Printer terms, explained without jargon.

D

DPI (Dots Per Inch)

A measure of print resolution. Higher DPI means more detail per inch of printed area. For most text and everyday documents, 600 DPI is more than sufficient; photo printing benefits from 1200 DPI or higher.

Drum unit

In a laser printer, the cylindrical component that transfers toner to the page. Drums wear out over time and may need to be replaced separately from the toner cartridge, depending on the printer's design.

Duplex printing

Printing on both sides of a sheet of paper. "Automatic duplex" means the printer flips the paper internally; "manual duplex" means you flip the stack and feed it back in.

I

Inkjet

A printing technology that sprays liquid ink onto paper through microscopic nozzles. Inkjets generally produce better color and photo output than lasers but have higher per-page costs and can clog if used infrequently.

L

Laser printer

A printing technology that uses a laser to fuse toner powder onto paper. Lasers are typically faster and cheaper per page than inkjets, especially for text, but produce less vivid color output.

M

MFP (Multifunction Printer)

A device that combines printing with at least one other function — usually scanning, copying, and sometimes faxing. Also called an "all-in-one."

P

PCL (Printer Command Language)

A page-description language originally developed by HP and widely used in office printers. PCL drivers translate documents into instructions the printer can execute.

PostScript

A page-description language developed by Adobe, used heavily in graphic design and publishing workflows. PostScript printers tend to produce more consistent results when printing complex layouts.

PPM (Pages Per Minute)

A measure of print speed. Manufacturer-quoted PPM figures are measured under ideal conditions and rarely match real-world output; expect noticeably lower speeds in everyday use.

More terms added regularly. If there’s a term you’d like us to add, let us know.