T6000e 4-inch | industrial, 16.7 kg | 14 ips | 3,535.00 € (Jarltech) |
All figures as at 03.09.2026, tax basis as stated in the sources. The full comparison of every TSC range with UHF RFID is on the overview page.
MB241T against TH240R. The honest position is: undecided until the RFID surcharge is on the table. In favour of the desktop machine are its format and a price that includes the RFID function. In favour of the MB241T are housing, speed and roll capacity — and the fact that RFID can also be retrofitted here, which is ruled out on the TH series.
MB241T against T6000e. The T6000e is the next class up: 14 inches per second, 16.7 kilograms, optionally a built-in barcode verifier that reads every label back and reprints failures automatically. That is equipment for supplier specifications and continuous work, not for a shop. At 3,535 euro against a base price of a good 800, the decision is usually quick.
Radio approval and operation in Europe
In Europe the band 865 to 868 MHz is allocated to UHF RFID at up to 2 W ERP, set out in CEPT recommendation ERC/REC 70-03 and the harmonised standard ETSI EN 302 208. The MB241 datasheet gives no frequency band — have the European build confirmed in writing.
ETSI EN 302 208 in its current edition V3.4.1 of December 2023 sets 865 to 868 MHz at up to 2 W ERP for Europe, with 915 to 921 MHz at up to 4 W in addition. National regulators implement it through general authorisations — the Bundesnetzagentur in Germany, ARCEP in France, UKE in Poland, RDI in the Netherlands, and their counterparts elsewhere. No separate registration of the individual device is needed as long as it conforms. A machine transmitting only on the North American band of 902 to 928 MHz may not be operated here. The United Kingdom has been outside the EU framework since it left the Union; there Ofcom's Interface Requirement IR 2030 applies and equipment carries UKCA marking rather than CE.
The MB241 datasheet gives no frequency range, and the only figure we found comes from the US dealer Atlas RFID: “Global 865 to 928 MHz”. That spans both bands and pins neither to a device. So put this in your enquiry: please confirm that the machine offered is the European build running 865 to 868 MHz — and have the answer on the order acknowledgement rather than left in a chat window.
On the buying route the same applies as to every machine in this section: anyone importing from outside the EU becomes the responsible economic operator under Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020, with their own address on the device, the duty to hold technical documentation for market surveillance, and liability for radio conformity. National implementations of the WEEE and packaging directives come on top. Buying through a European distributor removes that.
Frequently asked questions about the TSC MB241
What does a TSC MB241 with RFID cost?
Public sources do not answer that. The dealer tsc-drucker.com lists the MB241 at 727.50 euro net and the MB241T at 802.50 euro net, each with the note “plus VAT” and without a stated surcharge for the RFID option. TSC offers RFID for this range as a factory option and as a retrofit kit. Obtain a quotation in which the RFID build appears as a line of its own.
Which models in the MB series can do UHF RFID?
The MB241 generation: MB241 and MB241T at 203 dpi, MB341 and MB341T at 300 dpi. The official datasheet runs its RFID section across all four columns, and the product page text says “available for the MB241 series”. For the older MB240 generation with the MB340 and MB340T we found no RFID reference in any source.
Can RFID be retrofitted to an MB241?
According to TSC, yes. The MB241 series datasheet lists RFID both as a factory option and as a dealer option, that is a retrofit kit. That is the essential difference from the TH series, where the built-in module is available from the factory only. None of the dealers we checked prices the retrofit kit.
Is an industrial printer not oversized for a fashion shop?
Usually yes — but the MB241T is a borderline case, because the dealer lists it below the desktop machine of the TH series. What you get is a metal housing, eight-inch roll capacity and 12 inches per second. What you take on is 9.1 kilograms and a footprint of 25 by 44 centimetres. Whether it pays off depends on the RFID surcharge you still have to ask for.
What frequency does the MB241 use?
The datasheet gives none. The US dealer Atlas RFID states “Global 865 to 928 MHz” for the MB241T — that spans the European and the North American band but pins neither to a given device. In Europe the band 865 to 868 MHz is allocated to UHF RFID. Have the European build confirmed in writing before you order.
Which RFID protocol does the MB241 support?
