4 August 2020

Difference Between Impact and Non-impact Printers

The main key difference between impact and non-impact printers is that impact printers involve the image produced with the help of an electromechanical impact device while in a non-impact printer, there is no mechanical impact device is used. So here this article gives information about the main key difference between impact and non-impact printers to better 

Definition of impact printer 


Impact printers are printer which works by creating direct contact between ink ribbon and paper. These printers are noisy yet popular. The impact printer has a mechanical moving part to conduct printing. 


Definition of non-impact printers


The non-impact printer does not use any direct contact between the ink ribbon and paper. They use laser, electrostatic, chemical, or inkjet technology. These printers are less noisy and don't have a mechanical part to conduct printing.

Difference between impact and non-impact printer

  • Impact printer is used old printing technologies, while non-impact printer uses the latest printing technologies.
  • Impact printers are often less expensive, while non-impact printers are often very expensive when compared to impact printers.
  • Impact printer uses continuous paper sheets, while non-impact printers use individual paper sheets.
  • The character style of the impact printer with exception of the dot matrix, the character style cannot be changed in the impact printer, while a non-impact printer can print different types of character form busing the individual printer.
  • The impact printer has a high level of noise. While non-impact printers do not have high levels of noise.
  • Impact printers with exception of dot matrix printers, impact printers cannot print graphics images, while non-impact printing of graphical images in the non-impact printer is very much possible.
  • The printing process uses only a pin, hammer, or wheel to strike against an inked ribbon to print on paper, while non-impact printers use a laser, a spray of special ink or heat and pressure to print on paper.
  • The impact printer print quality of impact printers is lower than those of non-impact printers. While non-impact printer print quality of non-impact printers is higher than those of impact printers.
  • The impact printer is a low-speed printer. They consume a lot of time to print a document, Non-impact printer is very fast. They can print pages per minute.
  • Impact printers are of a single colour while non-impact printers have a huge variety of colour options.