Why is a laser printer better than an inkjet printer? What is the difference between laser and inkjet printers? Hewlett Packard laser models


You need new printer, but you don’t know which one to choose, inkjet or laser, because you don’t know their differences. Every user or organization faces a dilemma when purchasing a new printer. Most organizations operate under strict budget constraints and therefore the initial costs of purchasing equipment must be considered. However, it is also worth considering the long-term operating costs associated with using the printer.

The choice of printer will largely depend on your requirements for it. Inkjet printers are generally ideal for home users whose printing needs are limited to text and photos. Laser printers are better suited for high-volume office work with high printing requirements.

Laser and inkjet printers differ in various categories, namely:
- cost (initial and maintenance);
- speed;
- quality;
- size;
- network services. It is also important to understand the printing technology of laser and inkjet printers, since this is the main factor influencing their cost.

The difference between technology and network media inkjet and laser printer maintenance.

The technology used to operate an inkjet printer is quite simple. The black and white cartridge contains only black ink. A color cartridge contains two ink cartridges, the first for black ink, the second for other primary colors. Primary colors are divided into three:
- cyan;
- magenta;
- yellow. Primary colors are mixed to produce all other colors. The cartridge contains a container with metal plates and many tiny spouts on the print head of the cartridge. The number of holes or spouts depends on the printer resolution. Typically this number reaches 21 - 128 spouts per color. As soon as the command to print is given, a hot air stream is supplied through the metal plates and the ink is heated. The high temperature causes steam bubbles to form in the cartridge, which in turn causes the ink to swell. The ink begins to flow out in droplets through the spouts and onto the paper. Appears empty space(as soon as a drop of ink flows out), the next drop of ink immediately enters the spout, thus creating an uninterrupted flow of ink. This technique is called thermographic jet.

Laser printers use more sophisticated and comprehensive technology. Laser printers, as well as fax machines and photocopiers, use a special powder called toner to print images and text on paper. Initially, carbon powder was used, but now manufacturers have come up with cartridges that can be refilled if necessary. In this case, individual carbon particles of powder are mixed with a polymer that melts at high temperatures. This polymer binds the powder to the paper fibers. Laser printers consist of a toner and a drum. The positively charged toner is attracted to the negatively charged drum. And then it is transferred by a drum to paper. The toner contains special wax that melts and dries in a split second. When toner is applied to the drum, the fuser applies high heat and pressure to make the image permanent. The fuser system consists of a hot roller and a compensating roller.

Laser printers have maintenance tools that allow them to connect not only to a computer, but also directly to a local network. Inkjet printers do not have this capability.

Laser printers are larger in size than inkjet printers. Therefore, the latter are suitable for small spaces such as a home or small offices.

The difference in quality and color range laser and inkjet printers.

Because inkjet printers use tiny droplets of ink to print, their resolution is lower than that of laser printers. The quality of the print depends on the resolution. High resolution also allows laser printers to print text with sharp edges. However, more economical inkjet printers are usually recommended to reduce costs. color printing.

They can print:
- high quality text;
- large printed photographs;
- graphic images;
- banners;
- Greeting Cards, and the cost of this will be half that of a color laser printer.

However, it is worth paying attention to the cost of printer ink and paper. Laser printers are capable of printing good quality texts and images on all types of printing paper, while for inkjet printers you need to purchase special inkjet paper that is perfectly smooth and of high quality.

Differences in speed between inkjet and laser printers.

While laser printers remain at a disadvantage compared to their inkjet counterparts in terms of price, they are far superior in terms of print speed. For users who need to print large volumes of text or images, laser printers are ideal. Because of this quality, they are also ideal for office work environments. Average laser printer Can print approximately 10 to 15 pages per minute. Inkjet printer speed varies depending on the print mode and resolution. The HP Deskjet 5650, which is considered one of the fastest color inkjet printers, prints at a speed of 21 sheets per minute in black and white mode, 15 sheets in color mode. However, the speed is significantly reduced when printing high quality text file or a high-quality photo of a standard size.

Differences in prices between inkjet and laser printers.

The most important factor when purchasing a printer is its cost. Cost has two subcategories:
- initial cost;
- operating costs.

