Number of colors
The color palette that a printer or MFP can print.
A large number of colors is required for high-quality photo printing and obtaining color prints with many shades. As a standard, for a color MFP,
4 colors are provided.
Ink Type
— Pigment. Ink based on pigments — solid dyes, which are diluted in the form of microparticles in a liquid filler to a state of suspension. Compared to more popular water-based inks, these inks are noticeably more expensive, and the finished image may turn out to be somewhat less bright (compared to printing with water-based dye on the same MFP). On the other hand, pigment ink gives higher detail, which is especially important for photo printing. In addition, finished images resist humidity better and do not fade as quickly in bright light — this resistance is not enough for outdoor use, but indoors such prints can be stored for a very long time.
— Water soluble. Inks based on water-soluble dyes allow achieving high realism of colour reproduction in colour printing, they are well absorbed into the deep layers of paper and are cheaper than pigment inks. Also, water-soluble ink does not dry as quickly in the cartridge or print head of the MFP. They are recommended for use with inkjet paper — ordinary thin paper strongly absorbs dropsy, which can cause ink to show through on the back of the sheet. At the same time, water-soluble ink is afraid of moisture and direct exposure to ultraviolet light — when water gets on, the paint on paper “floats”, and it fades under the sun light.
— Pigmented / water soluble. Some MFPs have a print head that allows you to print with two types of ink at once. A common case is when their black cartridge is filled with pigment...ink, and the colour one is filled with water-soluble ink.
Display
The type of display provided in the design of the MFP. This parameter is indicated by two points — colour (monochrome or
colour display), as well as the availability of a
touch screen(if only spec 'coloured' is indicated, then the display is non-touch).
Chroma determines the features of the image on the display. Monochrome (black and white) displays allow you to show a lot of different information, and are inexpensive. On the other hand, such a display is poorly suited for viewing drawings and photos sent for printing, the results of scanning pictures, etc. — for such purposes it is better to use more expensive, but more functional colour displays.
As for touch displays, they provide additional convenience in management and expand its capabilities. Various controls can be displayed on such a display — sliders, lists, text menus, etc.; operating them with touches on the display is easier than using traditional control panels with hardware buttons. On the other hand, the presence of a sensor affects the cost of the display, and it makes sense to use this feature mainly in advanced MFPs with an abundance of additional functions.
Noise level
The maximum noise level coming from the MFP during operation. The smaller this value, the more comfortable the use of the device. For office use, this parameter is not so important, but you should pay attention to it if you are going to use the device at home. It is easiest to evaluate a specific noise level using special comparative tables. For example, the quietest modern MFPs can operate with 34-35 dB noise level which is approximately corresponds to a muffled conversation, and the heaviest and most performant models give out up to 75 dB — this is comparable to a scream or a loud laugh at a distance of 1 m.
Power consumption
The maximum power consumed by the MFP during operation. The lower this indicator, the more energy-efficient the device is.
