<p>Which is preferred-a scanner or printer? Do you see students owning scanners for their work?</p>
<p>I haven't seen many scanners in the dorms and I don't think you need to go out of your way to buy one unless it's part of a printer you already have. Scanners, especially the multifunction fax/printer/copier ones are also bulky so there may not be a lot of desk real estate for it and it can make shipping at the end of the year more difficult. </p>
<p>I know there are scanners available for student use at the multimedia work stations in the library, which work quite well for occasional use. So unless you are big into digital art or some other hobby requiring a lot of scanning, a scanner isn't on the "must have" list for things to bring. Regular coursework rarely requires one.</p>
<p>Usually at least one person in the dorm will have a scanner and be happy to let you use it. So just ask around :)</p>
<p>I only have a scanner because Target had them on sale for $30.
I think it takes up too much space.</p>
<p>If you're going to spend $30 just for a scanner, you're probably better-off paying a little bit more and buying an all-in-one instead. It's more convenient, and takes up less room than having a seperate printer/scanner, etc. The flatbed-copying feature is an added plus.</p>
<p>Oops! My bad, I have a scanner because it's part of the 4-in-1 that I got for $30</p>
<p>I had to buy a printer last year for my daughter and researched them on CR. Based on their ratings we got a Canon printer/scanner/copier for less than $200 and she was very pleased with it. It is very handy to have the scanner and copier functions.</p>
<p>DO NOT buy an all-in-one. Terrible printing quality, and bad, clumsy software for scanning. They are very flimsy, and they will break eventually. Just go to Amazon.com, find the reviews of any all-in-one, and read the 1 and 2* reviews. There are going to be tons of them, so it's not like these are uncommon problems.</p>
<p>Also, on Canons: all the other functions, including scanning, will stop working when the ink on the printer runs out. So you have to keep buying ink. I believe that Canons also print black ink using the color cartridge. Or maybe those are the HP all-in-ones...no I think it's Canon. Which is such bull, because ink costs MAJOR $$. </p>
<p>I have an HP all-in-one that I got free with my computer, and already I'm hearing funny noises from the scanner (been less than a year). Sometimes it scans the image in at a strange angle, with parts of it cut off, and I have to redo it. HP's scanner software is terrible. Course, I got that one for free. At home we have an Epson and it works beautifully.</p>
<p>Best thing to do is buy a dedicated laserjet and a dedicated scanner, if you need them. If you want a good scanner, buy Epson. (Actually, before you take my word on that, do your research.) Laserjets, not so sure. </p>
<p>(I use a scanner to scan in cartoons for the school paper. I also use it so that can scan in line art and then color it in Photoshop.)</p>
<p>If you want to be scanning something that is larger than the scanning surface, make sure you look for a scanner where the plastic is flush with the glass. Otherwise, you'll get a shadow when you scan. Not many scanners have that feature.</p>
<p>Last but not least, your college will probably have campus scanners in a media lab or something that you can use.</p>
<p>So anyway...watch out for those all in ones.</p>
<p>Boy some people here sure have strong opinions! Only gave mine based on our personal experience. We have had several Canon products that have been trouble free. Her printer was simple to set up and she has been pleased with it. Again, part of our decision was based on CR research, and they are generally reliable. We also have a Dell all-in-one that is three years old and works beautifully. It's very convenient to be able to copy or scan something in a hurry without having to leave your room, which is something to take into consideration. Also keep in mind that you have limited space in your dorm room and the Canon we bought is very compact. The poster above sounds like their usage might be for more sophisticated needs than the average user. To each his own I guess....</p>