Data Structure
Networking
RDBMS
Operating System
Java
MS Excel
iOS
HTML
CSS
Android
Python
C Programming
C++
C#
MongoDB
MySQL
Javascript
PHP
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Mathematics
English
Economics
Psychology
Social Studies
Fashion Studies
Legal Studies
- Selected Reading
- UPSC IAS Exams Notes
- Developer's Best Practices
- Questions and Answers
- Effective Resume Writing
- HR Interview Questions
- Computer Glossary
- Who is Who
Difference Between Printer and Scanner
Printers and Scanners are important peripheral devices used with the computer systems, however they are absolutely different devices in terms of their function. Printers act as output devices, while scanners are input devices.
Read this article to find out more about printers and scanners and how they are different from each other.
What is a Printer?
Printers are the most common type of output device which are used for taking a hardcopy of any digital document. It typically consists of a mechanism for transferring ink onto a paper. Based on the printing technology used, there are two types of printers namely, impact printers and non−impact printers.
Impact printers consist of mechanical printing head and thus they are noisy, less reliable and slower.
On the other hand, non−impact printers such as laser and inkjet printers are less noisy, more reliable and faster and also offer high quality compared to impact printers.
Examples of different types printers include laser printers, inkjet printers, drum printers, dot matrix printers, etc.
What is a Scanner?
Scanners are a type of input device that are used to input the pictures and pages of text digitally into the computer. In a scanner, the scanned picture or document is converted into a digital format or file and is stored in memory and displayed on the screen as an output. It uses optical technology and specialized sensors to convert images into digital formats.
There are several types of scanners available such as flatbed scanners, handheld scanners, drum scanners, etc. Scanners come in a range of sizes and capabilities, and they can be used for a variety of applications, such as scanning photographs, text documents, and artwork.
Difference between Printer and Scanner
The following table highlights the important differences between a printer and a scanner −
| S. No. | Printer | Scanner |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | It is a device that acquires the output (text and graphics) from a computer and generates a hard copy of it. | It is a device that scans the documents and converts them into a digital format. |
| 2. | It is considered as an output device. | It is considered as an input device. |
| 3. | It uses mechanical impact, laser light, or nozzle assembly on the on the printing head. | An illuminating lamp is used on the scan head. |
| 4. | A digital document can be rendered on a paper by creating an impact or by using charges on a photosensitive material. | This helps reflect the light on the lens, which is focused on a CCD array. |
| 5. | Examples of printers include Laser Printers, Solid Ink Printers, LED Printers, Business Inkjet Printers, Home Inkjet, Printers, and 3D Printers. | Examples of scanners include Flatbed, Sheet−fed, Handheld, and Drum scanners. |
Conclusion
Printers and scanners are both types of computer peripheral devices, but they serve different purposes. The most significant difference that you should note here is that a printer is an output device that produces the results on a paper, whereas a scanner is an input device that is used to enter printed information into the computer system in the form a document like image, pdf, etc.
4K+ Views
