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It is without gainsaying that getting a scanner that is compatible with the MAC 2020 and efficient at the same time is one of the predominant questions in the minds of many MAC 2020 users, which of course you are one. Not only do you want a scanner that is compatible with your MAC, but you also want a scanner that is portable, efficient, time-saving, and proficient, all in one.
We understand that there are a lot of scanners that seem to be compatible with Mac, however, the problem lies in choosing a scanner that is most compatible with your Mac and portable enough to carry on the go. In order to save you the stress and provide a solution to this seemingly huge task ahead of you, we’ve compiled, reviewed, and listed below the best portable scanners which are suitable for the Mac 2020 accompanied with a buying guide and frequently asked questions about best portable scanners for MAC 2020.
Product table
| Specifications | Epson ES-50 Scanner | Epson ES-200 Scanner | Brother DS-640 Scanner | Brother DS-740 Scanner | Epson ES-65WR Scanner | Brother ADS-1200 Desktop Scanner |
| Optical Resolution | 600dpi | 600dpi | 600dpi | 600 dpi | 600dpi | 600dpi |
| Hardware Resolution | 600dpi | 600dpi | 600dpi | 600dpi | 600dpi | 600dpi |
| Maximum resolution | 1200dpi | 1200dpi | 1200 dpi | 1200dpi | 1200dpi | 1200dpi |
| Color Bit Depth | 16-Bit input | 48-Bit input | 24-bit input | 24-bit input | 16-bit input | 24-bit input |
| Greyscale bit depth | 8-bit input | 24-Bit input | 8-bit input | 8-bit input | 8-bit input | 8-bit input |
| Optical sensor | CIS | Dual CIS | Color CIS | Dual CIS | ||
| Light source | 3-Color RGB LED | 3-color RGB LED | 3-Color RGB LED | 3-Color RBG | ||
| Scanning speed | 10ppm | 22ppm | 16ppm | 16ppm | 15ppm | 50ppm (Duplex), 25ppm (Simplex) |
| Product Price | check price on amazon | check price on amazon | check price on amazon | check price on amazon | check price on amazon | check price on amazon |
- Product table
- 6 Best Portable Scanners for Mac 2020
- 1. EPSON WORKFORCE ES-50 PORTABLE SCANNER
- 2. Epson Workforce ES 200
- 3. Brother DS-640 (Model DS640)
- 4. Brothers DS-740 duplex compact mobile
- 5. Epson workforce ES-65WR
- 6. Brother ADS-1200 Portable Scanner
- Buying Guide
- 1. Compatibility
- 2. Portability
- 3. Auto Document Feeder
- 4. Duplex Scanning or Simplex Scanning
- 5. Software
- 6. Daily Duty Cycle
- 7. Cost
- Frequently Asked Question???
- 1. Does the Scanner Require an External Power Source?
- 2. Duplex Scanning or Simplex Scanning
- 3. Multiple File Scanning
- 4. Searchable Pdfs and Editable Words or Excel File
- 5. Online Storage Account
- Conclusion
6 Best Portable Scanners for Mac 2020
1. EPSON WORKFORCE ES-50 PORTABLE SCANNER
- Fastest and lightest mobile single sheet fed document scanner in its class(1) small, portable scanner ideal for easy, on the go scanning
- Fast scans a single page in as fast as 5.5 seconds(2)
This scanner by Epson has been ranked as the #4 in document scanner in the world and is suitable for Windows and Mac and it scans a single page within 5.5seconds. The Epson ES-50 scanner is regarded as one of the best portable scanners for Mac.
PROS:
- No battery required or external power
- Portability
- Scan to the online storage account
- Nuance OCR to convert documents into editable PDFs, Word and Excel.
- Super scan speed and software speed
- Receipt and id card scanning
- Efficient file saving and naming features
Cons:
- Documents scanned can only be saved on a folder within the application
- Simplex scanning
2. Epson Workforce ES 200
- Fastest scan speeds in its class (1) — up to 25 ppm/50 ipm (2); Single-Step Technology captures both sides in one pass.
- Versatile scanning — scan 2-sided documents, receipts, business cards, plastic IDs and more.
This is another quality scanner that is compatible with both Windows and MAC IOS. This scanner is a duplex document scanner with a scanning speed of 25-30 ppm. It is a quality scanner with a 20-page Auto document feeder (ADF) that allows large documents and its size allows for desk space optimization making it a portable scanner suitable for Mac 2020. It also has a good quality color that gives life to any document.
