Printers galore: Which one it's gonna be for me!
Despite information and data going digital, there are so many other important things, such as an important mail, the photo of a loved one, an invoice or that congratulatory appointment letter, we still need in print.
With multitude of available options, ranging from a snapshot printer to an inkjet, laser and multifunction printers, zeroing in on the right printer, according to one’s needs and budget, can be a difficult task.
If you’re getting confused already, the following 5 tips for buying a printer can come handy:
1. Analyze Your Needs: The choice of the printer should be based on the output you plan to get out of it. Normally, if documents are the only requirements for you, laser printers are the best, but if your need is for high-end photos and graphics quality print-outs, look out for ink-jet printers. And, if it is an exclusive office-purpose printer you’re after, check out the options available in the multi-function printer segment.
2. Printer Speed: If PPM (Pages per Minute) is your main requirement, pick a high range printer that would give you the speeds of 30-35ppm. Remember to judge a printer’s speed after you factor in the quality it would be printing in.
3. Take the Load off Yourself: Choose a printer that will be working for you daily and not vice-versa. Make sure you are not daily changing the consumables of the printer, like the paper, ink or the toner. For example, if you print on an average 25 pages a day and your printer can hold only 30-40 sheets, you will have an annoying addition to your daily to-do list.
4. Upgrading the Memory: Only some of the printers allow memory upgrades. Make sure that your printer does allow it because if it doesn’t, you won’t be able to get all the pages of a single file at the highest resolution.
5. Look at the Bigger Picture: If you are stuck at a choice between the prices of 2-3 printers, don’t just consider the purchasing price. Keep in mind the ratio of PPM and cartridge and ink costs. Also, a few cents saved per page would go a long way in saving thousands of bucks in the entire lifetime of the printer.
Bonus Tip: Do check in the cost of the printer accessories because these would need to be supplied constantly. Also consider whether the manufacturer offers tech-guide information and driver updates.
Post new comment