Inkjet printer shopping checklist

What should you look for in a photo printer? CNET.com.au highlights issues you need to consider including print resolution, speed, connectivity, consumables and compatibility.

Inks, inks and more inks, as we see 6-ink systems becoming the norm for photo inkjets, and manufacturers developing up to 8 inks at the present moment to increase the colour gamut. Other enhancements now include more nozzles in the printhead for greater performance as well as PictBridge connectivity and onboard memory readers.

Print resolution/quality
Print resolution is usually specified in dpi or dots per inch. While it's true that higher resolution means sharper images, in the world of photo printing this may not always tell the full story. For instance, an inkjet printer with a resolution of 2400 dpi may not give as good an output as a dye-sub with 300 dpi. This is due to the fact that for inkjets, each dot is actually a cluster of many drops of ink. Dye-subs, on the other hand, produce continuous tone images which allow for solid colours. That said, current industry standard specifications for inkjets are 4800 x 1200 dpi.

Speed
Speed in the print world is measured in pages per minute (ppm), where larger is better. But take note of the fine print that these ratings carry. They may not be comparable from model to model, depending on the test conditions. Also, you should know that a unit optimised for photo printing may in turn produce b&w text documents slower.

Connectivity
While parallel printers are almost extinct, do ensure you're getting a USB machine that works with your PC at home. USB comes in two different flavours (1.1 and 2.0). Depending on implementation, this can affect your print speeds considerably. Later revisions are better. Road warriors should look at other wireless connectivity options such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and IrDA.

Consumables
The cost of consumables is often forgotten in the buying process. Going with an integrated printhead-and-cartridge system is perfectly fine for someone with a relatively low usage model. But print locos will find it a drain on their pocket. So if you intend to print lots, look out for a unit which features separate ink-and-silicon technology -- where the inks are independent from the printhead.

Compatibility
Nothing can be more frustrating than bringing a new machine home, only to find yourself spending endless hours getting it to work. Fortunately, as the vast majority of the desktop market runs on one variation of Windows or another, Windows support for printers is a given. However, Apple maniacs need to take a little more care. Mac users will find that some printers or a few of their functions will work for only certain versions of the OS. For the photo crowd, there's also the various types of Direct Printing standards to look out for. To future-proof your purchase, look for a PictBridge-compatible variant as this is a universal standard.