Choosing a wide-format printer

The application you have in mind for your wide-format printer will influence your purchase decision in many ways, so make sure you have a clear understanding of both the types of printing you'll be doing and the volume of prints.

The most significant split in the industry is between printers for graphics and those for engineering applications or computer-aided design (CAD) work. Graphics printers are almost always color inkjets, and emphasize high resolution and the ability to print on multiple types of media. CAD-focused printers are more often monochrome LED printers, and are designed for faster, higher-volume printing.

Be aware that there are a couple of new—and fast—color LED wide-format printers appearing on the market. These new printers have the speed and lower running costs of a monochrome LED printer but provide the color capabilities that today are available only from inkjet printers.

Here's a breakdown of the most common applications of the two types of wide-format printers.

Graphics printers	Engineering printers
Signs Banners Posters Photographs	Blueprints Floor plans Specification documents

Sizing
After the application, size is the next most important consideration. Most wide-format printers can handle widths of 24" to 60", and some go up to 72" or even larger. They print on rolls of paper that can be up to 300' long, or on individually fed sheets of paper. The size of the materials you need to print will help you decide what size printer you need. The standard for engineering applications is 36" plotters, but your needs may vary.

Graphics printer sizing depends more on the type of printing you'll be doing. Grand-format printers, which can range from 60" all the way up to 16' wide, are designed for outdoor banners and large-scale projects.

Print Quality
One specification some buyers put too much stock in is resolution. A printer with lower resolution but better technology can sometimes produce better-looking prints than another printer with higher resolution, so seeing sample output is a much better way to judge quality.

Seeing sample output is also an important part of evaluating a wide-format printer. More specifically, get sample output on the exact type of media you intend to use: your brand of blueprint paper, the exact vinyl banner stock you plan to use, or any other specific material that you'll be using. Printer performance can vary dramatically based on the medium being used – in fact, not all models can handle the same types of stock.