Abstract: A page printer is connected to a computer by a standard input/output interface that enables a predetermined data transfer rate of raster pixel image data. The page printer includes a print engine for printing raster pixel data on a page at a constant rate that is greater than the predetermined data transfer rate. The printer's processor allocates a portion of printer RAM as a buffer for receiving raster pixel image data from a host computer. The RAM buffer is sized to hold an initial quantity of raster pixel image data that comprises a portion of a page. The printer's processor causes the print engine to commence printing of a page when the RAM buffer contains the initial portion of received raster pixel image data. The predetermined data transfer rate then enables transfer to RAM of sufficient additional raster pixel image data to enable the print engine to complete printing of the page without stopping--after the initial quantity of raster pixel data has been printed.