I'm trying to choose a printer, but I haven't got a clue.
I own an old HP laser printer (~6 years old) but it has a serial connection. If I want to continue using it, I'll need a serial-to-usb adapter or an ethernet print-server or some such.
If I get a new printer, I don't even know if I want an Inkjet or a laser printer.
- Priority is being able to do good quality B&W like essays and everyday print jobs. I'd like a decent speed (lets say, 10 ppm or better).
- I'd like it to be smaller than larger. Space is at a premium in my apartment, and trying to find a spot for the printer will be difficult even when it's not the size of a cube fridge.
- It would be nice if I could do color printing, though it seems unlikely I would do much of this. Over the course of a couple months, I would expect to print a few color documents at ~30 copies, and half a dozen single documents. There's something fun about having really high quality color printing available, but I'm not that fond of the color-ink and quality-paper hassle. Part of the reason I'd want a color printer is because it seems silly to get a B&W printer when I have a reasonable B&W printer already. I'd rather pay for the adapter for my old printer than spend several hundred on a similar-quality new B&W printer.
I haven't decided on the price range yet. It's getting paid for by a "computer-equipment stipend" which means I'm probably looking for something between $200-$600.
So... any suggestions or good review sites to offer?
[ July 11, 2004, 01:03 AM: Message edited by: Suneun ]
Posted by Insanity Plea (Member # 2053) on :
I have two friends that have one of these, and they seriously love it, my dad recently replaced his printer as well, and I told him to get that one, it prints rather quickly, good quality, and has a decent scanner (my friends use it for their comics). It's quite cheap, and the ink isn't too bad either.
Though if you're in for the $200-600 range...you're out of my league because I put anything above $200 along with the $10,000 xerox phaser printers in the "too rich for my blood" catagory. Satyagraha
[ July 11, 2004, 01:01 AM: Message edited by: Insanity Plea ]
Posted by Suneun (Member # 3247) on :
Hm.
Yeah, I dunno. =)
Posted by CaySedai (Member # 6459) on :
I would opt for the laser printer. I have an inkjet (my third in 8 years of computer owning). It was fairly cheap, especially compared to my first one. First printer: $500 - this one: $70.
With inkjet printers, you can get the printer fairly cheap, but then you keep paying for ink cartridges. Better quality printing comes from having at least 2 cartridges - one black and one color. Best quality comes from having four - cyan, magenta, yellow and black. You don't want to get into that range.
I haven't priced laser cartridges, but I image you probably will get more pages out of each cartridge than with ink. (many more pages)
I think that the all-in-ones use ink, but I'm not sure. I've never checked them out since I already have a printer and scanner.
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
Serial Connection? You sure? My HP LaserJet 4V is 10 years old but uses a parallel connection.
Btw: I wouldn't trade this printer fo' nuttin'. It prints fast and supports up to 11x17" paper. It's a beast but I love it.
Posted by slacker (Member # 2559) on :
I'd go for a laser printer if you just want to print in B&W. For starters, laser tends to look crisper on paper than pages printed with an ink jet (at least for me).
Also, laser printers are quieter and print more PPM than ink jets. If you look carefully, you can find some that have smaller footprints than most inkjet printers.
You might want to stop by Best Buy or Compusa and see what kind of printers they have there. You'll be able to print out some test pages and see which one you like best, then go back and buy it.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
I got the HP 1012 for $200. It's incredibly fast, including startup time, and good quality. B&W only, though.
Dagonee
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
Color laser printers start in the $1,000 range. At least they did when I worked at Staples.
I own a Brother laser printer - the 1440 model starts around $179 and I've never had any problems with it.
HP had an entry level laser printer but the paper was stacked in back versus a tray feed which I prefer and it was $220-ish.
1. Check your local office supply store's website 2. Stop by Cnet.com for a complete listing and reviews
-Trevor
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
"Color laser printers start in the $1,000 range"
*points back to his $500 color laser printer link*
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
Yeah, yeah - it's early.
But I didn't want to be a berk and modify the post in such glaring detail.
-Trevor
Posted by Suneun (Member # 3247) on :
Neat on the Minolta. I'll go check out the quality at a store this week. I don't suppose cheap color laser printers can do edge-to-edge printing? I was poking around at some color ink-jets, and a few of them could do color edge to edge. And two of them do 13" by 19" (mmm). Though photo-quality inkjets are generally not as good for day-to-day B&W...
Primal Curve: I mean serial like apple serial printer connection. I believe it also has a parallel connection like for a PC.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
It's still cheaper to get a separate B&W laser printer and a separate photo-quality printer, each if which better at its respective job, than a color laser.
