Printers can come in handy when you want a hard copy of a document that is on your computer. Many people are perplexed when it comes to choosing the appropriate printer for their printing needs. Here is a brief overview of the basic things you ought to consider when you go shopping for a printer.

Speed and Quality

It can be frustrating to watch a printer produce documents at a slow pace, especially if you have a lot of work to print out. If you are involved in printing a lot of materials, you need to factor speed when buying a printer. A printer's speed is measured in terms of pages per minute. Printers come with different printing speeds. You should enquire from your supplier the number of pages your chosen printer can make in a minute.

The quality of printouts produced by a printer mainly depends on the printer's resolution. Printers that provide at least 1200 dots per inches (dpi) are suitable for photography and fine art jobs. The higher the dots per inch, the sharper the image quality produced by a printer. Ask your supplier for the appropriate dpi range based on how you want to use the printer.

Colour, Functions and Cost

When choosing a printer, you should think about what you will be printing. Reports meant for presentations usually have photos within the document. For such tasks, you will need to use a colour printer. If you only deal with text, then you are better off with a black-and-white printer.

Nowadays, it is possible to get an all in one printer that has the functions of fax, scan, photocopy and print. It is crucial to determine what your office uses to cut on the cost of having to buy machines for other purposes. For example, purchasing a machine with scanning and printing capabilities will save you the cost of purchasing a scanner.

You also need to think about the cost of a printer. The best way to determine the price of a printer is by calculating the cost of paper, ink and electricity consumed divided by the pages printed in a year. While some people consider inkjet printers to be less costly than laser printers, the opposite is true. When you think about the annual cost of both printers, laser printers will prove to be much more cost-effective.

Summing It Up

If you are thinking of buying a printer, you will be overwhelmed by the different models and types in the market. However, to simplify the buying process for you, it is essential to factor the speed, quality, colour, functions and cost of a printer. The best way to learn about these basic features in a printer is to ask your supplier. In the end, you will realise that your focus on these considerations will determine the quality and durability of your printer.