Printer Speed Ratings: What PPM Really Means

Pages Per Minute Defined

Pages per minute is the standard measure of printer speed. Manufacturers test at specific conditions — usually simple text documents at normal quality settings. Your actual speed may differ depending on the complexity of your documents and your print settings.

First Page Out Time

First page out time measures how quickly the printer produces the first page after receiving a print command. This is particularly important for users who frequently print single pages or short documents, where the startup time matters more than sustained speed.

Factors Affecting Speed

Print quality settings, document complexity, duplex printing, and paper type all affect printing speed. High-quality mode produces better output but prints slower. Complex pages with graphics and images take longer than simple text pages.

Colour vs. Monochrome Speed

Most colour printers print monochrome pages faster than colour pages. When comparing speeds, check both the monochrome and colour ratings to understand performance across different document types.

Network and Processing Speed

The speed at which your computer sends data and the printer's internal processing power also affect throughput. Printers with more powerful processors handle complex print jobs more efficiently.

Choosing the Right Speed

Match the printer's speed rating to your volume needs. A home user printing ten pages a day does not need a 60 ppm printer. An office printing hundreds of pages daily should invest in a faster model to minimise wait times.