Inkjet printers have a low initial cost but higher maintenance costs compared to the high initial cost and low operating costs of a laser printer. A single-color laser printer starts at around $130 (such as the Brother HL2040) and goes up to $3,000 (such as the HP Q3721A Laserjet 9050), while color laser printers range in price from around $350 (such as Samsung model CLP 510) and goes up to $6,000 (for example, HP Q3717A Laserjet 5550hdn). The cost of color inkjet printers ranges from approximately $35 (for example, HP 9067A Deskjet 3930) to $2,000 (for example, HP C7791D Designjet 130NR). Despite this, laser printers are the best choice for long-term office use. They are designed to handle high volumes and have a higher ink capacity. This reduces the average cost per page. Laser printers can print even on cheap paper, while inkjet printers require special inkjet paper, and the quality of the printout depends on the grade and type of paper used.

Currently available on the market great amount used cartridges, which can also greatly reduce maintenance costs. However, you must be careful when purchasing them as the print quality is not guaranteed. Don't forget to also check whether using a used cartridge will void your printer's warranty. Because some newer inkjet printer cartridges contain computer chips, you may not be able to use used cartridges.

Now that you are aware of the above-mentioned factors, it is advisable to calculate the total cost of the printer before purchasing it outright. The initial cost of an inkjet printer may be low, but the cost of further things needed to make it function, such as paper and ink, can be quite high. The slow speed and variable print quality of inkjet printers are some of its disadvantages. Laser printers are definitely the best in this regard. They are ideal if you need high quality printing, speed. They can print large volumes of information and have lower operating costs over the long term than inkjet printers.

This question is also asked by managers of small offices when choosing office equipment for printing documentation. Today, manufacturers have so saturated the market of printing devices that it can be very difficult to decide which is better for printing documents - an inkjet or a laser printer. To do this, you first need to study all the advantages and disadvantages of different models.

Many users do not know the differences between these products. To quickly sort out all the ambiguities, we suggest you carefully read this article, where you will find answers to numerous questions.

Before choosing a device for printing documents, you need to understand their operating principle:

  1. A laser device is based on transferring content from cartridges to a sheet of paper. First, a magnetized roller applies toner to the main drum, and then the design is transferred to paper, where it firmly adheres to the surface when exposed to instantaneous heat. special device. The whole process happens quite quickly.
  2. The inkjet analogue works on special ink that gets to the right place through capillary nozzles, creating text or a complex image. The printing speed is noticeably lower, but the quality is much higher.

When comparing, it is necessary to take into account all indicators, and not just the positive and negative qualities inherent in each type. For example, the laser version is characterized by the following advantages:

  • easy to use;
  • quite high printing speed;
  • Duplex printing possible;
  • long operation;
  • low printing cost.

His opponent has his advantages:

  • fairly low sound impact on others;
  • high quality color printing;
  • low power consumption;
  • budget price of the product.

As a result: the choice of device remains purely individual, because for the office you need a fast and inexpensive to maintain option, such as a laser, and in a home environment, an inkjet, and even with CISS, will be a much higher priority.

Features, pros and cons of each

On a laser device, the surface of the drum is charged with a plus sign, and the coloring powder spills out of the cartridge during rotation, focusing on the plus points - as a result, the desired pattern is created. Then a quick, specific treatment fixes it to paper.

Advantages:

  • low cost per printed page;
  • high speed of drawing;
  • you can print voluminous text materials;
  • not afraid of increased loads;
  • no need to refill cartridges frequently;
  • prints are resistant to moisture;
  • Prints on any paper without loss of quality.

Negative qualities:

  • very high cost;
  • high energy consumption;
  • Cartridges cannot be refilled at home;
  • Toner is very harmful to health, you need to ventilate the room after printing.

The inkjet counterpart uses an ink head instead of needles, like a matrix printer, and the image is created using a set of dots.

Advantages:

  • low price compared to the laser option;
  • low consumption electrical energy- more than 10 times;
  • all models are equipped with a card reader that allows printing directly from the camera, without a PC, and some models can receive images via Wi-Fi;
  • excellent color printing quality;
  • supports various digital media;
  • ink is not harmful to health;
  • wide range of models;
  • compact sizes.
  • high cost of printing each page;
  • frequent replacement of cartridges during intensive use;
  • it is necessary to use the device frequently, otherwise the ink will dry out;
  • quite high sensitivity to print settings and the quality of paper used;
  • slow speed;
  • If exposed to moisture, the printed material will be damaged.

Based on the data provided, each user decides for himself which office equipment to buy for his needs.


Which one is more effective for black and white printing?

Printers come in various modifications, so choose best option for the home is a rather complicated matter; it is even more difficult to buy such a device for the office, where quality, speed, and most importantly, print clarity play a paramount role. The requirements for office equipment are improving and increasing every year.

