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How to understand an inkjet or laser printer. What is the difference between an inkjet and a laser printer

Home computer Without a printing device today it looks flawed and limited, so the debate about printers among users is constantly supported by new questions, thoughts and answers. In general, the price of even laser color printers has dropped significantly today, and you can buy them not only for office purposes. And somewhere in the distance you can already see 3D printers...



A wide choice is a big headache when you want more of everything and cheaper. In particular, what is better - a laser or inkjet printer, MFP or separate units in the form of a printer, scanner, copier, etc.? Let's try to look at the pros and cons of each approach. For example, what’s good about an MFP: many of its components are combined in a single device, which can greatly reduce the price. Usually the kit includes a monochrome laser printer, copier, and scanner. The device takes up little space on the surface, which is a plus. High integration of components plays a negative role when one of the components breaks down: in this case, all other functions stop working. Many of them, by the way, are quite controversial. For example, is a copier really necessary in the device, since it can be replaced by a printer and scanner? Although it will take more time, this copying operation is much less common than you might think. Perhaps the best solution is to purchase a simple printer and a separate scanner, and in total costs they will not greatly cover the cost of an MFP.

The main question: do you need an inkjet or laser printer for your home? It must be said right away that the time for mass purchases of color laser printers has not come: their prices are too high for most customers. Thus, you have to choose between full-color and mohochrome printing. If you have ever worked with old HP laser printers, you can confirm that this is a “timeless option”. The old ones include laser printers of the LaserJet 5, 6, 1100, 1200 series and the like. It’s almost impossible to find them in stores, but you can buy them from advertisements, and it will be cheap and practical.

The secret is that they used high-volume toner containers, and no chips with limits were installed to replace the photodrum. Units for such printers have been officially sold for 25 years, and printers can be repaired anywhere. Moreover, consumables can be taken from Canon, as well as “Chinese” ones - there are no special complaints about powder paint. A refill costing 100 rubles guarantees printing up to 3-5 thousand sheets with the traditional 5% coverage. More modern models such as the hp laserjet p2035 have higher print speeds, up to 30 pages per minute with a resolution of 1200 dpi in A4 and user-defined formats. Also the ability to print on thin, thick and rough paper, envelopes, labels, film and thick media, including toner saving mode. The user will receive an excellent printing machine that can be used for years without fear that something will dry out in it, as with inkjet printers. The latter are cheaper, but you need to print on them at least once a week, otherwise a dried out cartridge will not allow you to print at all, and complete replacement The kit will cost 50-70% of the cost of an inkjet printer. This alone suggests that monochrome laser printers will always be popular.

Despite the fact that with the advent of laser printing technologies, inkjet printers were squeezed out of the market, today, the question of which printer is more profitable is again on the agenda. This is because, thanks to the use of new technologies, inkjet printers have become more productive, and this has somewhat changed the balance of power. Now, before we talk unequivocally about which printer is better, laser or inkjet, it is necessary to dwell in more detail on the characteristics of modern models, and clearly highlight the pros and cons of both options.

The operating principle of laser printers and their general characteristics

The printing principle is based on the laser scanning process. After the image is scanned, the toner is applied and transferred, final stage– consolidation. This approach allows you to quickly print images on plain paper. The overall functionality of the printer directly depends on its configuration: memory, number of trays, etc.

For home and personal use, an entry-level monochrome printer (black and white printing) is usually purchased; its power is quite enough to satisfy the needs ordinary person or student. It is designed for printing documents or black and white diagrams. Let's consider the main characteristics and features of such a device:

  • The cost of monochrome laser printers is low, and all thanks to the fact that they do not need large quantities memory or software resources. To carry out its immediate task, the device only needs a controller.
  • Maximum speed Printing speed from such printers is about 12-16 pages per minute (provided that the document being printed is simple in structure, that is, it consists mainly of text). The time to completely print the first page varies from 10 to 15 seconds.
  • Modern models, for the most part, are equipped with an integrated toner cartridge, which, in addition to its own capacity, is supplemented with a hopper for collecting used toner and special module photo drum. But let us remind you that almost all cartridges, both old and new, have special chips installed, the essence of which is to prevent the cartridge from being refilled and reused, and to monitor toner consumption. Typically, the resource of cartridges on disassembled printers is 2-3 thousand pages at 5% coverage.
  • Economical printing - this mode is available in almost all laser printers; it allows, with minimal loss of print quality, to reduce toner consumption by up to 40%.

We looked at the characteristics of the most popular for personal use: a black and white laser printer, without additional functions, print only. Of course, there are more professional models that can print faster, with better quality and in larger volumes, as well as color printing, but their high price makes them more of a target for large offices or people who need to print several thousand pages a day.

The principle of operation of inkjet printers, their types and general characteristics

Let's move on to consider a string printer, where printing is carried out using a matrix, and the image is formed from dots. The main drawback of inkjet printing was the high consumption of ink, that is, the user of the device had to periodically shell out a round sum for the purchase of consumables, but this problem was partially solved by the use of CISS. This system(continuous ink supply) is used in most modern models.

When talking about the functionality of inkjet printers, you need to understand that there are several types of devices.

