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Understanding Printers: The Basics Explained

It can certainly be challenging to choose a printer, especially during sale seasons like “back to school” times when there are just so many printers to choose from at great prices. You want to take advantage of these great deals and upgrade your own office equipment at home and at work, but to do that often requires research and sometimes that can take time you do not have. Learning about printers and cartridges, such as Comp and Save Ink Cartridges, is something that information technology (IT) professionals make a career out of, but with this helpful primer you can save time and hone in on the exact printer that will be just right for your needs.

Inkjet vs. Laser Printer

One of the first challenges you will face is to choose the basic type of printer you need. There are two major categories of printers. The first is called an “inkjet” and the second is called a “laser printer.” Whether you are shopping in a store or looking online, what is important is that you can narrow your search down to include just the printer type that makes the most sense for your needs. An inkjet printer does exactly what it sounds like it does – it jets ink out of the printer mechanism onto the page. A laser printer, conversely, uses a combination of static electricity (the technical term is “xerographic”) and a special type of powdered ink called “toner” to imprint words, images and characters onto the page. Inkjet printers are favored in situations where you have less money to invest in a printer, you do not print at high volumes and you would like to print high quality photo reproductions. Laser printers are the reigning favorite when it comes to higher volume print jobs, quick print turnaround and mostly black-and-white text printing.

Single Function vs. Multi-Function Printer

Here is the next challenge you will face when shopping for a great deal on a printer. While some printers still perform just one task – printing – what is more common for printers in today’s market is to offer what is called “multi-functionality.” This concept can go a long way towards fostering a perception of added value for customers who like the idea of getting extra features for free or for little cost, which is one reason why the multi-function printer has become popular. As well, a multi-function printer, which can serve as two or even up to four devices in one single unit, can be a real space-saver in small office or home office settings. If you are interested in this option, you will first need to decide what types of functionality you need overall, such as a fax machine, a scanner, a copier, a printer or a wireless printer (or all of the above).

Next, survey your existing office equipment and see what if anything is missing. Afterwards, you can consider whether your budget can allow for purchase of a single device that can do everything you need – the good news here is that even multi-function printers can be surprisingly affordable, especially during sale seasons. The pros of choosing a multi-function printer over a single-use printer include saving space, only having to install and update one set of software and printer drivers, having the ability to purchase paper in bulk to suit only one single machine’s requirements, and the ease of training if you have several employees who will need to learn to use the machine.

The cons include that if your one multi-function printer/copier/scanner/fax machine breaks down, you have no functionality until it is repaired or replaced.

Monochrome (Black/White) Versus Color Printer

The days of the monochrome printer dominating the market are long gone. While sales of monochrome printers continue to be strong, it has become the norm to offer both monochrome and color options in a single printer, another value-added benefit that can differentiate one printer from its competitors and generate sales. However, it can be expensive to have to replace the ink cartridges for a color printer, especially since some color printers require installation of as many as four to six separate color cartridges to work properly; so if you do not anticipate needing to make color prints, a monochrome printer may be a better option from a cost as well as a usage perspective.

If you do anticipate needing to make the occasional color copy, an inkjet color printer may work just fine for your needs. But if you plan to make a significant number of color copies, most customers opt for a laser color printer, where overall, the cost of both the toner cartridges and the printer tends to offer a more attractive costs-to-benefits ratio for the money spent.

About the Author:  Jacie Calligan got her start in the field of technology when she was offered a work-study program manning a student computer center help desk during college.

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Jyotsna Ramani is a passionate writer and an avid globetrotter. She had a knack for writing since her early years, though that was mostly letters to her penpals and jotting her thoughts down in her "Dear Diary". Over the years, she realized how her hobby could turn into a full time career and she started writing web content, books and pieces for local magazines. There has been no looking back ever since. Follow Jyotsna Ramani at Google+

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