Samsung CLP-300

Though the technology has been around for years (HP introduced its first LaserJet in 1984), laser printers are still going strong because they combine fast print speeds, sharp output, and a low cost per page. Like copiers, laser printers use a photographic drum to attract electrically charged toner and transfer it to paper, where the image is fused using a heated roller. The vast majority of laser printers are monochrome (black and white), and they are best-suited for printing text and simple graphics. They start around US$190 (S$299). Until recently color laser printers were too expensive for individuals or small businesses, but there are now several models for less than US$1,000 (S$1,690), and these could soon become viable alternatives to color inkjets.

HP Color LaserJet 2600n

As the name implies, workgroup laser printers are designed for small offices or small teams within larger companies. The basic technology is the same, but these are more than beefed-up personal lasers with features tailored specifically for multiple users. First, they support printing over networks either standard or as an option. Second, they offer more-advanced handling capabilities, including larger input and output trays, and some models have features such as duplex (double-sided) printing, sorting, and stapling. Finally, they have faster processors and more memory so that they can manage multiple jobs and print faster. Like personal lasers, the vast majority of workgroup lasers are monochrome--designed for printing text and simple graphics--and they start at around US$400 (S$699).

Epson Stylus Photo R2400

Inkjet printers have come a long way in the last 10 years. Today's versatile inkjets can produce both crisp text and rich photo prints. Most manufacturers offer both general-purpose and photo inkjet printers, which shouldn't be confused with snapshot or photo printers designed for only 4 x 6 or smaller prints. Inkjets print an image by applying a precisely controlled stream of tiny ink droplets from one or more cartridges to coated paper. Each manufacturer uses slightly different techniques, and the size of the droplets and the way they are applied to the paper determine the image quality. Unfortunately, the process is relatively slow compared to that of laser printing--and the ink cartridges and the special papers can be costly--so inkjets are best suited for home users and small businesses with light printing needs. Inkjet printers range in price from less than US$65 (S$100) to as much as US$800 (S$1,350), depending on features, image quality, and paper-handling capabilities.

Canon Pixma MP530

Multifunction printers (MFPs) or all-in-ones (AIOs) are the Swiss Army knives of printers. They combine copier, scanner, printer, and, in some models, fax capabilities in one unit, making them perfect for home offices and small businesses. MFPs are available with either laser or inkjet printing (both described above) to suit different needs and budgets. The best models include flatbed scanners and auto document feeders for walk-up scanning, faxing, and copying of multipage documents. MFPs start at around US$100 (S$169).

Sony DPP-FP55

Some inkjet printers are optimized for printing high-quality photos, but if you own a digital camera and spend a lot of time printing snapshots, you may want a second printer specifically for that purpose. Some snapshot printers use inkjet technology, described above, but most rely on dye-sublimation, which transfers color dye in a continuous tone from a ribbon onto the paper in a series of passes, followed by a protective clear coating. The print quality is comparable to that of professional photofinishing. Another big advantage: they can print directly from compatible digital cameras, and most models also accept storage cards such as CompactFlash, SmartMedia, Secure Digital/MultiMediaCard, or Memory Stick. But photo printers are generally limited to 4 x 6 or smaller snapshots; they can't handle standard 8.5 x 11 sheets, which is why they are suitable as second printers only. They typically cost at least US$100 (S$155).

Epson PictureMate PM250

These pint-size printers are designed for life on the road. They weigh anywhere from 2 to 5 pounds (900g to 2.2kg) and are just large enough to squeeze through a standard 8.5-inch-wide sheet of paper. Portable printers use the color-inkjet-printing technology described above. The print speeds and the image quality are hardly top-notch, and you'll pay a premium for these travel partners, but if you really need to print on the go, they fit the bill. They typically cost US$130 (S$199) or more.

One of the most widely used specifications, the resolution refers to the maximum number of dots per inch (dpi) that can be printed, measured both horizontally and vertically. For example, a 600 x 600dpi laser printer lays down a one-inch square composed of 600 dots across by 600 dots down. In theory, a printer with a higher resolution is capable of producing more-detailed text and images, as seen in this representation:
Though manufacturers have inflated the numbers for marketing purposes, and the numbers no longer correlate directly with higher image quality, resolution still has some bearing on the quality of text and curves, especially on premium papers.

This spec measures how many pages per minute (ppm) a printer spits out. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Unfortunately, it's not so simple. To come up with the fastest-possible speeds, some manufacturers test using basic text documents at the lowest-quality print settings (Draft mode) on plain paper--not exactly a real-world test. Based on our experience, you can expect to see about half the speed promised by the manufacturer.

The USB (Universal Serial Bus) is truly universal--all printers have either a USB 1.1 or the newer, faster USB 2.0 port. The two standards get along just fine but if you want better performance, look for a printer which supports at least the high-speed USB 2.0 interface. Mac users can also opt for models that feature the FireWire (IEEE 1394) interface. And if you want to go old school, you'll still find plenty of printers that accept those big, 25-pin parallel cables. Workgroup printers also support printing over a network using a standard Ethernet cable with an RJ-45 connector. For even better mobility, many models support printing wirelessly, using infrared, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi access points with built-in print servers.

