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Maybe you’re in college and need something to make copies of pages in your textbook. Perhaps you’re a lawyer and you are in need of something that can make reproductions of various case files. In any case, you have a need to scan items quickly, conveniently, and on the go. What you need is a portable scanner.
Portable scanners are small, portable devices capable of making high-quality reproductions of pictures, documents, and written pages. Because they can easily be taken anywhere, they are perfect for people who have a need to scan documents at unexpected times.
What is a Portable Scanner?
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Skinny, compact, and lightweight, portable scanners are like any other scanner, except that they excel at being stored away and transported with general ease. While some portable scanners possess a feeder through which items you want to scan must be pushed, other scanners work as wands which can simply be waved over the top of your desired document.
Though it isn’t the case for all of them, some portable scanners possess WiFi capabilities which allow you to instantly share PDF and JPEG scans to your computer or with your associates. With some portable scanners designed for scanning written words, and others designed for scanning photos, you are sure to find one that fits your exact needs and preferences.
What are the Benefits of a Portable Scanner?
The most obvious benefit of having a portable scanner is that it allows you to scan photos and documents on the go without much notice. As long as you have your portable scanner in your possession, you will be able to make high-quality scans with the flick of a wrist.
Portable scanners which possess WiFi capabilities allow you to share important image reproductions with your friends and personal media accounts in very little time. An additional benefit is that portable scanners don’t possess any wires, meaning you won’t have to worry about plugging yours in.
Who are the Contenders for Best Portable Scanner?
VuPoint PDSWF-ST47-VP Magic Wand Wireless Portable Scanner – Equipped to scan in both color and mono modes, this VuPoint portable scanner allows you to scan pictures and documents at up to a remarkable 1050 dpi. A wand-style portable scanner, it can adequately capture documents at up to 8.5 inches in width, and up to a staggering 125 inches in length. With WiFi capabilities, it allows you to share scan files with your personal media accounts as well as with your friends.
Avision IS25 Portable Scanner – Equipped with the ability to scan documents up to 8.5 inches in width and 11.7 inches in length, this Avision portable scanner can create image reproductions at up to 600 dpi. With auto-crop and auto-color detection capabilities, it produces consistent, even, and balanced scans regardless of what you’re trying to reproduce. Powered by a lithium ion battery, it can be used anywhere as it doesn’t require a power outlet.
MSRM iScan Wand Portable Document & Image Scanner – A wand-style portable scanner, this MSRM portable scanner can scan documents up to 8 inches in width and 14 inches in length. Capable of reproducing images at 900 dpi, it creates excellent copies regardless of whether you’re scanning pictures of written word documents. With optical character recognition software included, it allows you to edit your files until they’re flawless.
Considerations for Choosing the Right Portable Scanner
In terms of appearance, portable scanners all tend to look fairly similar. If you’re not careful, this similarity in appearance can throw you off, and cause you to purchase something that you don’t really want. That’s why it’s important to consider a couple of things when making a purchase on a portable scanner. Of course, portability is perhaps the most important thing to consider. But there are some other aspects as well. These include ease of use, picture quality, and overall speed.
Portability
The entire purpose of purchasing a portable scanner is to be able to scan different items while on the go. Obviously portability is one of the most important things to consider when purchasing a portable scanner. If it can’t be stored away and transported with ease, it’s not a good portable scanner.
Ease of Use
While some portable scanners can be operated by simply turning them on and sliding the items you wish to scan through their feeders, others are a little more complex, and require some special attention to a number of their different properties. Ideally, you want to purchase a scanner that is easy to use, but which still produces excellent images.
Picture Quality
Depending on what you wish to scan with your scanner, picture quality might be something of vast importance to you. If you’re just planning on scanning paper documents filled with words, you can probably get by with just about anything. If you’re looking to scan pictures, you’re going to want something that is capable of making very faithful reproductions.
Speed
If you plan on scanning a great number of documents at one time, you’re going to want a portable scanner that is capable of scanning these documents quickly. You don’t want to have to wait an inordinate amount of time every time you try to reproduce an image.
Conclusion: Our Portable Scanner Reviews
TaoTronics Handheld Mobile Portable Document scanner – Best Cheap
While it’s true that portable scanners can be pretty expensive, there are some very nice portable scanners on the market which are available for very affordable prices. One of these is the TaoTronics Handheld Portable Document Scanner. A wand-style scanner, it can reproduce images at up to 1050 dpi; an extremely high resolution for a scanner at its price. Powered by a lithium ion battery, it can be taken anywhere, producing high quality scans whenever you need them. If you’re looking for a truly solid portable scanner at an affordable price, this is the best portable scanner for you.
Pros:
- Ridiculously portable at just 1.1 pounds
- Incredible 1050 dpi resolution
- Battery-powered, allowing you to use it anywhere
Cons:
- A little inconsistent in terms of image quality
MSRM iScan Wand Portable Document & Image Scanner – Best for the Money
While it’s not the best portable scanner on the market, for its price, this MSRM portable scanner is a great buy. Capable of creating image reproductions with a resolution of 900 dpi, it works equally well on both written word documents and images. Weighing in at a miniscule 0.6 pounds, you can take it anywhere and barely even notice that you have it with you. If you’re looking for the best portable scanner for its price, you should definitely take a look at this one.
Pros:
- As portable as they come
- Works equally well for both written word documents and images
- Battery powered, allowing you to use it anywhere
Cons:
- A little difficult to keep steady while scanning
VuPoint PDSWF-ST47-VP Magic Wand Wireless Portable Scanner – Best Overall
There are a number of powerful portable scanners on the market today, many of which would suit you just fine. But, in our opinion, this Vupoint portable scanner is the best portable scanner around. With a staggering 1050 dpi resolution, it scans written word documents and images equally well. Capable of scanning documents that are up to 8.5 inches in width and 125 inches in length, you’d be hard-pressed to find a document that you can’t scan with it. If you’re looking for the ultimate portable scanner, you have found it.
Pros:
- Ridiculous 125 inch scanning length
- As portable as they come
- Fantastic 1050 dpi resolution
Cons:
- Requires a fairly steady hand to produce quality scans
In Conclusion
If you’re a student, a secretary, a lawyer, or anybody else who peruses a great number of written word documents, you never know when you’re going to see something that you’ll want to scan. For this reason, you should always have a portable scanner in your possession.
Compact and high-quality portable scanners like the VuPoint PDSWF-ST47-VP Magic Wand are capable of creating high resolution image reproductions at a moment’s notice. Want to keep all of your notes and documents in careful working order? Invest in a portable scanner.