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Popular features to look out for in multi-functional printers
Printers & Scanners

Popular features to look out for in multi-functional printers

Popular features to look out for in multifunctional printers

Multifunctional printers are one of the most popular devices that offer many beneficial functions. While ordinary printers are best known for making individual tasks productive, all-in-one printers are designed such that they accomplish several tasks simultaneously with just one super machine. In most multifunctional printers, specific functions like scanning, faxing, and printing are further enhanced. Here’s a brief rundown of some of the most sophisticated features all-in-one printers must have.

  • Printing speed
    A print speed of 10 colored pages per minute and approximately 20 black-and-white pages per minute is something you must look out for in the specification. Since all-in-one printers and scanners that maintain an above-average printing speed help keep productivity high, it is necessary that you carefully look into the per-minute print speed.
  • Quality
    Print quality is another feature you must consider when looking for multifunctional printers. Print quality is usually gauged in dots per inch. When it comes to resolution, most black-and-white printers and scanners should have a resolution of at least 2400 x 1200. These printers are known to produce superior quality prints at lighting-fast speeds. In case you desire color print quality that is either minimum or excellent, it is wise to choose resolutions that are either 1200 x 1200 or 4800 x 2400.
  • Duty cycle
    Most printers and scanners come with a duty cycle. This cycle is nothing but the maximum number of pages that can be printed within a month. An office printer is usually expected to have a high duty cycle of 25,000 pages per month. Similarly, a home printer is set at a duty cycle of 5,000 pages.
  • Scanner resolution
    Apart from printers, specific scanner functions are necessary to ensure good quality scans. When it comes to scanners, it is essential that you look at the scanner quality. Scanner quality too is usually measured in dots per inch. In cases when a scanner is used for anything other than a copier, it is essential that you only buy the printer with superior quality scanning. Any scanner that captures a minimum resolution of 1200 x 600 is considered to produce good-quality copies. Likewise, if you want to buy a scanner that delivers excellent-quality results, ensure that your scanner resolution measures up to 4800 x 4800.
  • Type of scanner element
    Most people who buy printers and scanners are often unaware of the fact that there are two types of scanner elements. These include a charged coupled device (CCD) scanner that is known to be better for obtaining graphic designs scanned, while a color contact scanner (CIS) is mostly responsible for producing clearer image scans.
  • Copy speed
    When it comes to all-in-one printers and scanners, the copier usually depends on the scanner’s quality. However, the quality of scans are also likely to depend on the capacity of the printer. The only feature that is unique to the copier and is independent of both printers and scanners is the ability of the copier to shrink and enlarge a given image. Additionally, one of the most critical aspects of a copier is the speed at which the copies are made. A slow copier can prove to reduce the efficiency of most all-in-one printers and scanners. A good all-in-one printer is the one that copies 25 pages per minute.
  • Automatic document feeder
    While most multifunctional printers and scanners come with fax machines that are far more powerful than stand-alone fax machines. This especially becomes more pronounced in all-in-one printers that have automatic document feeders. Instead of manually placing pages, this feature enables sending a fax more efficient. With automatic document feeders, you can stack papers that need to be faxed on the feeder tray that helps save a whole lot of time and effort.

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