Differences of Laser and Inkjet

Laser printers use heat to fuse a dry powder onto paper, while inkjet printers use a print-head to disperse either water-based or water-proof ink onto paper. These printers have a few differences in print quality, cost and printing speed. Laser printers usually cost quite a bit, but they print documents at a high speed, making them useful in office environments. Toner cartridges, used as the "ink" for laser printers, can cost about $100 each but they last much longer than the inkjet printer cartridges. Laser printers have their share of breakdowns, but technical support and replacement parts are typically easy to come by, making laser printers a good investment if you need a good "workhorse" printer.

Inkjet printers have historically resided in peoples' homes rather than businesses, and they print rather slowly as compared to laser printers. Although newer technology has helped them print faster, many people rely on inkjets to print full-color, high-resolution photographs. These take longer to print, but this is where the inkjet printers shine. They can produce a much nicer result than laser printers, with more accurate colors and fine definition. Inkjet cartridges can cost quite a bit, especially if you do a lot of printing. However, the printer itself usually costs much less than a laser printer. Because of the low cost of inkjet printers, when one breaks, it usually makes sense to replace it with the latest updated model rather than repairing it.

As you can probably see, each type of printer has its advantages, depending upon the type of documents you intend to print and the volume of printing required. Keep these points in mind as you shop for a new printer, and take advantage of the newest printer technology, because just like many other things in the computer world, printers continue to evolve and get better at a very rapid pace.