Nearly all manufacturers provide information on the processor and the memory, but at least for personal use, these specs are relatively unimportant. Your computer does a fine job, largely on its own, of lining up print jobs and sending them on to be printed. If you have multiple users or you often print high-resolution photos or other large files, however, then you'll want a printer with a faster processor and more onboard memory.

More advanced paper-handling features--such as tabloid-size printing, duplexing (printing on both sides), and auto document feeders for faxing and copying--will be found on only higher-end models, though they're beginning to trickle down to everyday consumer models as well.

Most demonstration pages will include rows of text at varying sizes, which can show different types of flaws. At the smallest font sizes, the individual letters should be legible and fully formed with no breaks, and they should not bleed into one another. Medium-size fonts should be crisp with no fuzzy edges. And the largest fonts, especially bold ones, should be filled in with a solid, even black--not a muddy bluish or brownish tone.

The printer demonstration should print several geometric shapes of different sizes and shading. The outlines should be crisp with smooth curves; inside areas of solid black should appear dense and evenly shaded. Also look for areas where an image goes from dark to light (a gradient). Is it a smooth transition, or can you see distinct bands progressing from darker to lighter?

When you are evaluating an inkjet or a color laser printer, there's no real way to tell how accurately it reproduces colors, but by comparing print samples from different models side by side, you can at least get an idea of whether the colors look good, based on your personal preferences. As in black-and-white graphics, large blocks of color should appear solid and even, rather than muddy. Some printers try to dazzle the eye with overly saturated colors; others skimp on ink, leaving images that appear washed out. Look for a nice, natural-looking balance between the two.

A photo inkjet or snapshot printer is in a whole separate category in terms of image quality. Though it sounds simple, the main thing to look for is a printer that produces images that appeal to you--some like bright, saturated images; others prefer more realistic scenes. Some enjoy warm (red-yellow) tones; others want a cooler, bluish cast. When you hold images from different printers side by side, these traits become obvious to the naked eye. There are, however, some objective qualities to look for, as well. For example, areas with high levels of detail, such as hair, should be sharp, and skin tones should look realistic.

Inkjets are the least expensive printers available, with many models starting at less than S$200. The catch? The consumables, such as replacement inks and specialty papers, can cost you an arm and a leg. Ink typically costs between S$11 and S$70 per cartridge and can last for 100 to 200 pages. More expensive printers, however, tend to be more economical to operate because they have higher-capacity ink tanks and separate ink tanks for each color so that you don't need to replace everything when only one color runs dry. To save some money, you can purchase a compatible ink-refill kit from a separate company, though you may not get the same reliability or print quality.

Laser toner cartridges vary greatly in price, yield, and print capabilities. Toner cartridges generally cost from S$85 for a small cartridge for a personal laser printer to as much as S$300 for a high-capacity cartridge for a networked workgroup laser printer. Toner costs seem high, but so is the yield. A cartridge typically prints between 2,500 and 10,000 pages (although some claim to print as many as 30,000), so the cost per page is a few cents for text (at 5 percent coverage) and not much more for images (with 15 percent coverage). Pay attention to the expiration dates, though; some cartridges (HP's in particular) will stop working at a set time, no matter how much ink is left. Also, consider paying a little more for a separate toner cartridge and drum kit, rather than the usual combination unit. That way, you don't have to replace the drum, which is often capable of handling many more print jobs, every time you replace the toner.

The chart below illustrates the cost of printing 1,000 pages on a budget inkjet (750 pages of black text and 250 pages of color images), a personal laser, and a midrange office laser. Factoring in the cost of the printer and the cost of the printed pages, the lasers still cost more in total, but that's because their purchase price was so much higher. The cost of printing pages on the inkjet, however, has already overtaken the cost of purchasing the actual printer. If you project out to printing 3,000 pages on each printer, the inkjet's total cost rockets to S$444, compared to the personal laser's S$471 and the midrange laser's S$759.

Printer    Cost per 1,000 pages printed

Budget inkjet* S$99 S$105   S$204  Personal laser S$399 S$24   $433  Business laser S$699 S$20   S$719

Note: *Assuming 750 black pages and 250 color pages

Snapshot printers based on dye-sublimation use ribbons that are often sold in packs with matching paper. Their output quality looks similar to that of professional photo processing, but the ribbons and paper can be exorbitant, sometimes as much as S$3 per photo.

If there's one thing we've learned from CNET Labs' extensive printer testing, it's that better-quality paper yields better-quality printouts. For the best results, you really need to bite the bullet and buy the coated or specialty paper recommended by the manufacturer of your model. This is particularly true for inkjets, photo printers, and multifunction devices. Special paper can cost 10 cents to S$3 per letter-size sheet, but it is essential if you want to print crisp-looking text or high-resolution photos.

The biggest gotcha with many printers is the printer cable. Incredibly, many manufacturers don't even include one because retailers want to sell you one separately for anywhere from S$10 to S$30. Before leaving the store, read the box to determine whether you'll need to buy one separately. For some business inkjets and laser printers, network connectivity is optional, as well.

If you're purchasing a workgroup printer or an advanced multifunction printer, you should also consider some paper-handling features that are frequently offered as add-ons, such as larger-capacity input trays; output bins for collating, stapling, and other finishing options; and auto documents feeders for copying and faxing multipage documents.