Experts assure that laser analogues have a fairly high resolution, unique contrast and high brightness. To test these judgments, you need to print a document with different fonts in the text, for example, the main one is 12, and the small one is size six. The inkjet version will merge small text together, and the laser version, which belongs to electrographic technologies, will print all the text clearly, preserving all the smallest details.

At the heart of the laser printing technology lies the technology of xerography, which was founded back in the late 30s of the last century. The main emphasis was placed on the individual properties of the photosensitive material. We will not go into technical nuances, because there are too many specific terms that will not be clear to all readers.

The laser ensures ultra-high-speed movement of the carriage, and the resulting text is highly accurate and has a fairly high resolution, so you can print graphics and small explanatory text simultaneously on the page. An individual PostScript programming language has been specially developed for laser devices.

The language for describing pages (Postscript) is recognized by operational Windows systems and Linux, but the American company Hewlett-Packard (HP) has created its own separate development of a language for controlling PCL printers, which gives more options for printing unique texts. Therefore, devices from HP are distinguished by the best quality and reliability among the galaxy of laser products.

Color printing - what products are needed for it

Here, inkjet printing devices with CISS are undoubtedly the leaders; laser analogues in price and photo printing are far behind. If you are looking for a printer to print color photographs, simple text, so that the price is low, then you should choose the inkjet option, because in matters of color rendering it has no equal.

To really save on very expensive ink, install CISS, after which you can safely print any documents and color photos. The Epson XP-420 MFP is suitable for working at home with text documents, and the multifunctional XP-620 model is ideal for photo prints.

The Epson WorkForce WF-7610 or WF-7110 MFP with a maximum print format of A3+ is suitable for office work. For professional photographers, Epson 1500W models are needed, Stylus Photo R2000 or R3000.

Which MFP is better - color or laser?

Experts in this complex field of activity give the following recommendations:

  1. If you have a small office, then you need to purchase the Ricoh SP 3600SF model; it also scans documents well.
  2. The Ricoh MP 305+SP is a little worse at digitizing documents; it is a fairly advanced laser printer, but it cannot print color copies.
  3. If you need a laser unit for black and white printing home, then the Brother DCP-L2520DWR is what schoolchildren, students, and those who work on the Internet remotely need.
  4. To place an MFP-class color product in a large office, you will need the OKI MC853dn model - it uses LED-type printing.
  5. The OKI MC342dnw color printer with a Wi-Fi text reception system will be suitable for installation in a small office.
  6. HP Color Laser Jet Pro MFP M177fw is suitable for home and small office work, but it is not recommended to load it heavily.

Each manager or user makes their own decision, we only suggest considering best models for different uses.

How to make a choice

The basic selection criteria are the same, no matter what type of printer you like best:

  1. Choose a brand that has been proven over the years of operation, which has long proven itself on the international market only on the positive side.
  2. Carefully read the manufacturer’s warranties, and also find your city in the list of service centers so as not to travel far away if the equipment fails during the warranty period.
  3. Find out the cost of spare parts and consumables so that it is not burdensome for your financial capabilities.
  4. Manufacturers indicate on the packaging the maximum number of prints per month, so it’s quite easy to navigate when purchasing, for example, if you need about 6 thousand pages per month, then purchase a device with a maximum of 7 thousand to create the necessary supply.
  5. Functionality. You should buy a device only with those functions that you will use regularly, so as not to overpay for unnecessary options.
  6. Service. There is no need to constantly spend money on refilling cartridges or purchasing them; buy models where you can change them yourself or install CISS right away.

No one can answer your question for sure which printer is better - laser or inkjet: it depends only on personal preferences and the characteristics of the product.

conclusions

If you want to choose an excellent printer, then first decide what you need it for printing: if only black and white options, then feel free to take the laser option, and for color photographs - only an inkjet unit with high print quality.

A printer is one of the most needed devices for modern users. These devices are produced in a wide range of technological types. What is the difference between a laser and an inkjet printer? In what cases might it be preferable to purchase a matrix device? What are the main criteria for comparing the efficiency of printers?

The differences are in technology

The key aspect of how a laser printer differs from an inkjet printer is that the first type of device uses two main elements of influence on the paper. This is a laser - a light beam high temperature, as well as toner - a powdery dye consisting of very small solid particles. In turn, inkjet printers use other basic elements: a dosing-type print head, as well as ink, which, unlike powdered toner, is usually liquid. Let us note that most IT specialists consider it not entirely correct to ask the question whether a laser or inkjet color printer is better. Both have advantages and disadvantages. They're just different.

