Okay, since most of the printers don't come with cables any longer, you always need to purchase one separately.  A "regular" printer cable can cost around $20 and it can be difficult to plug and unplug correctly without breaking one or more of those tiny prongs.  So a USB cable is a great solution.  It costs less and it's easy to plug and unplug, especially if your computer has front-mounted USB ports.  I bought this one for my new HP LaserJet 1012 Printer and it works just fine.  For this price, it's a great bargain.