If you are wondering about when to choose a printer and when to choose a plotter, then you are in the right place. Before we deep dive into the differences, you should know that you should choose a printer for printing images and general documents, especially when those images or documents are for office use or at home. On the other hand, if you are looking for large-format graphics and printing highly precise images, such as blueprints, then choosing plotters is more suitable for you.
Read on to learn more about the differences between a printer and a plotter.
Printers – How They Work
To understand the difference between printer and plotter, you must first understand how printers work. Usually, printers integrate toner or ink in the form of dots onto a surface to generate documents or images. Usually, the output format of printers is pixel-based, and the images are printed on standard paper sizes. However, the sizes and specialty papers might differ based on one’s needs.
Plotters – How They Work
Compared to printers, plotters draw images not from dots but with a pen or a specific cutting tool. Using the pen or cutting tools, plotters create vector graphics with accurate shapes and lines. Plotters integrate mathematical equations for the curves and lines to create vector graphics, which is why they work with formats such as CDR and DWG.
Printers – Their Main Use
Primarily, printers are perfect for homes and office use, for the printing of general images and documents. When it comes to the cost, printers are quite affordable, and they are widely available for daily use. Compared to plotters, printers can be faster, especially for high-volume documents. Essentially, printers are great for the printing of general images and text on standard-sized papers, including photos, reports, and other documents that are essentially raster-based and hence suitable for daily needs.
Plotters – Their Main Use
Doctors are mainly used in CAD drawings, maps, and engineering schematics for the production of large-format and high-precision designs. Compared to printers, plotters operate at a slower pace and are also more expensive. However, platters can generate high-quality and continuous volumes of products with a variety of materials.
If you want to generate large-format architectural blueprints, maps, or engineering drawings, then using a plotter is suitable for you, as this machine essentially excels at detail and precision of complex designs.
Printers vs. Plotters – The Differences
By now, you might have already figured out the key differences between printers and plotters. Essentially, printers use ink dots, whereas plotters use cutting tools or pens to produce drawings. When it comes to the format, plotters essentially generate vector images. On the other hand, printers generate raster images. Compared to printers, plotters can offer a higher precision for details, such as fine lines that are a crucial part of technical drawings and maps.
Nonetheless, printers are speedier, especially for the printing of general documents. On the other hand, plotters might be slower, but they are exclusively built for the generation of detailed work in high volumes.