And therefore, one of the key criteria that determines how a laser printer differs from an inkjet printer is adaptability to the tasks performed by the user. And therefore, in our article we will try not so much to determine the advantages and disadvantages of each type of device, but to find out how optimal one or the other is in terms of its intended purpose.

Technology Features

Let's take a closer look at how the printing process on devices different types carried out in a technological aspect. This will allow us to more clearly compare inkjet and laser printers, as well as understand for which tasks the first or second is optimal. So first, laser printing technology.

As we noted above, it uses a laser and toner. This powdery substance is applied to paper, then immediately heated by a light flux, as a result of which it changes color or shade.

The peculiarity of laser printing technology (if we talk about its household implementation and not industrial use) is that the range of dispersion of toner particles is quite high. As a result, when reproduced on paper digital images their quality is not the best. This is why laser printers are not very well suited for printing pictures and photographs. But they are ideal for printing texts, tables, and graphs.

An inkjet printer, as we said, uses ink. The principle of applying them to paper is generally similar to the process of painting a canvas with a brush. The image on an inkjet printer is built line by line.

There is no chemical effect on the ink - once it gets on the paper, it, like paint, simply has to dry. In many printers, this process is accelerated by heating mechanisms.

This technological aspect makes it possible to effectively use inkjet devices specifically for printing pictures and photographs. and the overall quality of images produced on paper is usually significantly higher than when using laser technology.

Ink color factor

Let's consider an aspect that may influence finding the answer to the question of which is better - a laser or inkjet printer in relation to the user's tasks. The fact is that the ink and toner used in devices can be color or black and white. But the printer itself can only support some of them. This can be a significant factor in what to buy - for example, a black and white laser printer or a color inkjet printer. And that's why.

Many IT specialists believe that the classification of printing devices into “laser” and “inkjet” is not detailed enough. The fact is that both printers can be legitimately divided, in turn, into a large number of subtypes. The basis for the corresponding additional classification will be Above, we determined how a laser printer differs from an inkjet printer in key points. Now let’s try to study what a more detailed classification of devices within one technological type could be.

Printer and cartridges

Let's first define what the main printing element of a printer is. It is with the help of the cartridge that the toner is sprayed or the ink is applied to the paper. This item almost always removable and replaceable.

In many cases, it is the cartridges that determine the color of the print, and not the printers themselves. But this is not always the case - we will see why later.

Black and white and color laser printers

There are black and white laser printers. As a rule, they can only accommodate a single type of cartridge. It is capable of pictures using black and white toner particles. Which, lining up in a certain sequence, can also form one of the shades gray- with the help of this feature, in particular, printers print photographs and pictures.

Note: most models of laser devices are for home use - in particular those that are in budget price segment, - refer specifically to those that support only black and white cartridges. They can print anyone and pictures, but on paper they will appear in corresponding colors or shades of gray.

There are laser printers that can work with color toner cartridges. But they are significantly more expensive than black and white ones. Technologically, printing in them is carried out in the same way - using luminous flux and toner. But in this case, the color of photographs and pictures on paper will correspond to the original tones that are present in digital format Images. In some cases, printers capable of working with color cartridges may be compatible with the corresponding black-and-white print elements. But such compatibility is quite rare.

We also note that color cartridges are technologically designed in such a way that they can also print in black and white. Therefore, if the printer supports them, then pictures can be printed on it in virtually any color. The only question is whether the user wants to overpay for a more universal type of device. And here everything again depends on the specifics of the tasks being solved. If you want to print mostly text, there is no need to overpay for a color laser printer.

We noted above that in some cases it is the cartridge that determines the color of the print. And therefore, it is not always correct to call the printer itself “color” or “black and white”. It is better to classify only the cartridge as the appropriate type. However, as we defined above, laser printers that only support black and white print elements are generally incompatible with color print elements. And therefore it is quite acceptable to call them black and white. The same is true for color printers.

Black and white and color cartridges in inkjet printers

Let's immediately note a feature - it is very rare to find inkjet printers that are compatible only with black and white or exclusively with color cartridges. As a rule, these devices support both types of printing elements. Moreover, as with laser printers, a color inkjet cartridge can print black and white text and images onto paper. What is the rationale for using separate color or black and white cartridges in inkjet printers? We again note the fact that it reflects the dependence of the feasibility of using a device of a particular type on the tasks performed by the user. If these include printing predominantly black and white text and pictures, you should buy the appropriate type of cartridge. The same pattern applies to the colored financial element.