Dagonee
Posted by Suneun (Member # 3247) on :
I'm just shying away from having two printers set up in my apartment. In that case, I'd buy a wireless print server and stick my big laser printer in another room, and put the color printer somewhere with my computer. Ack, so much hardware in such a tiny apartment! My living room and my bedroom are each only like 10 feet by 10 feet.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
*nod* That's my preferred solution, too, Dag -- unless desk space is an issue.
Note that color lasers CANNOT generally do photo-quality printing; even the high-end ones generally pale in comparison to high-end inkjets and dyesubs. If you have the desk space, and still want to spend $500, get a $200 Brother laser and a $150 Epson inkjet and be very happy.
Posted by Suneun (Member # 3247) on :
My old printer is a 6MP. Specs off HP's site say: 8 ppm 24 mhz 600 by 600 dpi 128 levels of grey
I haven't used it in two years, but two years ago the ink cartridge was fairly new (ink costs about $30, and the first cartridge lasted me through three years of vigorous printing).
It would cost about $60-$150 to get it set up locally or remotely, depending on my hardware solution. Is it better to keep this laser printer or get a new one?
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Yeah. Maybe a two-level shelf? The capabilities aren't just a little better - they're much better on a photo-oriented inkjet. If you don't need the text-capability, they're very cheap and the photo capabilities aren't compromised, since text and photos require very different optimization.
I don't know your space-constraints, obviously, but it's worth finding a way to make it fit if you can...
Dagonee
Posted by Wonder Dog (Member # 5691) on :
Sounds like you already like your HP Laserjet... so why but another laser? Does the HP still work? Space is a concern... (You can't renovate, can you? Maybe hang it from the celing(sp!)? :0)
You can get wide format inkjets with reasonable ink costs as long you keep you duty cycle (amount of prints per month) down below 1000. My recommendations: Canon has a snazzy new wide format, the i9900 (Linky...)
So, why go inkjet? Well, you'll hafta pay at least 3 times more for a lazer that has similar features... and if you're not using the coilour on this new one that much, your ink costs aren't as high as someone with a higher duty cycle. The ink on the Canon is rated for about 800 pages @ 5% coverage (ie. a regular document, the HP is rated at 600 pages @ 5%), and the amount of photo-like prints you get depends a lot on what you end up printing. The Canon has cheaper ink, plus the advantage od individual inktanks per colour, unlike the HP, which uses the tri-colour consolidated kind. So my pick would be the Canon...
Why include my $.02? Well, I sell these things for a living (I'm the Business MachineS Consultant at the Staples here) and.. welll.. I wish I had $200-$500 U$ to sepnd on a printer.
Woof. :0)
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
Why are you replacing the old HP laser? If it still functions perfectly well, the much cheaper solution would be to buy the adapter.
As for space and photo-quality prints, I'll second the two-shelf idea.
You might want to take a hard look at buying some shelving units and restructing the space - granted, I advise this without knowing what your current arrangement is...
-Trevor
Edit: Nice to meet another Staplehead. Although I can't say I was fond of my time there.
Posted by Wonder Dog (Member # 5691) on :
Yah, I'm not a huge fan of my current time there either. But it pays decent and it gets me into staff shop discounts, which is cool. (I'm actually going to Uni in the fall to take New Media - web design, computer animation, etc. I don't think I could take Staples for much longer anyway. Customer service is fun.. but.. er...)
Suneun, how big is the HP? Does the shelving idea sound doable? Since the thing is 5~6 years old, it's probably one heavy mofo. Could you ceep it on the floor under your computer desk or sink or something? :0)
Posted by Suneun (Member # 3247) on :
Re: Why why why.
The idea is to get a printer that will do everything I want, and only be one printer. But if it looks like a color printer should be its own ink jet, then I'd hook up my old printer. But my old printer would require some hardware to purchase which makes getting a nicer one an option. If I could buy a printer that printed faster and at higher quality, it would be worth spending an extra hundred to have that capability. Mind you that my printer being serial means it takes a significantly longer time to send data to it.
The money is coming from an institution allowance, which is why I feel okay spending this much.
Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :
1. You will not get a laser printer to produce good, photo-quality print.
We all agree on that. If you want a photo-quality printer, buy an inkjet and save your old laser printer.
2. If all you want is a good b&w laser printer, check some of the links provided.
We have provided the minimum costs - since you're spending more, you can look at things like PPM (pages per minute) and print resolution.
Once you find one that meets your specs, decide how you're going to buy it.