A scanner is one of the most important equipment for any office. They are used for scanning and sending documents within and outside the office. Which brings us to the main question, how many scanners are you likely to come across in the market?
When out scouting for a suitable scanner for your office, two common terms will keep recurring. Simplex and duplex scanner. These are the main scanners available in the market today. There are clear similarities between the two scanners to help you choose what suits your needs.
We have put together detailed information between the two to help you make informed decisions. Keep reading to find out their advantages and disadvantages and the key features that reconcile the two scanners.
Simplex VS Duplex Scanners: Definitions
Here is a clear comparison between the simplex and duplex scanners. This information will help you understand both machines to help you choose what best suits the needs of your office.
Simplex Scanner
A simplex scanner is a scanning machine designed to scan only one side of a given document. It does not have a feature that enables it to read both sides. But this does not compromise the efficiency and quality of its production. On the contrary, all it takes is a quick manual turn of the document to get printed on the other side, and voila, your document is ready.
Duplex Scanner
A duplex scanner is the exact opposite of a simple scanner. It is designed to scan both sides of a document. This means that you do not have to flip the paper over to get the other side printed. This is made possible by two cameras fitted inside the scanner. With this feature, both sides of a paper are captured all at one go.
Similarities and Differences Between Simplex and Duplex Scanners
Both simplex and duplex scanners are highly efficient and functional. There are some clear differences and some outstanding similarities between the two. Despite their differences, it is worth noting that the two machines do not underperform in any way. Let’s dive right into the similarities and differences.
1. Time Consuming
A simplex scanner is more time-consuming compared to its counterpart. The process of scanning out a document is quite elaborate and tiresome. Especially if you are doing a large batch. You will have to first scan one side of each document and wait for it to be spat into the tray. Once that is done, you will have to place it again inside the machine and set it to print the other side.
Duplex scanners, on the other hand, are very quick and easy to use. This is because once you insert your document in the machine and set it to print, both pages are done at one go. This means that if you are working on a large batch of documents, it will take lesser to scan them compared to using the simplex scanners.
2. Manual Operation
Simplex scanners will need more manual operations in reversing the sides of the documents to get printed. Duplex scanners, on the other hand, do not need any flipping of the pages because they scan both sides of documents at the same time.
This means that for the simplex scanners, you will need someone on standby to keep reversing the pages and feeding new ones to the machine. Duplex on the other hand will automatically keep scanning the documents placed on its feeder.
3. Scanning Needs
Choosing a scanner depends on your needs as the consumer. For example, if you have light work to be scanned, a simplex scanner would suffice. However, you have to keep in mind that you have to be on standby and ready to flip and feed more documents on the machine.
However, if you are operating a large-scale office that requires endless scanning all day long, a simplex scanner is not a good idea. Go for a duplex scanner that automatically scans both sides of your documents. All you need to do is to place the documents on the feeder and set it to scan.
4. Cost of the Scanner
There is no huge difference between these two scanners. However, if you include physical work input in operating the machines, the simplex scanner becomes more costly. This is because it requires manning the machine as it scans.
It won’t make much difference, however, if you do not have a lot of scanning to do. Simplex scanner becomes a good choice if you are operating on a small scale. That is as long as you do not mind being on standby to operate the machine.
5. Quality
The quality of your production largely depends on the technology of a machine and not its type. This means that both these machines can produce the best quality of scans. However, you should keep in mind that quality is expensive, and cheap is also expensive. You have to choose wisely.
If you are scouting for scanners for professional purposes, it is wise to invest in flatbed scanners. However, for speed and extra pace, stick to these two and you can never go wrong with them.
Final Thoughts
As far as quality production is concerned, both these scanners are viable. However, in the current world where technology is taking over, the manual operations of a machine are a bit out of place. This rules out the simplex scanners as the best options.
On the other hand, investing in a duplex machine is wiser and more reasonable. It is not only automatic but it is also up to date and performs with better speed. Looking at the statistics we can safely say that duplex scanners are in higher demand and its counterpart is silently fizzling out of the market.
Recommendation
Even if you have to cough up some extra bucks, invest in a duplex scanner rather than the simplex scanner. This is because the duplex has high demand and is futuristic. Simplex scanners on the other hand are outdated and might soon die a silent death.