Graphic designers require printers that take into account graphic design needs such as vibrant color spectrum, large format printing capabilities, and high image resolution. The choices may seem innumerable, so we’ve gone ahead and picked the very best printers for graphic design on the market today.
Without further ado, let’s get to our picks!
Our Recommendations
- Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000 – Best Overall
- Canon imagePROGRAF TA-20 24” Large Format Inkjet Printer – Best For Large Format Printing
- Canon Pixma Pro-100 – Best For High-Resolution Prints
- The Canon Pixma iP8720 Inkjet Printer – Best In OS-Compatibility
- Lexmark CS410dtn Color Laser Printer – Best For Small And Medium Design Projects
- Epson Expression Photo XP-8500 – Best In Fast Printing
1. Epson Expression Photo HD XP-15000
Introduction
For the graphic designer or photographer who wants to create quality prints without spending thousands on a printer, this is the perfect choice for you.
Capable of printing on large format paper (13″ by 19″), as well as printing borderless, this is one of the most popular photography and design printers on the market today.
Its capabilities include being able to print paper as large as 13” x 19,” and it can handle most every standard paper weight and finish with a high yield capacity for every ink cartridge.
Pros
- Professional Ultra HD photo quality — get brilliant borderless prints up to 13″ x 19″. Individual 6-color Claria Photo HD Ink — includes Red and Gray inks for an ultra-wide color and enhanced black-and-white prints.
- Professional projects are made easy as this printer features a 50-sheet rear tray for specialty media, including cardstock and holds different types of paper finishes in various borderless sizes starting from 4 by 6 to 13 by 19. Its ultra-compact wide-format A3+ printer — 30 percent smaller than its predecessor, easily fits on your desktop.
- It has convenient printing features that support auto 2-sided document printing, with a 200-sheet front tray with automatic double-sided printing with extraordinary efficiency.
- Very easy to setup and configure with a 2.4-inch LCD interface.
Cons
- It is relatively bigger than some peers in the market. Can only print up to A-3 print jobs.
2. Canon imagePROGRAF TA-20 24” Large Format Inkjet Printer
Introduction
If you want to go all out, and have the budget for it, go for the imagePROGRAF TA-20 from Canon. This is a big boy when it comes to graphic design printers as it is meant for printing only large format prints and posters, CAD and 3D Models, as well as blueprints and architectural drawings.
While the printer is targeted largely towards the architectural niche, its a great option for graphic designers that need very large format prints, hence it made our list. If you are a graphic designer that does a lot of print work and needs to show off larger prints to your clients and coworkers, this may be for you.
Pros
- Largest format printer on our guide, 24″ sheets.
- Perfect for promotional materials and posters
- Can print many promos and campaigns in-house, without using a printing service.
Cons
- Not meant for fine art prints or photography.
- Only real downside is the price, its the highest price point printer we have in our guide.
3. Canon Pixma Pro-100
The Canon Pixma series of printers is pretty much the gold standard when it comes to high quality prints. You may be wondering why it didn’t make it higher on our list.
Well its a victim of its own success. Due to recent current events, the last few months have been pretty demanding on printers and other work-at-home equipment, and the Canon Pixma Pro 100 has been largely out of stock, or offered at inflated prices by resellers. We don’t want you buying at inflated prices, so we demoted it down to #3. However things are in flux and the demand/supply might stabilize soon, and prices may return to normal, so check it out!
Pros
- 8 dyes for perfect gradients and vibrancy.
- 4800×2400 DPI for high resolution and detailed prints.
- Large format printing (up to 13×19)
- Great connectivity (Wifi/etc)
Cons
- It’s a professional photo printer, which may be over-qualified for some graphic designer needs. If thats the case, opt for a slightly less expensive option.
- It may be out of stock, so be wary of resellers that mark up the price.
4. The Canon Pixma iP8720 Inkjet Printer
Introduction
Canon printers are some of the world’s best printers when it comes to photos and graphic designs. The [link url=”https://www.amazon.com/Canon-iP8720-Wireless-AirPrint-Compatible/dp/B00HM0IV52/?tag=secret-asian-man-20″]Canon Pixma iP8720[/link] ranks high for any graphic designer. It can take a variety of paper weights and sizes. This means it can be used with both cardstock papers for presentation print jobs as well as the normal office paper for drafting. This makes this model of Canon printer a very economical choice. The use of the dye-based inkjet technology makes this model of printers best for fewer printhead clogs.
Pros
- It supports wireless printing as well as USB connectivity. The cartridges can be replaced individually without having to invest in packs.
- High compatibility with most operating systems on which most graphic designers work
- 6-color inking system that ensures photo quality print jobs.
Cons
- It is relatively noisy and not as fast as its peers
- Manual paper feeding
5. Lexmark CS410dtn Color Laser Printer
Introduction
This is a fast-graphic design printer suitable for small and medium design projects. It is comparatively heavy-duty with an estimated output of up to 75, 000 pages.
The small and quiet Lexmark CS410dn network-ready color laser printer with 2-sided printing standard, 800 MHz dual-core processor and 256MB of standard memory prints at up to 32 ppm black and color.
Pros
- Lexmark Named Color Replacement and PANTONE calibration make it easy to develop a consistent brand image by accurately matching your colors. With 1200 by 1200 dpi resolution, you are able to print images with crisp graphics.
- The Lexmark’s Unison Toner guarantees consistent quality from the first to the last page. In addition, the printer has a monthly duty cycle of 6,000 pages that enables you to enjoy minimal maintenance hassles as a result of their paper handling that is a state-of-the-art.
Cons
- The printer requires bigger office-space.
- Not portable
- It is not a multifunctional unit
- A bit costly to acquire
6. Epson Expression Photo XP-8500
Introduction
Epson Expression Photo XP-8500 is one of the fastest illustration printers on the market. It comes with a paper tray feed that can accommodate special printing paper such as cardstocks. This makes it very ideal for any creative who wants to have great quality illustrations or high contrast image prints. The 6-color photo HD ink cartridges make for a varied range of mixes and great illustrative appeal.
Pros
- This printer delivers fast printing.
- Small with a space-saving design, compact and quiet
- Able to print borderless photo-quality printouts.
- The printer has a PC-free print feature using built-in USB and memory card slots. Graphic designers can print from design stations.
Cons
- It is not a multifunctional printer and can only be used for printing only. It also doesn’t come with a built-in battery for off-mains printing.
Final Thoughts
The suitability of the best graphic design printer largely depends on the specific requirement of the designer, however most graphic designers will require some common things, including:
Large Format Printing – Presenting full displays of web designs and other print media designs requires large paper formats. Not every printer can handle these, so its important to find one that suits your needs when it comes to paper formats.
Color Vibrancy – Not all printers are created equal when it comes to colors. You want the printed graphics to match the color you see on the screen, so its important to get a professional grade graphics printer that is up to the job.
DPI Resolution – In order for graphics to be accurately represented, you need adequate DPI/resolution of the printer. Get one on the higher range to insure you have the highest quality printers to show your clients/stakeholders.
If you cover those fundamentals, you will be OK when it comes to a printer choice. We’ve gone ahead and evaluated the group for you anyway, so you don’t have to worry!
We hope you’ve enjoyed our guide to the top graphic design printers on the market today!