Let us note, since we touched upon the corresponding aspect above in relation to laser devices, that using the phrase “black and white inkjet printer” or “color” is not entirely correct. Since almost everything modern devices of the type in question are compatible with both types of printing elements. In inkjet printers, it is correct to call only the cartridge “color” or “black and white”. But this rule is not always observed in informal conversations, even with the participation of IT specialists. The fact is that an inkjet printer is universal, and it is incorrect to call it “color” or “black and white”.

By studying the properties of inkjet and laser printers in relation to the types of cartridges used, we somehow touched on the economic criterion. We have determined that when printing primarily color texts and pictures, it is worth using the appropriate type of cartridge. And in the case of laser printers - buy compatible device and don’t overpay for the fact that it supports color printing. However, we studied only one side of the economic criterion. It will be useful to compare inkjet and laser printers in more detail.

Economic criterion

We noted above that laser printers are especially good for printing texts and chart tables. How well do inkjet printers cope with the same tasks? In principle, not bad. And in no way are they inferior to laser samples in this component. However, why is it highly discouraged by experts to use inkjet devices if the user’s main task is to print texts? The answer is simple - it is unprofitable. If we consider key benefits laser printer before an inkjet printer, then the very first in their rating will most likely be efficiency. Toner, regardless of the purpose of its use - printing texts, pictures, or anything else - carries a much greater resource than ink.

Another advantage of a laser device - and it is also of an economic nature - is the better compatibility of the cartridges installed in them with refilling procedures. This is the main printing element of the printer. It is the cartridge, as we said above, that sprays that same toner; it is the most technologically complex and expensive component of the device. Many printer manufacturers try to design these hardware components so that when they run out of toner, the owner of the device has to buy a new one. Although, from a technological point of view, the cartridges are designed in such a way that it is quite possible to add new printing substances to them instead of those that are running out.

There is a fairly consistent trend: printer manufacturers really don’t like making cartridges refillable. This is understandable - this approach is unprofitable for them. But there is another trend: even more manufacturers do not like to make refillable cartridges specifically for inkjet printers. If you try to pour new ink into the corresponding printing element, it will simply refuse to work. In this regard, manufacturers are much more loyal to laser devices. You can refill cartridges for most printers of the corresponding type.

Nuances of calculating benefits

Let's look at a simple example that will clearly show how a laser printer differs from an inkjet printer in the economic aspect.

The cost of a budget custom, but good quality inkjet printer model is now 5-6 thousand rubles (after the rise in price, due to the dollar exchange rate, it was previously 1.5-2 times cheaper).

Laser, as we have defined, there are two types - those that support only black and white cartridges, and those that are compatible with color ones. The first ones cost 7-8 thousand. The second ones are much more expensive, about 15-20 thousand.

Yes, of course, at the “initial investment” stage, the inkjet option looks preferable. But a lot depends on the pricing policy of a particular dealer, which is again tied to the ruble exchange rate. It may well be that at certain points in time, a dealer and representative of an inkjet and laser printer under a certain brand will consider it expedient to sharply increase or decrease the price of devices in catalogs.

The resource of a "factory" cartridge for an inkjet printer is approximately 25-30 standard size photographs, or 300-400 pages of text in small font. What are the indicators for laser cartridge? Many times higher. This is about 100-150 images and 1000-1200 pages of text. To this we add the fact that after an inkjet printer runs out of ink, the cartridge will most likely have to be replaced. It costs about 400-500 rubles. Thus, the cost of maintaining an inkjet printer can soon exceed the difference in the amount of the “initial investment”. By at least, in the cost comparison between inkjet and black and white laser.

Thus, if the question is which is better - an inkjet or a laser printer to buy in an economic aspect, most likely, the second option will be preferable. However, do not forget that the quality of pictures and photographs printed using devices of this type, much lower. And therefore, when comparing inkjet and laser printers in terms of price, you need to know what kind of tasks will be performed on the device. If you plan to print mainly texts, you can safely buy a laser device. If you are taking photographs, the inkjet option will most likely be more suitable. It is quite possible that it will be somewhat more profitable than a laser printer that supports color printing due to the high price of the latter.

Of course, there are examples of laser printers that, due to technological features, are capable of printing excellent image quality. However, they are not classified as custom. The technological properties of inkjet and laser printers used at home, as well as the principles of their operation, are extremely simple in comparison with those that are typical for the devices in question - aimed at professional digital studios and printing houses. They cost several times more than devices in the category we are considering. It is advisable to purchase them if subsequent commercial payback is expected. Which can only be achieved by turning photo printing into a separate business. The profitability of which, by the way, has not been the highest in recent years.

