A printing system for processing a print job includes a host computer; and a printer in communication with the host computer. The host computer comprises a printer driver that determines whether each print job unit can be more efficiently rendered on the host computer or on the printer and processes the print job accordingly. A method of processing a print job includes determining whether each step in rendering a print job unit of the print job can be more rapidly completed on a host computer or on a printer, and rendering the print job accordingly.