Per the datasheet, RAIN UHF Passive to GS1 EPC Gen2 v2 and ISO 18000-63. That is the standard the common labels from Impinj and NXP use as well. The RFID antenna sits externally above the media according to the datasheet, and the machine supports on-metal labels up to 1.65 millimetres thick.
What is the difference between the MB241 and the MB241T?
The display. Models with a T have a colour touch display, those without a colour LCD with buttons. At tsc-drucker.com that is a difference of about 75 euro net. Day to day it is the difference between clicking through menus and tapping through them — on a machine that stands in the stockroom and is rarely operated, not a big deal.
Does the MB241T replace the T4000?
That is what a dealer says, not the manufacturer. Atlas RFID notes “reaching end-of-life” for the T4000 and recommends the MB241T as the replacement. TSC itself still lists the T4000 on its European product pages and has not put it on its own list of discontinued products. Anyone buying new today is nonetheless on safer ground with the MB241 generation — it is the younger range.
Printer, handheld, labels and software from one source
We deliver the hardware set up, with a finished label layout and about half an hour of training. The software costs 99 euro per month and location, the hardware of RFID printer and handheld 2,900 euro once, labels roughly 12 cents apiece as you use them. The handover to your point-of-sale system runs through CSV or Excel. All prices net, excluding VAT; business buyers in another EU country with a valid VAT identification number are invoiced under the reverse-charge procedure.
Related pages
Sources and date of the figures
Every datasheet figure on this page is a manufacturer statement. Where a figure is missing or sources disagree, the text says so and does not smooth it over. The retrieval date for all online sources is 03.09.2026.
- TSC Auto ID: MB241 series datasheet (PDF, edition of 14.04.2026) — RAIN UHF Passive to GS1 EPC Gen2 v2 / ISO 18000-63, external fixed antenna above the media, minimum label pitch 15.9 mm (0.625 in), on-metal up to 1.65 mm; 203 and 300 dpi, 12 and 9 inches per second, print width 107 and 105.7 mm, media width 20–120 mm, roll up to 203.2 mm with a 25.4–76.2 mm core, ribbon up to 450 m, 256 MB flash and 256 MB SDRAM, 248 × 274 × 436 mm, 9.1 kg, 0 to 40 °C, die-cast mechanism with a metal cover. RFID stated both as a factory option and as a dealer option. Retrieved 03.09.2026.
- TSC Auto ID: product page, MB series 4-inch (EMEA) — Encode During Print and automatic calibration, RFID availability worded in the running text as “available for the MB241 series”. One automated reading of the same page returned the divergent statement that RFID is available for the MB241 model only; that contradiction is named in the RFID section and is not resolved. Retrieved 03.09.2026.
- TSC Auto ID: RFID Labeling Reference Manual (PDF) — the model list of this manual covers the T800, T4000 and T6000e, but not the MB series. Retrieved 03.09.2026.
- tsc-drucker.com: MB241 series prices with the note “plus VAT” — MB241 (MB241-A001-0202) 727.50 € net against a 970.00 € list price, MB241T (MB241T-A001-0202) 802.50 € against 1,070.00 €, MB341 (MB341-A001-0202) 812.00 € against 1,160.00 €, MB341T (MB341T-A001-0202) 882.00 € against 1,260.00 €. No price is held there for the RFID option. Retrieved 03.09.2026.
- jarltech.com: the same four list prices as a recommended retail price, without an explicit tax basis. Retrieved 03.09.2026.
- atlasrfidstore.com (USA): MB241T at 2,917.00 USD, dimensions and weight identical to the datasheet, frequency stated as “Global (865-928 MHz)”; on the same dealer’s T4000 page the note “Product reaching end-of-life” with the MB241T as the recommended replacement. That lifecycle statement comes from the dealer, not from TSC. US figure expressly not converted into euro; no tax basis stated there. Retrieved 03.09.2026.
- itsupplychain.com: trade report on the extension of the MB241 series with RFID functionality. Red Dot Award 2025 for the linerless version of the MB241 series. Retrieved 03.09.2026.
- CEPT: recommendation ERC/REC 70-03 on short range devices. ETSI: EN 302 208 V3.4.1 (2023-12) — 865 to 868 MHz at up to 2 W ERP. Regulation (EU) 2019/1020, Article 4. Ofcom: Interface Requirement IR 2030 for the United Kingdom. Retrieved 03.09.2026.