Dot matrix printers

Above we tried to answer the question of which - inkjet or laser - printer is better suited for solving certain problems. However, it will be useful to supplement our short study with information about another remarkable type of device. Once very popular, now considered obsolete. We are talking about dot matrix printers. What are they?

If you study the technological side, dot matrix printers are closer to inkjet printers than laser ones. They print by applying ink to paper. They do not use laser or toner. But the structure of their print head is completely different from that of inkjet printers: it arranges a picture or text on paper in the form of a matrix. While in inkjet devices, as we noted above, it is done line by line.

Despite the fact that matrix printers are technologically closer to inkjet printers, their scope of application is more compatible with the tasks typical for using laser devices. That is, they are better suited for printing texts, tables, graphs, but not so much for pictures and photographs. If we compare printers - laser, matrix, inkjet - in an economic aspect, then the second type of device will be less preferable in relation to modern market conditions.

The fact is that refilling a matrix cartridge is much more difficult - not all technical centers have the necessary equipment for this. But, it must be said, a printing element of the appropriate type has a significantly greater resource than its technological competitors - about 2 thousand pages of text. However, matrix devices are usually more expensive than laser devices used for similar tasks - budget model will cost 15-20 thousand rubles.

Therefore, the economic feasibility of purchasing a matrix device will be most obvious if almost all user tasks involve printing large volumes text. This type of printer purpose is more typical for office needs.

conclusions

So, we have determined how a laser printer differs from an inkjet printer. It's time to draw key conclusions regarding our small study. Let's try to summarize in what aspects a particular difference between a laser printer and an inkjet printer will become a clear factor influencing the user's choice. We will also correlate the available information with the features of matrix devices.

The main criterion for choosing a particular device will be the difference between a laser printer and an inkjet printer, as well as a matrix printer, in terms of its intended purpose.

If we print mainly texts, tables and graphs, then the ideal option for us is a laser printer that supports black and white cartridges. If you plan to print a significant percentage of color documents or pictures, then it is advisable to purchase a device compatible with the corresponding type of printing element.

If we print mainly photographs or pictures, then the best option for us is an inkjet printer. Depending on which color of the image predominates, we will buy the most suitable cartridges for the device - black and white or color.

If we print mainly only texts, then we can try to purchase matrix printer. Perhaps in economic terms this will be more profitable due to lower ink consumption. If you compare an inkjet and laser printer with this indicator, the difference can reach multiples. At the same time, matrix devices produce very mediocre results when printing pictures.

Thus, the main difference between a laser printer and an inkjet printer in terms of better compatibility with the tasks performed is its efficiency in printing pictures. It makes sense to compare the matrix one in terms of capabilities only with the first one. But he may well be competitive with him. When you compare the pure initial investment of a dot matrix, inkjet, and laser printer, the difference can be noticeable. But subsequent expenses can make the device that cost more more economically profitable. It also influences what pricing policy chose a store representative of inkjet and laser printers in relation to the exchange rate. The approaches of Russian retailers may differ in this regard.

Externally, these two types of printing devices are practically no different. The implementation of a specific model will depend on the manufacturer. The only thing that can be noted is the smaller size of inkjet models, which can be slightly larger than the width regular sheet A4 paper.

It's connected with design features and technology for obtaining the finished impression. The main difference between an inkjet and a laser printer lies precisely in the design of these devices, which determines the printing technology.

How does an inkjet printer differ from a laser printer in terms of printing technology?

What is an inkjet printer

To decide which printer is best for your home, you need to understand how each device works. Inkjet works according to the following scheme.

The functional unit of the device is represented by a number of working components:

  • mechanical control parts;
  • paper feed rollers;
  • clamping elements;
  • printhead;
  • place to place cartridges.

Built-in shafts carry out mechanical work, which consists of moving paper, and commands are generated by sensors.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION!

A large number of sensors ensures the functionality of the device. There are sensors responsible for calibrating equipment and fixing the tray that regulates the use of consumables.

The difference between an inkjet and a laser printer is that the former uses liquid ink to produce a print, while the image is formed by applying large quantity microscopic droplets of dye on paper. The dye is supplied through nozzles or microscopic holes located in the print head.

Modern inkjet printing works using three technologies that differ in the way they supply paint:


FOR YOUR INFORMATION!

Constant heating and cooling of the print head leads to its rapid failure. During the operation of the printer it is necessary to replace it. Piezoelectric technology does not have this disadvantage, but if the head fails, the price of a new one will be comparable to the cost of the entire printer.

