Printers are Output devices used to prepare permanent Output devices on paper.

Printers can be divided into two main categories :

Laser Printers

The laser printer was developed by Xerox in the 1960s when the idea of using a laser to
draw images onto a copier drum was first considered. Laser printers are still widely used
in large offices as they are traditionally more efficient than inkjet printers.
Advantages:
● More cost effective than inkjet printers
● Increases productivity
● High print speed
● Higher paper capacity
● Often expandable with Paper Trays, finishers etc.
● Grows with your business

Disadvantages:
● May require short ‘warm-up times’
● Larger footprint
● High voltage usage leads to small carbon emissions

Solid Ink Printers

Solid ink printers utilise a unique form of ink technology, designed to save space and
money on packaging. The printers melt solid ink sticks during the printing process – a
method which can help produce more vibrant tones.

Advantages:
● Environmentally-friendly
● Produces vibrant tones
● Made from non-toxic vegetable oils
● Compact design
● Consumables require less storage

Disadvantages:
● Requires warm-up and cool-down time
● Prints cannot be laminated

LED Printers

LED printers are similar to laser printers but use a light emitting diode rather than a laser
to create images on the print drum or belt. Due to their fewer moving parts – LED
printers are often considered more efficient and reliable than laser printers. Our most
popular LED printers are produced by OKI.
Advantages:
● Reliable and efficient
● Cheaper to manufacture than laser printers
● Often include free warranty extensions

Disadvantages:
● None

Business Inkjet Printers

Utilising inkjet technology on a large scale to accommodate the needs of a busy office
with heavy reliance on printed output, inkjet printers are enduringly popular due to their
reliability and robust nature.

Advantages:
● Capable of producing highly detailed and photo-realistic prints
● Limited warm-up time required
● Small footprint

Disadvantages:
● Higher cost-per-page than most laser printers
● Wet prints
● Can be less reliable than laser printers

Character Printer : It prints only one character at a time. It has relatively slower
speed. Eg. Of them are Dot matrix printers.
Dot Matrix Printer : It prints characters as combination of dots. Dot matrix printers
are the most popular among serial printers. These have a matrix of pins on the print
head of the printer which form the character. The computer memory sends one
character at a time to be printed by the printer. There is a carbon between the pins &
the paper. The words get printed on the paper when the pin strikes the carbon. There
are generally 24 pins.
Laser Printer is a type of printer that utilizes a laser beam to produce an image on a
drum. The light of the laser alters the electrical charge on the drum wherever it hits.
The drum is then rolled through a reservoir of toner, which is picked up by the
charged portions of the drum. Finally, the toner is transferred to the paper through a
combination of heat and pressure.