Three Great Large Format Plotters/Printers
Whether you’re drafting up a new design project or printing off a finished blueprint, your plotter has become a foundational component in your day-to-day business. As your business continues to expand, and as demand increases, you may be considering upgrading from your small printer/plotter. You need more power and efficiency: bigger projects, faster prints, and higher quality. Whether you only need to go up to 18” or need something a little bit bigger (in the 60” range, perhaps?), here are a few great values on large-format printers.
The HP Designjet 90 Printer
The HP Designjet 90 is a great value for a large scale printer. It comes in, on average, just under $1,000. With a resolution of 2400 x 1200 dpi (dots per inch), it’s a great choice for art/photography/concept design professionals who need high quality prints at a relatively low cost. With a high degree of functionality and multiple media input options, the 90 series is an adaptable machine, great for a variety of different needs. The Designjet 90 printer can print up to 18” media.
The HP Designjet T1300 ePrinter Serie
The T1300 is a few steps up from the 90, coming in at an average cost of about $6,000. It is typically used by design professionals for a variety of different applications, like line drawings, renderings, presentations, and maps. It prints up to 44” wide media, with speeds up to 39 seconds per page. With a 32 GB memory and 160GB hard drive, the T1300 is great for handling design heavy prints from applications like auto-CAD. The T1300 also boasts 2400 x 1200 optimized dpi resolution, great for a variety of prints.
The HP Designjet Z3200ps
The Z3200ps is a 24” photo printer, great for home/small studio photographers or photography enthusiasts. It’s a versatile machine, handling media types from traditional photographic mediums to scrim. It is compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems, and its straightforward ease-of-use makes it a common choice for new professional photographers. The Z3200ps can be both sheet fed and roll fed, and automatically cuts all media except canvas. The 2400 x 1200 dpi resolution makes for a high-quality, true-color print. Its average price comes in around $4,000.
How to Buy
HP printers are a common choice for business professionals because of their reputation for quality, reliability, and manageability. HP offers several options for printers/plotters, great for small to large-scale printing jobs. The important thing is determining what your needs are, and picking a printer/plotter that suits your business. Large format plotters and printers can be a costly investment – if you are concerned you may be spending too much, contact a plotter expert. They can help you find the best plotter for you, and quite often, stock refurbished plotters. Refurbished plotters operate like-new, but are greatly discounted. Remember to purchase only from a trusted seller who offers warranties on its refurbished equipment.