Laser Printers or Inkjet Printers? A Buyers Guide

Should you buy an inkjet or a laser printer? Often people buying a new printer are confused about whether to buy a laser printer or inkjet printer. The short answer is it depends on what you’ll be using it for, and how much you’ll be using it.

Inkjet printers have a lower initial purchase cost but cost more to run because the ink is more expensive when measured on a per page basis. Laser printers cost more but their running costs are lower and they have a better print quality because in general they have a higher resolution (expressed in dots per inch - dpi).

If you want to print photos at home however, you are best to choose a photo quality inkjet printer.

Inkjets are great for home use and for photo printing. Lasers are good for high-volume applications, like offices, or for applications that need high print quality.

Inkjet printers transfer tiny droplets of ink directly to the page. A laser printer creates an electrostatic pattern on a drum that attracts ink powder that is subsequently fused onto the paper. This is more complex technology so means a higher price than for an inkjet printer.

If you examine the same page printed on both a laser printer and an inkjet, you will be able to see that the characters on the laser printer produced page are sharper. That said however, inkjet printers are getting better all the time in terms of the sharpness of printed characters.

Another aspect to consider is how heavily you will be using a printer. Printer manufacturers express the durability of a printer in terms of duty cycle in pages per month.

For example, a typical laser printer will be capable of a duty cycle up to 7,000 pages a month while a typical entry level inkjet printer is capable of up to 500 pages per month.

Some of the more recent inkjets provide excellent color clarity and brightness, and are very well suited for printing photographs.

While inkjet printers themselves are cheaper, their ink is more expensive per page printed. Ink cartridges need to be replaced fairly often if you print a lot, especially if you’re printing pictures or photos.

The manufacturer’s stated pages per cartridge measurements are very much dependent on what you printing. They are based on only a small percentage of the page actually being covered in ink.

Toner cartridges for laser printers have a higher unit price than inkjet cartridges, but have a higher capacity so that the cost per page is lower for lasers.

Article Source: http://www.articlemap.com

Article by David Haysom. David is the eCommerce Manager for OfficeRocket, www.officerocket.co.nz/ . OfficeRocket is an online store that specializes in providing New Zealand consumers and small businesses with Laser Printers, Ink Cartridges and Office Supplies at extremely competitive prices.

Please Rate this Article

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Computer Accessories-Peripherals Articles Via RSS!

Additional Articles From - Home | Computer | Computer Accessories-peripherals

Turn any website into an instant success with this powerful new software! - By : Anshu
How Recycling Inkjet Cartridges Environment Helps the Environment - By : Ian Thomason
Surf The Internet For New Ink Cartridges - By : Clive Jenkins
Protect The Environment: Recycle Ink Cartridges - By : Clive Jenkins
Know the uses of DSL filter in detail - By : Rory H. Hawkins
Match The Right Color Ink Cartridge With Your Printer - By : Clive Jenkins
Wallpaper Choosing For Good Mood - By : Dalvin Rumsey
Printer Buying Guide - By : Microtek Lab Inc
A Buyer’s Guide to Flatbed Scanners - By : Microtek Lab Inc
Should You Invest In Dedicated Server? - By : Alex Dale

	Print This Article
	Post Comment
	Add To Favorites
	Email to Friends
	Ezine Ready

Submit Articles
Member Login
Top Authors
Most Popular Articles
Submission Guidelines
Ezine Notifications
Article RSS Feeds

Press Release
About Us
Link To Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service

Sponsored Ads:

Recommended Hosting

Related Sister Site:
Submit Health Articles Now