Evaluating laser printers 9
Evaluating printing performance
Using the samples that you created, perform the following tests to gauge printer performance.
First-page-out The time from when the print command is issued to a printer that is in Sleep mode until the
completion of the first page. This test measures the effect of Instant-on Technology and shows a
printer’s true speed.
Click-to-drop The time from when the print command is issued until the completion of the job.
Pick-to-drop The time from when the first piece of media is picked up by the printer until the completion of
the print job.
Return-to-application The time from when the print command is issued until the time when the computer is available
for other tasks.
Running the tests
Follow the guidelines below when measuring printing performance:
• Be sure to measure the amount of time it takes to print a complete document. Test one-page, three-page,
and eight- to ten-page documents to determine whether the printer delivers quick print speeds for both
short and long documents.
Note A professional printer is designed to print multiple-page documents. We suggest that you print either
multiple-page documents or multiple copies of a single page.
• Record any error messages.
• Perform each test three times to obtain an average. If the variances in the three tests are too much,
discard the result, check the system, and redo the test.
• Look at each page to make sure all text and graphics printed correctly. Files that print significantly faster
on one printer might not be printing correctly. Some printers drop complex graphics and images when
they are unable to process the whole job. Examine output to ensure that the entire document printed and
that it printed correctly.
• When comparing printer performance, look beyond the speed trial data and consider the acceptability
of the output. There are definitely tradeoffs in print quality, but as you review your results, look at the
samples and consider whether the quality meets your standards. Also, make sure that toner is adhering to
the paper properly.
To Next Page
Loading...