If you have recently purchased a new printer, you’ll probably want to know how fast it is.
Luckily, manufacturers use standardised methods so that you can compare the speeds of different models accurately. There are two primary methods that they use; Pages Per Minute (PPM) and Images Per Minute (IPM).
In this guide, we break down the differences between the two acronyms and look at the situations in which they are most useful.
PPM
Print speed is measured in PPM, which means ‘Pages Per Minute’. It reflects how many standard pages of text a printer can print in a minute, in ideal conditions.
When Is PPM Used?
PPM is the old standard for printer speed, and is also specifically used for text-only documents.
IPM
IPM means ‘Images Per Minute’. It refers to the number of single-side sheets of paper with an image can be printed per minute.
When Is IPM Useful?
IPM is especially useful as a measurement of printer speed when in comes to duplex printing. This is because each side of paper is counted as a separate ‘image’.
If a manufacturer were to refer to Pages Per Minute for double-sided printing, it may cause confusion; is a ‘page’ each piece of paper, or each printed side?
Images Per Minute is therefore used to describe how many sides of paper can be printed per minute. So two pieces of paper each with printing on both sides would count as four images.
Using IPM instead of PPM also means that different types of printing (both text and images, as well as other graphics) can be compared in an apples-to-apples comparison.
Am I More Likely to See PPM or IPM in a Spec?
These days, you’re probably more likely to see PPM used in a manufacturer’s specification.
However, IPM is actually the ISO (International Organisation of Standardisation) standard. However, it’s still very typical for brands to list the IPM on their product specifications, alongside the PPM, and brands such as Canon seem to prefer IPM.
What is a Typical PPM or IPM Speed?
Many home printers fall between 10 and 20 PPM and 5 to 10 IPM.
Office printers, which need to be able to tackle heavier print loads, often have a range of 20 to 50 PPM and 12 to 25 IPM.
PPM and IPM: Two Useful Metrics For Printer Speed
Although PPM is probably still the more common standard nowadays, it’s still useful to know your printer’s IPM, especially if you frequently print double sided documents or photos.
For a glossary of other common printing terms and acronyms, you can read our guide to printer jargon.
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