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Before You Buy a Laser Printer

By Peter Piazza, About.com

There are a number of things you should consider before purchasing an inkjet printer. Here are some of them.

What's the resolution?

If you are going to be using your laser printer for text, then 600x600 resolution is usually sufficient. Otherwise, go for at least 1200x1200.

Fast enough for you?

Because one of the reasons to get a laser printer is speed, take a close look at the page per minute (ppm) speeds. A home laser printer should be capable of at least 15-20ppm; more expensive printers can get a lot faster.

Separate toner and drum?

Some laser printers have separate toner and drum units; others include them in one disposable part. The advantage to having separate units is that you save money: Toner will run out way before you have to replace the drum unit. However, it's a lot easier to replace an all-in-one combination. Your call.

Check paper sizes and weights.

Many of the lower-priced printers can only handle 8.5x11-inch paper of medium weights. This is fine if that is what you are mostly going to print on, but if you need to print on legal or ledger paper, or will need to print on heavy-weight paper, make sure the printer can accommodate them.

Can you network it?

If you're planning to share your laser printer with others, then make sure that it is network-capable. Some of the lower-cost home units can only be used by a single computer.

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