Our Top Pick for the Best Photo Booth Printer

TL;DR: The United Printers Model X is the top photo booth printer, offering high-quality prints, fast speeds, and versatility. Print speed, resolution, size, and cost all impact guest satisfaction and business success. Invest in quality paper, a protective case, and expert coaching to maximize your photo booth business.

Key Points:

• Best Printer: United Printers Model X delivers excellent print quality and speed.
• Print Speed Matters: Faster printing keeps guests happy and lines moving.
• Resolution Choices: 300dpi is standard; 600dpi offers higher quality for a competitive edge.
• Size & Weight: Model X is heavy but provides better functionality.
• Price & Warranty: Ranges from $500-$900+; invest in a case for protection.
• Quality Paper is Essential: Ensures a professional and lasting impression.
• Boost Your Business: Join PBI’s coaching programs for more bookings and higher profits.

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One of the most critical components of any successful photo booth is the photo booth printer. You’ll need a printer that is not only able to generate high-quality prints but do so accurately and quickly. In fact, the photo booth printer is what transforms good times into lifelong memories. It’s the photo after all, that guests take with them when the event is done.

Our team fully understands the need for a photo booth printer that performs properly. We have been through quite a few makes and models and have put each one through repeated rigorous tests. Therefore, our perspective on which photo booth printer is best does not come lightly. Our assessment springs from both research and experience in the field.

Keep reading to learn our pick for the best photo printer for photo booths.

What Is the Top Photo Booth Printer?

After 8 years in the business, we’ve found the top photo booth printer. It’s hands down, the United Printers Model X. This is the printer we use ourselves. That’s why it’s the printer we recommend to photo booth business owners at all levels.

Here’s everything to know about the Model X printer:

Specification	Details
Weight	13.8 kg (approximately 30.4 lbs)
Dimensions	322 mm (W) x 351 mm (D) x 281 mm (H)
Print Speed	– 4 x 6 inches: 12.4 seconds per print – 6 x 8 inches: 21.9 seconds per print
Resolution	– 300 dpi – 600 dpi
Price	$799.00
Dye Type	Dye-sublimation thermal system with overcoat
Media Size	– 4 x 6 inches (101 x 152 mm) – 6 x 8 inches (152 x 203 mm)
Print Capacity	Up to 700 sheets per roll (for 4 x 6 inch prints)

As you can see, the Model X has all the features you want in a photo booth printer. The average speed is great. It’s not too fast and not too slow.

More importantly, you’re not compromising on quality. Better yet, the cost of the printer is about average for printers of this quality on the market. Don’t spend more on a more recognizable brand name with fewer features, like a DNP photo booth printer.

Is Printing Speed Even Relevant?

Every minute counts when you’re at your event. The guests are pausing everything as they wait for their keepsake photo to print. Likewise, the longer the wait, the longer the line. Guests might get bored or frustrated and abandon the booth altogether.

Clearly, print speed is directly correlated to guest satisfaction. To earn word-of-mouth business, you need to deliver your product fast without sacrificing quality. Fast printers keep lines moving and guests happy. That results in satisfied clients and more business in the end.

The speed of your photo booth printer is crucial. A DNP printer for your photo booth may have a brand name, but won’t have the speed. That’s one more reason why we’ve opted for the Model X time and time again.

Does Photo Booth Printer Size Matter?

Some quality photo booth printers are a little heavier than other photo booth printers. For example, the Model X weighs about 30 pounds. However, we urge you to look at each printer as a whole. When you consider the pros and cons, weight isn’t always a major factor.

There are some lighter-weight printers out there. For example, a photo booth printer from DNP might be lighter but offer fewer features. We think a heavier printer with more capabilities might ultimately serve you better.

How Important Is Printing Resolution?

If you have the best mirror booth, great backdrops, beautiful clients, and awesome props, does image quality matter? Since the photo itself serves as a memento, the answer may be yes.

Dye sublimation printers are known to produce excellent images. In fact, sublimation photo booth printers are better than inkjet printers. The minimum print resolution on dye sublimation printers is 300dpi.

What is DPI? DPI stands for Dots Per Inch. Any image with less than 300 DPI will give you a blurry, fuzzy look when printing.

Keep in mind that higher photo resolution prints mean a slower print rate. Likewise, it requires higher ink consumption.

In all honesty, there are very few instances where a 300dpi resolution was not adequate. Your CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart all use sublimation printers with a 300dpi resolution. You’re in good hands with these printers.

However, printers up to 600dpi are becoming more standard. You might need to offer higher-quality prints to stay competitive. The Model X prints at both 300dpi and 600dpi, so you can choose the ideal quality level. You won’t find that kind of versatility in a lot of other printers, including photo booth printers from DNP.