Inks, inks and more inks as we see six-ink systems becoming the norm for photo inkjets, and manufacturers developing up to nine inks at the present moment to increase the color gamut. Other enhancements now include more nozzles in the printhead for greater performance as well as PictBridge connectivity, Bluetooth and onboard memory readers.

Print resolution/quality Print resolution is usually specified in dpi or dots per inch. While it's true that a higher resolution means sharper images, in the world of photo printing this may not always tell the full story. For instance, an inkjet printer with a resolution of 2,400dpi may not give as good an output as a dye-sub with 300dpi. This is due to the fact that for inkjets, each dot is actually a cluster of many drops of ink. Dye-subs, on the other hand, produce continuous tone images which allow for solid colors.
Speed Speed in the print world is measured in pages per minute (ppm), where larger is better. But take note of the fine print that these ratings carry. They may not be comparable from model to model, depending on the test conditions. Also, you should know that a unit optimized for photo printing may in turn produce b&w text documents slower.
Connectivity While parallel port-enabled printers are almost extinct, do ensure you're getting a USB machine that works with your PC at home. USB comes in two different flavors (1.1 and 2.0). That's not all. There are also two variants of USB 2.0: Hi-Speed and FullSpeed. The latter offers print speeds similar to USB 1.1 devices. Depending on implementation, this can affect your print speeds considerably. Later revisions are better. For road warriors, look at other connectivity features such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and IrDA, all of which are wireless options.
Consumables The cost of consumables is often forgotten in the buying process. Going with an integrated printhead-and-cartridge system is perfectly fine for someone with a relatively low usage model. But print locos will find it burning a big hole in their pocket. So if you intend to print lots, look out for a unit which features separate ink-and-silicon technology--where the inks are independent from the printhead.
Compatibility Nothing can be more frustrating than bringing a new machine home, only to find yourself spending endless hours getting it to work. Fortunately, as the vast majority of the desktop market runs on one variation of Windows or another, Windows support for printers is a given. However, Apple maniacs need to take a little more care. Mac users will find that some printers or a few of their functions will work for only certain versions of the OS. For the photo crowd, there're also the various types of Direct Printing standards to look out for. To future-proof your purchase, look for a PictBridge-compatible variant as this is a universal, open industry standard.

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