When it comes to choosing portable printers for laptops, then it makes perfect sense to keep abreast with the latest technology and choose the latest models on the market. Not only is that the most sensible thing to do for reasons of obtaining the best quality available, but also it usually results in being the cheapest options also.
Leading Contenders
In the portable printer world, there are only 2 serious contenders, that being Canon and HP. For affordability with reasonable quality then HP is the way forward but if you require extra function and features and the highest print quality but for considerably more money, then Canon is your best choice.
The Quality Option
The most advanced and best quality Portable mobile printer on the market today is the Canon PIXMA iP100 Mobile Photo Printer. Many mistakenly believe that you cannot obtain high quality prints and fast print out speeds from a mobile printer, but they are wrong in that belief.
It’s not lightening fast but at 20 ppm for black documents and 14 ppm for color in draft mode, it is not a bad speed at all. Couple that with the very high resolution of 9600 x 2400 dpi print resolutions, then I think you will see that this portable printer lacks nothing.
Add to that Canon’s patented print head which consists of 1,856 precision nozzles which ejects ink at droplets as small as 1 picoliter and a 5 color ink system then it is becoming obvious that this is a high quality model that loses nothing by being portable in actual performance.
It comes with built in IrDA and Auto Image Fix allows you to automatically correct your photos adjusting contrast and brightness etc making enhancing your pictures easy. It can produce borderless color photos in around a minute this model is the ideal traveling printer.
But as stated this is a quality printer and it does not come cheap but for what it gives you it cannot be called exactly expensive either.
The base model isn’t too expensive at around $230 on Amazon; the expense comes from the additions you need to add for full portability. First off you need to add the Canon LK-62 Printer Portable Kit Battery & Attachment which is cheaper than retail value on Amazon for around $90.
Then assuming you require the Bluetooth for easy wireless printing direct from your phone or compatible device then you need the Canon BU-30 Bluetooth Adapter for around $45.
So for those that need quality lab standard prints whilst on the road this is the best option. The price may be high but the standard justifies the price tag.
Affordable Option
So if we are looking at around $380 to be fully equipped for mobility using the Canon iP100 then what if I said then for $200 you can be fully mobile and printing. Well it may be somewhat more basic and the quality might not be as high, but there is nothing wrong with the HP OfficeJet 100 Mobile Printer at the exceptional price of $200.
This is real $200 portability all in no optional additions that you would expect to be standard in any case. HP has filled the gap in the market for affordable Portable printers for laptops very nicely, and don’t think cheap, as its performance is far from cheap.
In fact it outperforms the Canon for speed with the fastest print time of any portable on the market with a rate of 22 ppm for black and 18 ppm for color documents in draft mode. It may not have the high resolution of the Canon iP100, but 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi is not exactly low either. The input tray will hold 50 sheets and just 5 photo media sheets.
Side by Side
It would not be fair to compare directly as both these models serve different purposes. The Canon is for the user that requires the highest quality possible in a portable mobile printer. The HP is aimed at the less selective user and based on value with no thrills, but the HP delivers enough quality of its own despite its low price.
They are both similar size and weight, around the 5lb mark and the batteries can print around the same amount of sheets so there is little to divide them on those fronts.
Inks
With the Canon Pixma iP100 the inks are not overly expensive and you can get packs of Canon PGI-35 Twin Black & CLI-36 Color Ink consisting of 2 black cartridges and 1 color are available at under $30 from Amazon.
A point to take into consideration being that the HP will reclaim some profit by charging more for the ink. It uses HP 95/98 Ink Cartridge in Retail Packaging, Combo Pack which is not a twin pack black but single cartridge and single color cartridge costing under $40. Clearly the HP will be costing you more in ink supply over the lifetime of your printer.
So really your choice would be based upon your need, do you need the highest standard and happy to pay for it or do you need a more than adequate quality at a lot lower price. But with the difference in ink prices you may well be paying more over the time you use your Portable mobile printer. Not a straight choice of best or cheapest. there are many factors to be thought through.
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About James Wikkee