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What features do good portable printers for laptop computers have, and are they practical for travel?

Look over the options for a good full-sized printer and a compact portable unit, and there will be many similarities. The touch controls offer various adjustments, the paper load is significant, and either one can print a clear, crisp document or photo if the resolution is high enough. There are additional benefits to a traveling printer, however. A mobile office needs internet access anywhere the traveler goes, and to accomplish this, Wi-Fi connectivity is becoming common.

For convenient and smooth workflow, most models offer printing directly from cell phones, Bluetooth compatibility, and fast set up for interfacing with the most popular operating systems. A high degree of value can be engineered into these compact units, and a couple of models stand out in consumer reviews:

-Canon has several great printing choices available, and a consistent performer is the BJC-85. This unit will not be the fastest or offer the best color printing, but it will deliver the basics at a reasonable price. The resolution is 720×360 dpi, and it prints about 5 pages per minute, but it offers wireless compatibility, and weighs only three pounds.

-For a little more money, you can pick up a much more versatile machine. The higher standards of the Canon iP90v are well worth the extra cost. Weighing about four pounds, the resolution in black and white is 600 x 600, and in color, a vivid 4800 x 1200 dpi. There seems to be no operating system it is not comfortable with, and the 12” x 6” x 2” unit will crank out color pages at about 5 seconds a page.

Bulkier models by Hewlett-Packard offer excellent value for the money, and Epson and Samsung offer competitive models as well. With manufacturers offering such similar features, choosing from the vast array of portable printers for laptop computers on the market can be difficult. The field can be narrowed by focusing on the primary intended function of the printer, the speed and resolution at which it delivers, and the customer reviews it receives.