5 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Printer
Find the best option for your digital printing needs. Achieve your business goals with high-performance printers.
Choosing an office printer is not as straightforward as it was in the past. Technological advancements in the print industry have led to new features for both laser and inkjet printers that boost security, save resources and make printers more intuitive to enable greater efficiency at work. The first step to deciding on any new tech purchase is to prioritize which features are a must and which are simply good to have. Whether you are purchasing your first printer or expanding your business and need a new printer, this useful guide will help you choose the best printer for your print needs.
Should I opt for a Laser Printer or an Inkjet Printer?
Quick Recap: What’s the difference between a laser printer and an inkjet printer?
As its name suggests, inkjet printers use ink from ink cartridges to print images while laser printers use electricity to attach toner to a sheet of paper. If you are looking to print high volumes of black-and-white documents and need them fast, opt for a monochrome laser printer for your office. If you’re interested in printing high-quality images in vibrant colors and on different paper types an inkjet printer is a good choice for you. A color laser printer also works well however the color quality may be less impressive.
Be sure to look at your long-term print needs before investing in an inkjet or laser printer. Look beyond the cost of the device and consider the long-term cost of laser or inkjet printing. While Ink Cartridges may cost less, Toner Cartridges last longer. If you already have an existing printer and you’re looking to upgrade, take a holistic look at your print operations. If you are using a FUJIFILM Business Innovation printer, manage your devices and usage with ApeosWare Management Suite. Find out how much your organization spends on printing, what employees are printing the most and how much they print each month. Using this data to inform your decision-making when it comes to a new device will optimize your future office printing.
A multifunction printer enables you to print, copy, scan, and fax from a single machine with incredible text and image quality. Multifunction printers also help to maximize office space and can be more cost-efficient to maintain. Do also consider what other devices in your office might benefit from being able to connect to your multifunction printer. For example, many modern printers can connect to mobile devices and cloud-based storage solutions, making it easier to print documents on the go. FUJIFILM Business Innovation ApeosPort multifunction printers for example support dynamic features such as printing from your smartphone and WI-FI Direct to easily connect your device to the multifunction printer. However, if your office requires high-volume printing done quickly for example printing contracts or invoices in a hotel or law office, a reliable single-function printer can be the better choice to optimize your workflow.
What features should I prioritise for my office printer?
Security
Confidential information is passed through office printers every day from legal contracts to personal contact information to health and financial records making printer security a top concern. Furthermore, these devices are often connected to the internet and can become an easy target for hacking. Newer printer models come with a variety of cutting-edge security features to protect your data as well as your customers. Follow Me Printing and Confidential Print provide optimal print privacy and ensure that sensitive documents do not get into the wrong hands. Depending on your industry, this may not be sufficient. Choose a printer such as the ApeosPort 4020 which offers whitelisting for tighter protection. This allows you to grant access permission only to a specified list of addresses thus protecting you from unauthorized printing and configuration issues.
Speed
The speed of a printer is an important consideration for any office environment. If you regularly need to print large volumes of documents, then a fast printer that offers complete control of print output and has multiple finishing options should be your go-to. For example, the Fujifilm Business Innovation’s ApeosPro C810 will save you a lot of time as it brings Print-On-Demand functionality in-house for marketing collaterals and can handle heavy data files such as CAD drawings with a short turnaround.
Size and Portability
The size and portability of an industrial printing machine are another important consideration, particularly if you have limited space or you need to be able to move the printer around. Inkjet printers tend to be smaller and are also generally more affordable, making them the best option for small and home offices, but they may not have all the features you need. Conversely, larger laser printers are usually more expensive, but they offer greater functionality and faster print speeds. If you need a printer that can be easily moved around, then you should look for a model with built-in wheels. In tandem with your digital printing needs, decide whether the size of the printer will be an influencing factor in your considerations.
Ease of Use and Maintenance
Ease of use and maintenance is another key consideration when choosing a printer. Some printers have easy plug-and-play setups, while others can be more complex and challenging. If you're not particularly technical, then it's worth looking for a model that's easy to set up and use or choose a printer provider with comprehensive after-sales support. FUJIFILM Business Innovation Hong Kong provides the best-in-class after-sales service, support and care including ServicePRO service package which ensures 4-hour* onsite recovery time, 2-hour* onsite response time and 99.5%* average uptime, giving you complete peace of mind with our professional services all the time. Smart Remote Service powered by EP-BB* predictively and proactively monitors your devices and responds to potential issues, scheduling for parts replacement to shorten maintenance time and ensuring your devices perform at optimum levels. The e-support platform with a library of quick guides and multimedia resources also helps you resolve issues quickly and independently.
Supports Sustainable Printing Practices
As a global community working towards reducing carbon emissions to prevent further global warming, business practices need to change. Switching to an eco-friendly and energy-efficient printer is the easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint while improving overall productivity. Some of our printers come with an ECO-MODE setting to help you save on paper and toner through a smart, pre-configurable setting that reduces the load printing has on the environment. To this end, FUJIFILM Business Innovation Hong Kong offers the comprehensive Green Reports* that show statistics on detailed device usage and environmental impact. By registering FUJIFILM BI Direct, you can easily access information vital to your business such as CO2 emission estimation, billing counter, function usage (for example, print usage, copy, scan and color usage), service history and more, online and via e-mail for free. Furthermore, it is worthwhile to find out if the printer you are looking at comes with built-in double-sided printing, duplex printing and a low-power mode for when it is not in use.
Find the Perfect Office Printer for Your Business
FUJIFILM Business Innovation carries state-of-the-art printers for every kind of business. Supported by our Print Management Solution, you can oversee your organization’s printing needs from a single dashboard to track costs, secure guest printing jobs and review detailed analytics. Its user-friendly, web-based, full-color interface also enables efficient green print management. If you are looking to reduce your environmental impact while optimizing your printing process, you can be confident that you are taking steps to protect the environment with FUJIFILM Business Innovation. Get in touch with our team today to find the perfect printer for your business needs, and take your business to the next level.
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