Photo printers usually use one of two printing technologies to bring you photo-quality prints: inkjet or dye sublimation. Dye sublimation heats ink in order to apply it to the page as a gas, which can result in stunning image quality, smoothness and color when compared to other techniques, but the technology is more costly and the printing process takes longer.
Meanwhile, many inkjet printers do an excellent job of printing photos. If you are deciding between an inkjet and a laser printer and you plan on printing photos, you should certainly choose the inkjet. But don’t expect every old inkjet printer to be up to snuff when it comes to photo printing.
Unlike laser printers and lower-end inkjet printers, dedicated photo printers prioritize ink quality and application technology that serves photographs and photo-quality paper specifically. So, whether you want to print a few photos from your phone or make a photo album for a friend, choose a photo printer.