What is a laser printer and how does it work?

If we compare laser and inkjet printing machines, one of the differences will be the greater complexity of the technological execution of the former. Structurally, we can distinguish several functional units available in all models of laser printers:

  • paper sheet pickup group;
  • equipment necessary for image formation;
  • drive mechanisms;
  • Heat curing.

When an Epson color laser printer or any monochrome model operates, electrified areas are created on the surface of the shaft or drum, to which, according to the laws of physics, the ink powder adheres. Next, a special gripping shaft pulls a sheet of paper along the surface of the drum, on which an impression is made. Most important part can be considered the presence of a thermal fixing function. Heating to a temperature of 200 degrees is necessary for the paint to bake onto the paper, ensuring the integrity of the picture.

Which is better - inkjet or laser printer: advantages and disadvantages

In any model of any product, no matter what it is, there are always pros and cons. Even with the most positive attitude towards the equipment, the buyer may not be satisfied with it.... price. Therefore, we will consider the main points that may influence the choice of one type of printer or another.

Laser printer for office and home – pros and cons

To understand which laser printer is best to buy for your home or office, you need to clearly understand what advantages and disadvantages the models on the market have.

pros Minuses
High printing speed. Emission of ozone during printing, a substance belonging to hazard class 1.
Brightness of colors. When printing in color, halftone distortion is observed.
Resistance of prints to external influences. Increased energy intensity.
High resolution of finished prints. Application serial number devices for color printing to prevent counterfeiting of money or securities.
High cost of the device itself.

Inkjet or laser printer for home: advantages and disadvantages of inkjet printing

FOR YOUR INFORMATION!

If we talk about the last point, then when using an inkjet printer there is a possibility of ink filling, but not a single company that services office equipment provides a guarantee in this case. Therefore, the user can only buy new set cartridges.

Laser or inkjet MFP for home: print quality

One more important indicator is the quality of the resulting print. Modern models Inkjet printers, which are “sharpened” for printing photographs, are capable of producing images with a resolution of up to 9600×2400 dpi, which ensures the most complete detail of the picture.

Due to the complexity of mixing powdered toner, a laser printer cannot process photographic images with similar quality, but its strong point is text printing. High precision allows you to make legible even the smallest point, which would simply smear when printed on an inkjet machine. Also, the advantages of laser printing include the clarity of the resulting print and its resistance to impact. external factors, such as sunlight and moisture.

Performance

In this indicator, the palm belongs to laser devices, for which there is absolutely no difference whether text or a picture is printed, the speed of obtaining a print is maintained.

In inkjet machines, a different shade is selected for each individual pixel, which affects the reduction in printing speed for the sake of better quality of the finished image, when it comes to photographs. IN absolute values average speed Printing speed of a modern laser printer is 20-30 pages per minute. For an inkjet machine this figure ranges from 3 to 8 pages.

Environmental Safety

Almost no one pays attention to this factor, but in vain. It has been proven that when a laser printer operates, ozone is released into the air. This substance belongs to hazard group 1, which means low level MPC. In its properties, ozone is more poisonous than carbon monoxide. An additional irritant is considered to be powder, the smallest particles of which enter the human respiratory system. Inkjet technology devoid of such shortcomings. All coloring compositions are harmless to humans.

Which is better: LED or laser printer

One of the new products in the printing device market can be considered LED printers, which are similar to their laser counterparts. According to the principle of operation, the difference between these devices is that not a laser beam is used to apply powder to the shaft, but an LED line, equal in width to the drum.

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The higher the number of LEDs, the number of which can be from 2.5 to 10 thousand, located on the bar, the higher the print density and quality of the final print. But this, in turn, affects the cost of the device.

LED or laser printing – which is better?

Experts admit that the quality of the print obtained when using a diode system is higher. This is due to the fact that in a laser printer, in order for the beam to reach the surface of the photodrum, it must travel a different path, leading to differences in the distance between adjacent points. Additionally, due to the different angle of incidence of the beam, an oval rather than a perfectly round marker is formed.

The LED system is free from such disadvantages due to the presence of a ruler on which the distance between the LEDs is the same, and the beam does not refract, which allows you to get a perfectly round point. This ensures that accuracy is maintained in the center of the sheet and its edges.

Which printer performs better: laser or LED?

This indicator also benefits the LED printer, whose operating speed is practically unlimited due to the use of a diode line, where all light sources flash simultaneously. With a laser printer, as the physical resolution increases, a linear distortion of the print line is observed, which gradually loses its horizontal orientation. When increasing the printing speed and saving high resolution Laser printer requires installation additional mechanisms, which leads to an increase in the cost of the device.