Pros:
- Duplex document scanner
- TWAIN drivers included
- USB cable to power from a computer with additional AC Power
- Fast scanning speed
- Nuance OCR to convert documents into editable PDFs, Word and Excel
- Auto crop, Skew Correction, Blank Page and Background removal
- Scan to online storage accounts
- Receipt and ID card scanner
Cons:
- The fragility of the scanner
3. Brother DS-640 (Model DS640)
- FAST SPEEDS – Scans color and black and white documents a blazing speed up to 16ppm
- ULTRA COMPACT – At less than 1 foot in length and only about 1. 5lbs in weight you can fit this device virtually anywhere (a bag, a purse, even a pocket).
This is a scanner notable for its quality and super-fast scanning speed. This scanner is ideal for working on the go due to its size (about 1.5pounds) which makes it a portable scanner to carry on the go. The DS-640 scanner is compatible with MAC IOS and can scan documents up to 72” long.
Pros:
- Fast scanning speed
- Superspeed USB 3.0 cable
- Continuous scanning feature
- Auto deskew, hole punch, background, and blank page removal
- Nuance OCR to convert documents into editable PDFs, Word and Excel
- TWAIN drivers included
- Scan to online storage accounts
Cons:
- No ADF
- Simplex document scanning
- Requires CD/DVD burner to install software
4. Brothers DS-740 duplex compact mobile
- FAST SPEED AND DUPLEX SCANNING
- ULTRA COMPACT
This is a duplex compact scanner that scans both single and double-sided material at a scanning speed of 16ppm and has a USB 3.0 cable to connect the scanner to your laptop, hereby making it one of the best portable scanners for Mac.
Pros:
- Duplex scanning
- Scan to online storage accounts
- Plastic card scanning
- Deskew, hole punch, and blank page removal
- Nuance OCR to convert documents into editable PDFs, Word and Excel
- TWAIN drivers included
- PDF editor
- Scan multiple pages of a large document into a single file
Cons:
- Not compatible with IPAD IOS
- Page feed one at a time
- Resetting of software to switch between high-quality simplex scanning and low-quality duplex scanning
5. Epson workforce ES-65WR
- Receipt management software included — no subscription required
- Increase productivity and minimize data entry errors — automatically extracts and categorizes key data from receipts.
This is a wireless portable scanner from Epson which scans a single page within 4seconds. This scanner which weighs 10.6 pounds with a 1.8×10.7×1.3” dimension has a unique wireless feature which makes another top-quality scanner pair with a MAC 2020 and definitely regarded as one of the best portable scanners for Mac. It is suitable for working from the office, home or on the go.
Pros:
- Superfast scanning speed
- Other Wireless scanners
- Premium Accounting management tools
- Battery-powered
- Receipt management software included
- Automatic file naming and scan object recognition
- Easily exports data to third party software
- Saves multiple single pages as one file
- Nuances OCR to convert documents into editable PDFs, Word and Excel
- Scan to PC, MAC, IOS or Android
- Automatically detects connectivity
- TWAIN drivers included
- ADF
Cons:
- Saves scanned document only to computer and mobile devices
6. Brother ADS-1200 Portable Scanner
- COMPACT DESIGN AND FAST SCAN SPEEDS HANDLE A VARIETY OF DOCUMENTS
- QUICK AND EASY SCANNING WITHOUT INSTALLING SOFTWARE
This scanner is the perfect scanner for home or office. It scans document within 25ppm in a single pass and ha a dedicated card slot for scanning plastic cards.
Pros:
- Duplex color document scan
- 20 pages ADF
- USB 3.0 or PC6 to power scanner
- Mass storage device recognition
- Scan to multiple destinations
- Image optimization
- Dedicated card slot
- Continuous scanning
- Hole punch and background removal
- Nuance OCR to convert documents into editable PDFs, Word and Excel
- TWAIN drivers included
- Scan to online storage accounts
Cons:
- PC must be USB 3.0 compatible
- Requires connection to a wireless network
- Scans multiple pages to individual files
Buying Guide
There are some factors to consider before purchasing a portable scanner compatible with your Mac 2020 in order to ensure maximum satisfaction and effectiveness from both your system and the scanner. Some of the factors you need to examine are:
1. Compatibility
It is highly important that you ascertain that the scanner you want to buy is compatible with your MAC system. This would help to eliminate any stress you are likely to encounter in setting up the scanner with your system and also reduce if not eliminate completely your calls to the manufacturer’s support desk.
