Thermal Printer vs No Thermal Printer for Shopify Workflow

I ship 50 parcels a month, but have some Amazon Canada affiliate $ avaiable so I am wondering if it is worth $200 to upgrade to this thermal printer:

https://www.amazon.ca/Direct-Thermal-Label-Printer-Labels/dp/B088NJVLQK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=thermal+printer&qid=1598032239&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExMUcxMDJDNDlUQ0gzJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDU0MjA1MkZJNzRVNDRXWDhLWiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjY0NzM4MkNaRUVNWjc2UE9URCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

1. I have heard from others that you need to download label PDF's and load them in a thermal printers individual clunky software and printer them, is this true? I thought a thermal printer would speed up my processing time if anything.
2. Can't it be as simple as I print the packing slip on normal paper via normal printer, then Ctrl+P the label and indicate the thermal printer from the list of options?
3. To avoid the packing slip entirely, can I PRE PRINT 100 quantities of packing slips but omit the buyer name and info from it, such that they are generic and pre packable? I always include needed customs info on the CN22 form or CN23 (selling Canada to USA).

Thank you for any input on thermal printers, and my situation.