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Three tips when buying printers
There are two different technologies when it comes to printers and they are suitable for different printing needs.
- Inkjet printers – Modern inkjet printers are great for printing many different types of print, such as photo prints, text documents, etc., but not for printing large amounts of documents on a regular basis. They have a good balance between high quality printing of photographs and quick text documents.
- Laser printers – These are best suited for printing a lot in black and white. In addition to the fact that they are often faster, this printer's method of printing means it can print more volume at a cheaper price per page before you need to change the cartridge.
Many printers come with a built-in scanner, sometimes referred to as multifunction printers. That’s convenient to have if you scan documents frequently, and it’s both cheaper and takes up less space than having a separate scanner. But if you scan very rarely, your mobile phone might be sufficient.
Printers are a little infamous for being difficult and having connection issues. You can easily avoid this by checking what kind of connections the printer is compatible with. For example, a USB connection is useful if you need to print from USB sticks or external hard drives. Wi-Fi connectivity is now common and offers a convenient wireless solution. If you want that little bit extra, you can check out Wi-Fi Direct, which allows you to connect the printer directly to wireless devices such as your phone for fast printing.
If you want to print your photos at home, there are some other things to consider, please read more in this guide.