Printers are an essential peripheral. They convert electronic information into tangible records and material output. If you can’t print reports, letters, photos, or other outputs, you won’t be able to use your computer to its full potential. In today’s highly competitive and changing marketplace, choosing a printer can seem confusing. This buying guide outlines some of the most important factors to consider before making that crucial purchase decision.
Printing Technologies
This decision is the most important. This decision should be made based on your work style and what you expect from the printer.
o Inkjet: Inkjets can produce stunning colors. This is the best option if you’re primarily concerned about printing photos. Although inkjets are capable of printing text, the printer’s print speed is too slow for document printing. Inkjets that offer a wider range of colors than the four-color CMYK (cyan magenta yellow, black) will produce more photo-realism. wps pin on hp printer These extra colors offer subtler color gradations for blue skies and skin tones. If you are printing a lot of black-and-white photos, it is worth looking into photo printers that can print with multiple colors or with gray inks. Photo printers often use mixed inks to create a composite black. This can result in a muddy tint. The gray ink allows for subtle shading, which improves the quality of black and white photos.
o Dye sublimation: Dye printers can produce continuous tones and a wider range of colors than laser printers, making them ideal to print more complex graphic applications or color printing. Dye-sub prints are less susceptible to fading or distortion than dye-based ink prints. Many consumer-based dye-sublimation printers can print directly from digital cameras, and can also accept memory cards. However, they are limited in the size and range of media that can be used, usually small enough to print on letter-size paper.
o Laser Printers: If you have to print large quantities of text documents, laser printers are the best choice. Even though they are more expensive to purchase initially, they print faster than inkjets. They also have lower long-term costs. There are some trade-offs. Monochrome laser printers can only print black-and-white text, but they cannot be used for color printing. While color lasers can produce excellent graphics and text, they are more costly and require maintenance.
Use of a Printer
While some printers can be used for general printing, others are more adept at specific tasks or combine multiple functions into one machine.
o Photo: A photo printer is a great option if you are a photographer who takes many pictures. Photo printers come in two forms: photo inkjets, which can print photos and text; and snapshot printers, which can produce small prints of 4×6 inches. Professional photo printers are for larger photos that can be tabloid-sized and include network connections for printer sharing. Professional and consumer photo printers rely on inkjet technology. Snapshot photo printers, which print 4×6 inches of prints, rely on dye-sublimation technology. No matter what technology is used, the most important quality to look for is photorealistic quality. All other aspects are secondary.
o General Purpose Printers: These printers can be used to print almost any type of material, including photos and text. If you need to print more text than photos, a general printer that supports both laser and inkjet formats is the best choice.
o Multifunction: Multifunction printers combine multiple functions, such as scanning, printing, faxing, or copying. MFPs are less expensive than purchasing separate devices, and they save you the time and hassle of setting up each machine. These all-in-one devices are great for those with limited space or budget. However, a failure to fix one component can cause the entire device to go down. default wps pin Additionally, individual components may not be able to be upgraded. MFPs can be equipped with laser printers, which are great for speedy text printing and occasional graphics output. They also have inkjet printers that allow for vibrant photo printing.
Environment and Applications
Consider where and how you will use the printer before buying it. Home users will have different printing requirements than office workers, photographers, and travelers.
o Basic home use: Inkjets are versatile and affordable. They can be used to print photos taken with a digital camera or other light printing tasks. You should look for cartridges that are separate for each color inkjets as they can be costly. You don’t have to throw away entire cartridges just because one color is used up first; you can only replace the empty ones.
o Home office: A MFP is a great choice for your home office. It comes with an automatic document feeder, which can automatically process multi-page documents without you having to be present. The extra memory onboard increases efficiency and makes it possible to process larger documents and graphics with greater ease. If you are interested in photocopying and scanning, an MFP with a higher resolution is the best choice.
If you are primarily interested in printing photos, photo printers are the best choice. You can choose either a smaller snapshot printer that prints 4×6 inches or a larger professional photo printer that prints tabloid-size 11×17 inch prints. These printers are also capable of producing full-bleed 13×19 inch prints, which include a border for registration marks.
Monochrome standard laser printers can produce pages of crisp text quickly. These printers can be used to print simple graphics and black-and-white text. However, you will need a separate printer or inkjet to print color photos.
