Don't think just inkjets -- there are lots of options out there.Sep 09 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
Popular Products in Printers
The Bottom Line Know your options -- and there are more out there than you think.
Inkjet printers tend to be the printers of choice for home users. They're inexpensive to buy, light, and provide color printing. They have definitely found a niche in the home market, like it or not. There are a few options out there that you may want to consider in choosing a printer. A few other epinions on this topic have already gone over resolution, PPM, cost of ink cartridges, etc. They've done an excellent job in so doing and I won't repeat what they've already said. I will add in a few things I think ought to be added to the mix. Laser printers have traditionally been quite expensive to buy upfront. This is becoming less true -- I have seen low-end laser printers selling for $200, which is definitely inkjet territory. I have a laser printer myself (Xerox DocuPrint 4508) and use that for most of my everyday printing, unless I need either color or superior resolution. (The 4508 is only 300x300dpi.) If you're going to do A LOT of printing -- get the laser. Even a low-end laser will win out over a higher-end inkjet on the cost of use. Now if only I could get my wife to print to the laser and not her beloved HP 722C.... One other thing you may want to consider is an all-in-one, multifunction machine. My other machine is a Xerox XK35C, which prints, copies, and scans. It is an inkjet as far as how the printer works, but the ability to have a scanner is great. The XK35C is out of production, of course, but other machines are out there. It will cost you extra, but then you have the advantages of a machine that prints and scans. If you do go multifunction, pick a machine that has a flatbed scanner -- you'll use it more. Most of them work as regular copiers too, which proves handy. The pros of this are enough that anyone considering a higher-end printer for general use ought to at least think of a multifunction machine. True, you can buy scanners separately, but a multifunction machine uses one port on your computer, one IRQ, and can save space. Anyone buying a printer for a college student, for example, ought to strongly consider a multifunction for the space savings alone. And then there's our regular old pal, the inkjet. At a bare minimum, avoid the lower-end models (the Lexmark Z series, HP 600 series, and other denizens of the free-with-PC purchase levels of printers.) There's a reason they give 'em away free -- the printer companies make their money on the ink. Considering that a black cartridge and a color cartridge together can go around $60 (assuming you buy OEM), a machine that's more thrifty with its ink can save a lot over the long haul. If you're going to do a lot of photo printing, I would probably lean towards Epson's Stylus line, as they have the best resolution out there (2880x600) and so far are the only inkjets recognized as putting out photos that equal photo-lab photos. I personally like HP printers for general-use printers (especially for people who occasionally need to print photos and want good quality when they do) -- HP's PhotoRet II technology is very, very good for the average user.  |
| Read all comments (2)|Write your own comment |
|
Ads by Google
|