2. Portability
Another important thing to consider is the portability of the scanner. You want to ascertain if the scanner is just going take up unnecessary space on your office desk or home desk and also if it is a scanner you can just put in a bag or case and carry along with you wherever you go in order to work on the go. If you are particular about decluttering your workspace, getting a portable scanner to work with your MAC 2020 should be among your priority features for a scanner.
3. Auto Document Feeder
It is without gainsaying that if you are going to be working with large documents, getting a scanner with an auto document feeder is non-negotiable. You want to ensure that whatever scanner you are getting improves your efficiency and not detracts from it. A scanner with an auto document feeder feature is highly valuable for anyone or a corporation that has to deal with a lot of paperwork.
4. Duplex Scanning or Simplex Scanning
It is equally important that you ascertain if the scanner you are considering getting can scan only one side of a document or both sides of a document. A scanner that can scan both sides of a document is a duplex document scanner and if it can scan only one side of a document is referred to as a simplex document scanner. Getting a duplex or simplex scanner is dependent on how productive and efficient you are and want to be. A duplex document scanner helps in fast scanning and is the most suitable for scanning a large volume of documents, however, if you just want a document scanner for personal use and are not likely not going to scan any large document, then a simplex document scanner just might be the right option for you.
5. Software
The software available on or with the scanner is definitely worth considering as it helps you ascertain the quality of work you are likely to expect from the scanner. Some of the software such as creating a searchable, editable word or excel document, image optimization, pdf editor, skew correction, background or, blank page removal on a scanner are pointers to having a hassle-free scan and good quality scanned document.
6. Daily Duty Cycle
This basically helps to determine the number of documents you can scan on a daily basis and differs from one scanner to another. Hence, if you are going to be scanning a large document on a daily basis, you want to check if the scanner you are getting has a daily duty cycle that can accommodate the large documents you are going to be scanning. This also helps with projecting the number of supplies and consumables needed.
7. Cost
This is perhaps one of the most important factors to consider when getting a scanner and this is because getting a scanner goes beyond just buying a scanner. There are certain scanners that require that certain software be bought while some require a subscription in order to access this software in order to effectively maximize the scanner. This is why you need to consider the cost which is not just the initial buying price of a scanner but also the cost of software and maintenance of a scanner when getting a portable scanner compatible with Mac 2020.
Frequently Asked Question???
It is without a doubt that certain questions are prevalent in the buyer’s mind when getting a scanner and not just any scanner but one which is the best portable scanner for Mac and some of these questions include:
1. Does the Scanner Require an External Power Source?
This is one of the most repeated question buyers asked when getting a scanner and this is to ensure that the scanner can work on the go or in case of sudden power failure. The scanners reviewed in this article do not require any external power source as they all have a superfast USB 3.0 cable that enables you to connect your scanner to the system, some have additional AC adapter or PC6 as the case may be to power the scanner but they are optional.
2. Duplex Scanning or Simplex Scanning
Buyers often want to ascertain if the portable scanner they are getting can scan both sides of a document or just one side of a document. Duplex scanning or simplex scanning considered in the preceding heading would definitely answer any question you might have.
3. Multiple File Scanning
Ascertaining if the scanner can scan multiple files definitely has to be on the list of factors to consider in order to enhance productivity and efficiency while scanning documents. The scanners reviewed all have super fast scanning speed that allows you to scan large documents provided it does not exceed the daily duty cycle.
4. Searchable Pdfs and Editable Words or Excel File
The scanners reviewed in this article all have the Nuance OCR which allows you to create searchable PDFs and an editable word or excel without the stress of converting your scanned documents after scanning to pdfs, word or excel file.
5. Online Storage Account
The need for a scanner that allows you to scan your documents to an online storage account is definitely a prerequisite for getting a scanner. This is why this article has considered scanners that have this unique feature to help protect your documents and access it whenever and wherever you need it.
Conclusion
Getting a portable scanner that is suitable for your MAC 2020 is not just about selecting a scanner and putting it in your cart, there are a lot of things you need to consider and this article which contains a detailed review alongside our buying guide and frequently asked questions helps you make informed decision and at the same time increase your productivity and efficiency.
We also advise that anyone getting any of the portable scanners highlighted in this article should consider getting a scanner travel case preferably with padding in order to protect the scanner while on the go and for a long-lasting relationship.
