A truly productive printerPop quiz: inkjet or laser? Inkjets are inexpensive and great at printing color photos, but they're slightly less crisp in the black-and-white department. Plus, lasers are cheaper to use and only slightly more expensive to actually buy. So if you're turning out hundreds of pages per week, go with a laser.
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 BEST IN CLASS Epson Stylus Photo 2200 |
 HEAD TURNER Canon i70 |
 STARVING STUDENT Samsung ML-1710 |
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For laser printers, a resolution of 600 dots per inch (dpi) is plenty. A machine with monochrome print speeds between 12 and 19 pages per minute (ppm) should keep you from going stir-crazy.
For inkjets, color and text print speeds have increased recently. A resolution of 1,200x1,200dpi will give decent photos, but higher-end models sport 4,800x1,200dpi, with up to six color ink cartridges. Students who want to print both photos and text should choose a printer with a separate black cartridge in addition to the three for color prints. Always consider the cost of the coated paper and color cartridges that you'll need to print photos--it can add up fast.
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 Epson Stylus Photo 2200 
Why it matters: This inkjet printer delivers some of the best, longest-lasting photo prints we've seen. How it'll help you graduate: You'll be your photography teacher's pet once she sees the Photo 2200's brilliant reproductions of your masterpiece shots.  Read review
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 Canon i70 Why it matters: This tiny, portable inkjet lets you print on the go but doesn't skimp on speedy, quality prints. How it'll help you graduate: Oh, no. You've written a surefire A paper, but you've forgotten it in your dorm--all the way across campus. With your notebook and the Canon i70 in your backpack, you'll be prepared for any printing emergency. Read review
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 Samsung ML-1710
Why it matters: For less than $200, this compact Editors' Choice Samsung gives you everything you need for basic print jobs. How it'll help you graduate: Why waste your valuable time waiting in long lines in the university computer lab? The ML-1710 handles any classwork-related print jobs with aplomb and won't set you back a lot of scratch. Read review
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