Which printer to choose: laser, inkjet, LED or even dot matrix is ​​a subjective matter for everyone. The most important thing is to objectively assess the scope of application of technology in the future. Based on this, you can choose a specific type printing device. You can once again see the differences between laser and inkjet devices from the presented video.

Each of us can use a printer in life, since we all participate in the processes of providing various papers, study, and simply printed documents are convenient to study and understand. Some people need a printer for professional activity, and some are generally students, and the printer is a real salvation. But now the question arises: which printer should you choose for yourself: laser or inkjet? It will not be possible to answer it right away, since it is necessary to approach this issue with understanding and analysis.

What is the difference between a laser printer and an inkjet printer?

And in order to begin to really assess the whole situation, it is necessary to understand exactly how they differ. I would like to immediately note that at first glance, an inkjet printer seems quite economical, and a laser printer does not have the proper quality, but all this information is erroneous, since in reality everything turns out completely differently. We will classify this equipment according to several criteria, ranging from cost to quality and ease of use. For each criterion, we will find out what is better, more interesting and more practical.

Cost Cost

First, it’s worth looking at the most sensitive issue, which concerns the cost of expenses. In fact, it turns out that an inkjet printer is not so economical, since after printing several dozen, and maybe even hundreds of papers, the printer begins to report that the ink is running out and it is necessary to urgently change the cartridge. Yes, exactly change it, since you cannot refill elements for an inkjet printer, you have to immediately buy a new one, but it costs almost the same as the printer itself. So it’s worth calculating how much money you have to spend. However, there is a system called CISS (system continuous feed ink), allowing you to reduce the cost of one print, but inkjet printers are still more expensive in terms of cost of ownership.


As for a laser printer, it is capable of printing several hundred papers and at the same time has the ability to refill, so in this regard it is much better than its inkjet counterpart. It is also worth considering: some manufacturers make chip cartridges for their printers, with which the possibility of refilling is excluded.

Print quality

Color laser or inkjet printer? Making a choice in this classification is not so difficult, since an inkjet printer is significantly superior to a laser printer in terms of quality, especially when it comes to photography. A laser printer is capable of printing high-resolution photographs and images, but they are not as high quality, but an inkjet printer can boast of high print quality, especially if you use special photo paper. After printing, the inkjet printer produces clear shadows, contours and correct contrast, which will undoubtedly please any user who deals with photographs.

Negative and positive sides

Now it’s worth noting that although an inkjet printer prints with high quality, its images fade and lose their brightness over time, of course, if you print on plain paper. Besides, this seal may be subject to various negative phenomena such as blur, moisture, etc. But a laser printer lacks this negative side, but at the same time it operates noisily and emits harmful ozone. If you look at the statistics, laser printers often break down and sometimes require intervention because the paper simply gets stuck.

Practical use

Laser or inkjet printer at home? In favor of whom should you make your choice? It’s quite easy to determine this, since first you should answer for yourself, why do you need this printer? What type of work are you planning to organize? If you want to do photography and need high quality, then you should pay attention to an inkjet printer. And if you are a student or schoolboy and you just need to print various reports, coursework and other documents, then best choice there will still be a laser printer. It is for this reason that you need to understand that an inkjet printer is intended for professional use, but a laser printer is perfect for everyday printing. Let us immediately remind you that an inkjet printer has a special printing mechanism that does not allow the ink to remain in the cartridge for a long time, so it can simply dry out, and this requires constant re-running test print. But a laser printer does not have such a negative point. But an inkjet printer is convenient because its cartridge contains colored ink, and you can special problems print the most different formats documents. But in the laser version you need to make a choice whether you need a black and white cartridge or a color one.

So, now we have disassembled these two types of equipment, and the output pecks on its own. Although the inkjet printer is of fairly high quality, silent and convenient to use, it is still suitable exclusively for a narrow circle of people who are professionally involved in photography and other options practical application quality. In addition, it is worth considering that if you often work with documentation that requires color printing, then the inkjet option will also be useful to you, since in this case clarity and quality are also important. If this side of your professional activity does not concern you, then feel free to choose a laser printer. Yes, it is noisy and emits harmful ozone, which creates an unfavorable indoor environment, but this is just the only negative point. Considering the efficiency, practicality, high speed stamps and others positive points, these negative echoes immediately disappear. So if you are actively typing various documents for your studies, write coursework and in the future you will need to do a diploma, then a laser printer will allow you to save on this.


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