A Guide To Understanding Printing Resolution

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One of the most essential pieces of advice small businesses receive when they release new products is to use a high-resolution printer. When companies use high-resolution equipment, product labels look more professional, eye-catching, and reliable. Conversely, when companies use lower printing resolutions for their products, this can significantly affect a brand’s sales. 

So, what exactly is printing resolution? Unfortunately, while most businesses know the importance of this term, few understand the functions of printing resolution.

If your business wants to educate itself on a comprehensive definition of printing resolution, we’ve got you covered. Here is a guide to understanding printing resolution.

DPI

Before we discuss the print resolution and why this technical feature matters, it’s essential to discuss DPI. Whenever you see the abbreviation DPI in your label printer manual, this term refers to your printing resolution’s dots per square inch.

Your product label's print resolution relates to the acceptable detail level in your finished image and typography. The DPI of your printing resolution measures your label’s detail by reflecting how many dots per square inch are created on your label.

The Bigger the DPI, the Better

Now that we understand how DPI relates to your printing resolution, we must examine how this measurement affects finished labels. The general rule of thumb when reviewing the different DPIs of product label printers is that the bigger the DPI measurement, the better.

A larger ratio of dots per square inch means that your printer uses smaller increments of ink to build fine details—a printer with low DPI prints bulkier, sometimes visible pixels. A high DPI creates the most realistic translation of your digital screen’s image. A low DPI often prints blurry or illegible labels.

Why Does Your Printer DPI Matter?

The most straightforward answer to this question is that low printing resolution equates to blurry, hard-to-read, and unprofessional-looking labels. However, your printer’s resolution affects more than your product labels.

Using a low DPI for your products can fatally damage the perception of your business. One of the most common mistakes small businesses make when printing custom labels is overlooking the DPI of their equipment. Customers who come across labels with visible pixels, blurry images, and illegible information are more likely to perceive your brand as lazy and unreliable.

How Does Printing Resolution Affect My Printing Strategy?

Apart from the direct impact that your printing resolution has on product labels, the DPI of your printer will also affect how your business prints its custom labels. So, whether you’re designing a billboard to advertise your company or adding your logo to new materials, it’s crucial to have a high DPI for these projects.

Companies commonly make the mistake of assuming their label’s DPI relates to its size. However, this is an entirely false assumption. Your DPI relates to the dots (or pixels) per square inch, which means this measurement refers to density, not size.

If you’re printing large logos or labels, knowing this difference is essential to ensure that your final product prints with professional and high-quality details.

You do not have to do the product label printing yourself, you can outsource this if you are not happy with your in-house printing and want to see if branching out can provide you with a better branding look. It all depends on your time limit and output, as you want to make sure everything is perfect before going out into the world.

Takeaways

We hope this guide to understanding printing resolution has helped your business. The DPI of your label printing equipment is essential, so do not overlook this feature while browsing for equipment for your company. Being more educated on the ins and outs of your printer’s resolution will ensure that your labels are professional, eye-catching, and credible.

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