How to choose a printer

How to choose a Printer

Choosing a Printer type: At present you cannot use your PC to its full potential if you can't print reports, letters, presentations, photos, etc. A good printer supports multiple applications, from simple text to complex color graphics. Choosing a printer can be a very complex task, especially in the current competitive landscape--this guide may help you to choose the right printer and understand what you need to consider before you buy.

What will you be using your printer for?	What are your needs?	Printer types (Note: final choice must be after cost analysis)
Home/family project	Only text documents	Dot-matrix, ink-jet, black and white laser, multi-function
	Graphics, colored text and photo	Ink-jet, color laser, multifunction
	Only photo	Digital photo, dye sublimation
	High quality graphics	Advanced color laser or advanced ink-jet
	Mobile printing	Portable
Business projects	Only text documents	Dot-matrix, black and white laser, multi-function
	Graphics, colored text and photo	Ink-jet, color laser, multifunction
	Only photo	Digital photo, dye sublimation
	High quality graphics	Advanced color laser, advanced ink-jet, solid ink, dye sublimation
	For network	Laser, ink-jet
	High-volume printing and high duty cycle	Laser
	Big size printout	Ink-jet stationary, plotter

Top 12 Buying Tips

Base your printer choice on many points of view: text, graphics, and photos each put different demands on a printer. In general, laser printers offer the best-quality text, and ink jet printers offer the best-quality photos and graphics.
If you don't need color, a black and white laser printer may be a good choice. As a rule color printers can print black and white documents as well.
Make sure you evaluate a printer by the speed necessary for the quality level you want to use.
Check the compatibility . If you have an old computer or operating system that doesn't support USB, make sure a printer has a parallel port.
If you have a network, make sure a printer has both: the right kind of network connection and software that will work with your network.
Not all printers allow memory upgrades. Some need little or no memory because they use the computer to process a print job. If a printer allows memory upgrades, make sure it has enough memory for the kind of work you will be doing.
Choose a printer that can hold enough paper and enough ink or toner. You don't want to add or change them too often.
Before buying a printer, check out its manufacturer's information on the Internet to make sure the its site provides driver updates and tech support information.
When comparing printers, consider the real cost of use, not just the purchase price.
When printing on thick forms or sheets, look for a printer with a very straight paper path to avoid jamming.
It's always a good idea to get a print sample first, as print quality can vary tremendously.
If you plan to print a lot of monochromatic documents on your ink-jet, you should look for a printer that offers a separate black ink tank. Some vendors even offer a high-capacity black cartridge for day-to-day monochrome printing. If you want to print black-and-white and color simultaneously, you'll want a printer with dual ink cartridge capacity.

The following key features can help you better to find the right Printer:

Pricing and real costs

A printer choice for you must be according your budget. Cheaper printers are now available for as little as $65. On the high end, you can spend as much as you want for a faster, better quality print system. Ink-jets are the most affordable, with models in the $120 to $400 range. They will get you fine color quality, easy setup, and a home-oriented software bundle. Personal laser printers overlap the prices of ink-jets at their low end, with some 8- and 10-page-per-minute models selling for less than $400. You won't always get what you pay for, so be skeptical of the low prices and critical of the high ones. A comparison of similarly equipped models among three or four vendors will tell the real story.

When calculating the cost of any printer, make sure to include the ongoing costs of operation, which. is measured in cost per page . As a general rule, laser printers are more expensive to buy, but have relatively low operating costs, while ink-jets cost less to buy, but are more expensive to run. It is because laser printers offer the lowest cost per page. Cost of the ink-jet printing for example, depends on how much ink you use and the cost of the paper. Unlike laser printers, which usually use normal-weight, uncoated paper, with an ink-jet printer you likely will opt for more expensive, coated and glossy paper for higher quality color output. Ink-jet tank configuration is part of the cost evaluation as well. Consider getting an ink-jet with separate black and color cartridges. Because ink-jet cartridges have the tendency of drying out when they are not in use, Your per page costs can vary greatly.

Choosing a printer with a duplexing mode can save several dollars a month in paper costs which also helps to save trees.

The following key features will help to find the right Printer for you:

Best parameters for selling on the American Market printers

Printer's type	Resolution	Speed	Replaceable parts	Cartridge Printhead Duty Cycle	Monthly duty Cycle	Manufacturer
Dot-matrix	20-20 cpi, 360x360 dpi	1120 cps	Ribbon and printheads	200 million characters		IBM, Epson, Lexmark, Okidata
Ink-jet	2880x720dpi	20 ppm in black and 12 ppm in color	Ink tanks			Canon, Xerox, Lexmark, Hewlett Packard, Epson, etc.
Laser black &white	1200 dpi	45 ppm	Toner/drum cartridge	3000-15000 pages		Hewlett Packard, Lexmark, Okidata, etc.
Color laser/LCD/LED	2400 dpi	29 ppm in color up to 28 ppm –in black	Toner/drum cartridge	4000 pages	100,000 pages	Hewlett Packard, Lexmark, Okidata, Xerox, IBM, DEC, etc.
Solid ink	1200x1200 dpi	16 ppm –fast, 10ppm-normal				Xerox, etc.
Dye Sublimation	300x300 dpi	1.6 mpp	Toner, ribbon	16000 pages		Conde Systems, Epson, Sony, Acer, Panasonic, etc
Portable	720x360 dpi	5 ppm in black, 2ppm in color				Brother, Canon, Seiko Instrument, etc.
Digital photo	2880x1440 dpi	8 ppm – in black, 1 min/page –in color	Inkjet cartridge	150 pages		Alps Electronics, HP, Lexmark, JVC, Xerox, Sony, Kodak, etc
Plotters	2400x1200 dpi	1sq.ft per hour	Inkjet cartridge		10,000 meters	Hewlett Packard, CanonJRL systems, ENCAD, etc

Comparison-shopping Center: You can use directly the Comparison-shopping Center to buy via the web a product with the lowest price.

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