What is a Printer?
A printer is an external hardware output device that can receive electronic data stored on a computer or other device and generate a hard copy. Printers are one of the most popular computer peripherals, generally used for printing text and photos.
The printout produced by a printer is usually called a hard copy, which is the physical version of an electronic document. Although some printers can only print black and white paper, most printers today can print color photos. In fact, many home printers can now produce high-quality photos that are comparable to professional photos. This is because modern printers have higher DPI (dots per inch) settings, which can print documents at very high resolutions.
Types of Printers
These days there are various types of printers available, but mainly printers are of three types which are mostly used in every office.
- Multifunction Printer (MFP)
Multifunction printers are often called all-in-one printers. This printer can cover all the different features, such as printing, scanning, faxing, and copying needs. These printers generally come in various sizes, many of which are small enough to fit on a small table. In addition to the multifunction uses of a MFP, these are the common benefits that business owners can get from this printer.
- They take up less space
- They are usually cheaper. Although it may seem expensive compared to other types of printers, but this printer provides all in one feature so you don’t have to separately purchase fax machines, scanners, copiers and printers.
- Inkjet printers
Inkjet printers print documents by injecting ink into the paper, and can generally print at a resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch). Some of these printers can print documents up to 600 dpi. This makes them ideal for printing supplier images and reports.
The fact that inkjet printers are preferred by most business owners is that they are typically reasonably priced, making them ideal for businesses that only need printers. Since most (if not all) offices have computers, chances are you’ll see inkjet printers in most offices. Other benefits that inkjet printer provides are –
- Print speed is fast
- It can produce high quality photos
- Easy to use
- It can produce bright colors
- Laser printer
The unique feature about a laser printer is that it can produce very high quality documents. Laser printers can produce copies with a resolution of 600 dpi to 1200 dpi. One of the main differences of laser printers is that they use a toner (color or black powder) instead of the ink used in most other printers. This is the reason that it can produce such high quality prints. Laser printers provide users with many attractive benefits, including:
- High resolution
- Quick results
- Batch printing
- No stains at all
It can be quite confusing in deciding which printer to buy. If you don’t have a scanner or fax machine, then a multifunction printer (MFP) would be a good idea. Those who want to print smaller or shorter documents occasionally then Inkjet Printer will be a better choice. If you need to print regularly or in batches, a laser printer will be ideal for you.
