Do you need sharp text? Crisp color? Today's newest inkjet and laser printers combine high-quality output and robust performance. And recent price slashes make it easy for you to take advantage of the latest innovations.

PRINTER SPEC CHECK
For an inkjet, get no less than 300 by 600 dpi resolution. If you're buying a laser for a single user, 4 or 6 ppm is adequate; if a group of users share a network laser, 8ppm or more is preferable.

For complete information on how to buy a printer, check out our Buyer's Checklist.

THE EDITOR'S PICKS
Affordable small biz printers
The latest printers for homes and small offices.

$79 color printers
No, that's not a typo. Here's the lowdown.

Ink jets without regrets
If you're still using a black-and-white printer at home or in the office, either you work for a tyrant or you're still driving that Gremlin around town because it's so economical. Epson's Stylus Color 900, Lexmark's Z51, and Canon's BJC-6000 invalidate your last excuses for not going over to color.

Multifunction devices
SOHO users might want to invest in a multipurpose printer (machines that leverage printing, scanning, faxing and copying capabilities).

Color inkjets
These six color-inkjet printers provide the speed and resolution to keep your small business in the black, but their printing speeds are slower than monochromes.

Lasers for less
Inexpensive laser printers can provide your system with great output -- and do it faster than an inkjet.

Budget laser
Okidata's lasers are perfect for budget-conscious users.

Cheap color network printers
Use them exclusively on your network.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
Generally, the faster and better the resolution, the higher the price. Inkjets range from $100 to $2,000. Laser printer prices start at around $170, and faster network models run from $1,000 up to $30,000. Color laser printers run between $2,000 and $5,000. Multifunction devices start around $300.

THE BOTTOM LINE
Black-and-white lasers still produce the best and fastest output for traditional business correspondance. If you need color, affordable inkjets have made great strides in improving the quality and speed of output and can add the extra pizazz your presentations and brochures need.

Read more about printers in the ZDNet Products Guide .

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