|
|
|
|
Printer Buying Guide
Printers are very useful to have in connection in connection with your computer. Printers allow you to output your work on to paper and can be necessary for certain projects. The market has many different printers available and choosing the right one is not difficult.
There are two major types of printers available today. The first is the ink jet and the second is the laser printer. Each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. There are also multifunction printers or all-in-one units that have scanners, faxes and copiers combined with a printer all together in one machine.
Ink jet printers offer great value and are relatively inexpensive. They tend to be a little slower but the text quality is good. Ink jets are well suited for home offices and personal use. The upfront costs are not as high as laser printers.
Laser printers provide the highest quality graphics and text. They are faster than ink jets and offer a good solution if you tend to do a lot of printing. Laser printers may cost more upfront but the cost per page is cheaper when compared to ink jet printers.
There are many different printer manufacturers, which manufacture a high quality product including well-known names such as HP, Canon, Sharp, Epson, but there are many other manufacturers that provide good value and high quality printers as well.
The resolution on a printer is calculated by the number of dots per inch (DPI) that the printer can print. The higher number of dots the better the resolution. You may need to consider this if you need to print high quality graphics or photos from your digital camera. Some printers can increase their DPI through specialized software.
Speed is one factor you may want to look at with respect to the printer you choose. Laser printers are faster than ink jet printers. Printers measure speed by the number of pages that can be printed per minute (PPM). Most printers print from 4 pages to over 10 pages a minute although this is dependent on the type of page printed; for example just text, or color, or pictures, etc.
Replacing the ink or toner in your printer can be expensive and should be considered before making a purchase. Ink jet cartridges tend to be expensive. If you are going to be printing a large amount, you might consider purchasing a laser printer, as the replacement toner tends to be less expensive, although the cost of the printer can be higher upfront. You will need to check out where you can purchase additional ink and toner. There are companies that offer refilled cartridges at a lower price than new.
The cost per page (CPP) should be considered before buying a new printer. This measures the cost of running the printer and not the initial purchase price. This can be really important when considering purchasing a color printer versus a black and white printer, as the cost of replacing the ink can be quite high. You need two separate cartridges with a color printer. Also, laser printers tend to have a lower cost per page when compared to ink jet printers.
The way your printer handles paper can also be a factor when deciding on what kind of printer to purchase. Some printers have a paper tray inserted into the machine while with others you have to feed the paper into the top of the printer manually. Look to see if envelopes can be handled and how easy it is to manually feed labels or letterhead through the machine before deciding on the model you want.
If you need to print any special paper sizes, you will need to make sure the printer you are considering will be able to print it. Many printers can print legal size paper but a few can print the 11 x 17 inch, which often are used to print newsletters.
When purchasing a new printer, also make sure that you have all the necessary accessories, like printer cables. It can be frustrating to get a new printer and then have to wait to set it up because you did not have the proper cables. Some come with the necessary cables, but with others, you need to buy them separately.
Check to make sure that the software that comes with your printer is compatible with your computer. You new printer will come with control software called drivers. Be careful when installing and setting up your printer that you assign the printer to the proper drives.
You may want to check out the manufacturer website for the printer you are considering to learn about any new updates. These sites usually have all kinds of driver updates and any support issues.
So make your decision and buy a new printer. They are very quick and easy to install, so you should be ready to print in no time.
Article By Karla Soule, May 2004.
|
|
|
