BUYING A LASER PRINTER

	Laser printers are really pretty inexpensive.  Back in 1988 I paid $3,500 for my Hewlett-Packard LaserJet III plus an additional $400 for memory.  Today, you can buy an even better one than mine for under $600.  That just goes to show you how much technology has changed.  The wiser we grow, the cheaper we can build computers and laser printers -- thus, the main reason for price reductions.
	Here are some tips to help you select the best laser printer for your particular needs:

	*  Try and stick with a Hewlett-Packard or Cannon brand.  That's becuase all software drivers emulate a Hewlett-Packard or Cannon.  Doesn't it make sense to purchase the real thing, rather than a copy and experience the problems associated with buying replacement parts, supplies and incompatibility problems down the road?

	*  Before you purchase a laser printer, find out how much the toner cartridges will cost.  Although the Lexmark 1200dpi laser was cheaper to buy initially, the toner refills would cost $189 each!  Ouch!  The Hewlett-Packard toner cartridge refills were only $65, but it costs a little more for the laser printer itself.

	*  The "dpi" rating means "dots per inch."  The higher amount of dots per inch that your laser prints, the higher the print quality and appearance.  (Standard is 600 dpi in 1997.)

	*  The "ppm" speed refers to how many "pages per minute" your laser printer will print.  However, this is not necessarily the real measurement.  Speed will depend on what you are trying to print.  If you print a full page of graphics, a printer with the capabilities to print 8ppm may only print at 3ppm.  However, when you just type some words (text) from your word processor and try to print them, your laser will probably print at its maximum 8ppm.

	*  Remember that your laser printer is like a separate computer system.  It has to have memory installed.  Make sure the laser printer's memory you are considering can be upgraded.  My HP LaserJet III has a maximum capacity of 4.5mg.  I now need 6mg and have to buy a new laser printer even though nothing is wrong with my old one.  Most printers today come with the upgrade ability of 32 mg or beyond.

	*  And find out how much it will cost you to upgrade the memory on your laser printer.  Memory upgrades will vary in price from printer to printer.  Make sure you know what future costs are involved.

	*  Having a printer that is "postscript" compatible is nothing but a buzz-word.  Postscript only means that you can print EPS graphics better and the characters in the words you print are a little bit better looking.  (I prefer the old PCL kind myself.)  However, "True Type" fonts are standard in Windows 3.1 and '95 software.  True Type looks just as good, if not better, than postscript.

	*  Although the model numbers on Hewlett Packard laser printers (like 4+, 5M, 4P, 4L) sould confusing, they aren't.  If you will be using a laser printer for personal use, the "P" and "L" models are fine.  But if you use  your printer for business (like I do) and need something to take a beating, stick with the "M" and "Plus" class, which naturally cost more.

	

A Word About Inkjets Versus Lasers

	Due to cost, some people will purchase an inkjet over a laser printer.  The difference between the two is the resulting print quality.  An inkjet uses a "wet" ink and a laser uses a "dry" toner.  If you will be doing typesetting, mailings, ad design and more professional presentations, you should select a laser printer.  Inkjets are fine for general correspondence and small personal jobs.