This article attempts to answer some of these questions by running through the various types of printers out there. We'll cover both ink jet and laser printers, so read on and find out more about these two categories of products.

A selection of some computer printers

Ink Jet Printers

Ink jet printers are the slowest type of printer, but are also the most affordable. Ink jet technology shoots sprays of colored dyes through tiny holes in a print head onto pages, giving resolutions of up to 4800 by 1200 dots per inch. This makes them capable of print high-quality graphics and photos.

Here are some of the considerations to think about when buying an inkjet printer.

Print quality

Always try to print out a sample from the ink jet printer you intend to buy. Check that the printout does not smudge and gives good color tone.

Maximum print resolution

The maximum print resolution (the number of ink dots in a square inch of paper) is another factor to look out for. This is especially important if you're printing a lot of detailed graphics and photos.

Cost of Replacing a Cartridge

Remember that the ink in the printer is a consumable. Many manufacturers cash in on the replacement ink jet cartridges of ink jet printers. Before plunking down your cash, ask how much the replacement ink cartridges cost and how many pages each cartridge can print.

Monochrome Laser Printers

Monochrome laser printers are a necessity in the business world. They are now extremely cheap and affordable even for home users. Compared to ink jet printers, monochrome laser printers are faster and produce much better text quality. Also, the laser toner cartridges are cheaper to replace than ink jet cartridges. Let's look at the key factors to consider when buying a monochrome laser printer.

Printing Speed

The speed at which the laser printer can output full pages of text is a important consideration when you're looking for one. Always check this specification out before purchasing one.

Maximum print resolution

Similar to ink jet printers, the maximum print resolution is also a key consideration in monochrome laser printers. Pay attention to this specification if you're printing out a lot of graphics.

Paper tray capacity

Although not critical to home users, the paper tray capacity is important to corporate users of laser printers. In large offices where many employees share the same printer, it is vital that the printer can hold a lot of paper.

Color Laser Printers

Color laser printers are catching on recently with small business owners, with once sky-high prices coming down to reasonable levels. Color laser printers are useful for printing color brochures, photographs, or graphics. These printers are also prohibitively expensive - so if you're a home user, you'd most likely want to stay away from these. Let's look at the key factors to consider when buying a color laser printer.

Print speed

If you own a publishing business, printing a lot of graphics, then spending extra money on a fast color laser printer makes good sense. Usually, the less-expensive model print at a rate that is too slow for a business.

Print quality

Print quality is very important for business owners who need to print crisp, detailed graphics. Remember to check out sample prints from the color laser printer you intend to buy.

Maximum print resolution

Again, the maximum print resolution is also a key consideration in color laser printers. You need to consider this when buying such printers.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this article has shown you the differences between ink jet printers, monochrome laser printers and color laser printers. If you're out shopping for a printer, keep the above shopping tips in mind and you'll be able to pick a model that's just right for you.

Gary Hendricks runs a hobby site on building computers. Visit his website at Build-Your-Own-Computers.com for tips and tricks on assembling a PC, as well as buying good computer components.