If you have a small network, a workgroup laser printer may be the right choice for you. Workgroup lasers have faster print speeds and more memory to handle multiple print jobs. These lasers may also have more advanced handling capabilities, such as larger trays and the possibility of duplex (double-sided printing), sorting, and stapling. The majority of workgroup lasers cost more than regular laser printers. They are monochrome and are designed to print text and simple graphics.
Portable printers are ideal for travelers and businessmen who need to print quickly. They can be carried in a briefcase, fold up easily and weigh less than 5 lbs. It can be charged with batteries or a car charger. The latest models are wirelessly capable of printing, so it’s no problem if your USB cable is lost at home. Many portables have great features such as an automatic page feeder, the ability to handle envelopes and transparencies, and the option of an optional scanner cartridge. This cartridge replaces the ink cartridge, turning the printer into a scanner. Although portable printers can be more expensive than regular printers and may print slower, the benefits of using them are worth it.
Printing without a PC
PictBridge support allows photo printers to print photos without the need to be connected to a PC. PictBridge, which is a standard for printers and digital cameras that allows PC-free printing, allows photos to be printed directly from digital cameras to printers by connecting them via a USB cable. As long as they are compatible with each other. Another variation of this idea is that printers can read memory cards directly from digital cameras or other image-storing devices by inserting them into designated slots.
The printer can view the photos in many ways depending on which printer model is used. Some printers may have an LCD screen built-in that allows you to review the photos, make edits, and print the images directly from the screen. Some models allow you to create an index sheet, similar to a contact sheet for film printing. This allows you to mark the images you want and then rescan them. You can also choose which photos you want to print directly from your digital camera with other printer models. There are many types of memory cards on the market, so ensure that the printer can accept the type of card your camera uses.
Paper handling
Printing is a complex process that involves paper. These are some tips for printers on how to handle paper.
Ensure that your printer can handle all types of paper when you buy it. For example, if you have to print on heavy paper, ensure that the printer is capable of handling it. A printer’s paper path is a good indicator of how it handles paper. Lasers and inkjets typically use straight-through paths. The path is generally straighter, which means that thicker media can be used. Laser printers have curved paths that allow for more flexibility in the configuration of input and output trays.
Your printing will be improved if you use the right type of paper. You can print on either matte or glossy photo papers with inkjet printers. However, you need to choose the right type of paper for your printer for the best results. Matte papers can be used for both dye-based and pigment-based inks. Shiny finishes, however, are more suitable for dye-based inks.
o Most inkjets or lasers can print letter– and legal-sized documents. Consider a printer that can print larger sizes, such as 11×17 inches. If you are likely to be changing between paper sizes frequently, you might consider a printer that has multiple paper drawers. Additional features that can make a laser printer more useful include multiple output trays and duplexing (double-sided printing), collating, and automatic stapling.
Ensure that third-party papers work well with your printer if you intend to use them. Try printing a few samples of third-party papers before you purchase large quantities.
Key Features and Specifications for Printers
Different specifications are available for printers. Therefore, it is important to be able to navigate the spec sheets intelligently.
o Resolution: 300 dpi will suffice for laser printers if you only need to print the black-and-white text. However, 1200 dpi or more is recommended for color printing and photorealistic grayscale. Choose an inkjet with 1200-dpi resolution or better and a droplet size less than 4 picoliters for sharp, clear output. Photo printers have different resolutions. Photo printers that use dye-sublimation technology can produce 300 dpi, while photo printers that use inkjet technology can output 1200 or more.
o Speed: Speed ratings can vary widely. Manufacturers usually refer to printing in draft mode, or at the lowest resolution. A better way to measure actual laser printer speed is to track how long it takes for the printer to heat up, to spool the job into a print queue, and finally to print the output. Print speed is not a strength of inkjets. Don’t worry about this spec.
Consumables and page cost
Laser printers will benefit from additional memory to be able to manage large graphics and complex documents. If your printer has a hard drive with similar upgradeable memory, check the maximum memory that can be used. Also, verify if the printer can use generic memory or requires the brand of the manufacturer. Inkjets have built-in memory that cannot be upgraded. However, this is not a problem as the processing happens on the side of your computer. Therefore, inkjets don’t need a lot of RAM.
o Connectivity. Most printers don’t support the older parallel connection, but instead feature USB 1.1 (USB 2.0), which can be used with USB computers. To enable printer sharing, printers must have an Ethernet port. You may be able to print wirelessly from your notebook or other devices that have infrared ports if you are looking for more flexible printing options. Consider FireWire ports if you require high-speed, long-distance printing.