  1. Entry level inkjet printer. The price for such a device ranges from 1,500 to 2,000 rubles. Component features: 2 integrated cartridges, one color and the other black and white. Their main advantages are low price, but their performance, ink consumption and print quality are below average.
  2. Middle class, will cost the buyer a little more, but performance characteristics, and the functionality of such devices is an order of magnitude higher. Most of the printers in this category are four-color (but there may be exceptions); some models provide the ability to install cartridges.
  3. Inkjet business printer, most of them are four-color devices, main feature which is to withstand high daily loads. Also, this type of printer can be used in conjunction with both regular paper and higher quality paper.
  4. Photo Printers – These printers are designed specifically for printing photos. It is the ability to work with digital photographs that makes this type of printer the most promising for further optimization. Experts say that photo printers are the future of printing. The price of such devices is quite high, but the six-color system, thanks to which excellent color rendition and a set of additional functions are achieved, justifies it.

As you can see, choosing an inkjet printer according to your target tasks is easy. But remember, the main burden on your wallet falls not at the time of purchasing a slim printer, but at the time of purchasing consumables for it: ink, cartridges, etc. So, before you chase the cheapest, find out about the consumption of this model, and predict the profitability of such an acquisition.

http://youtu.be/kxS1OJPx4SY

We highlight the pros and cons

Having understood the main characteristics of modern models of both laser and color printers, we came to the need to briefly collect all the pros and cons inherent in each type.

Advantages and disadvantages of a laser printer (black and white printing):

Advantages : good printing speed, low price for consumables, ability to withstand heavy loads, perfect for large volume printing.

Flaws : Not suitable for photo printing, and complex circuits, Not high quality print

Color laser printer:

Advantages: Ability to print images, color diagrams and good print speed.

Flaws: relatively low quality of color images (not suitable for printing photographs), fairly high price, availability components characterized by high energy consumption, bulkiness, low profitability (material consumption).

For the sake of truth, it should be noted that some modern models of the latest generation somewhat improve the situation with the quality of color printing, but their price is very high.

Inkjet printer

Advantages: affordable price, and this also applies to modern models. That is, if we compare the prices of modern high-end laser printers with the price of corresponding inkjet devices, the latter will be much cheaper. Good speed printing (a number of business-oriented devices are not inferior to laser printers in this indicator, although in the budget segment, laser printing is still the leader). High print quality, and if this indicator is especially important to you and you print large volumes every day, experts recommend choosing pigment-based printer models.

Flaws: the need to frequently replace cartridges, which affects the cost of each print, and if the device is idle for a long time, the ink dries out, making it impossible to use it later. The tray is small in size, the standard is from 50 to 150 pages, but this drawback can be mitigated by replacing the tray with a larger one. Most models provide such an upgrade.

It is necessary to clarify that the printing speed of inkjet printers is directly affected by the settings of each specific device. That is, by rummaging through the settings you can either speed up the printer or slow it down. So, for example, printing during installation using plain paper is somewhat faster.

As you can see, everything is not clear. Each type of printer has its own advantages and disadvantages. Answering the question: which is better? The most competent recommendation would be to decide on the scope of application. Exactly how exactly you are going to use the device and determine which type of printer is best for you.

Areas of application, where is it most appropriate?

In this matter, everything is not clear, and it cannot be said that the same laser printer is not capable of high-quality color reproduction - it all depends on the characteristics of a particular model. But for comparison, in the process of studying this issue we will take average values, and take into account not advanced, but average models, which are the most popular on the market. modern market.

An inkjet machine is best for you if you:

  • Seal digital photos. Such printers provide more accurate color reproduction and natural, smooth transitions between shades, making the output image quality very high. Plus, there are so-called “photo inks” that are created specifically for printing photographs.
  • Printing on a variety of media (envelopes, postcards, CDs, shirts). Only these devices are capable of reproducing images on similar, specific media with the highest possible quality. Plus, most Inkjet printers can also work with wide formats.
  • Convenience comes first - these printers are compact, usually lightweight and less demanding to maintain. It is because of this that they are considered a more profitable option for those who do not have time for operational maintenance.

A laser printer should be chosen by those for whom the main thing is:

  • Ability to print large volumes of text every day. Laser printers do an excellent job of printing a lot of text and simple graphics (simple diagrams, etc.). And the economy mode will allow you to significantly save on the cost of each print.
  • Mostly, you need to print on plain paper. That is, your plans do not include using non-standard materials with an unusual structure as paper, but only smooth, heat-resistant ordinary office paper.
  • Do you need fast printing– the vast majority of laser printers are significantly faster than inkjet printers. Of course, if you compare models of the same price range.
  • Large volumes of work. Such devices are workhorses; they are ready to work every day and print several hundred sheets. Plus, the process is somewhat simplified by the function of double-sided printing, which greatly simplifies life.

http://youtu.be/UJPmnIuzm14

As you can see, the scope of application of these printers is different. There is a trend in the market that inkjet printer manufacturers are trying to displace large laser printers from offices. And a huge step has been taken in this direction; modern inkjet printers have become faster, more economical and more functional, but for now, their main area is photo printing. Whereas in offices laser devices dominate.

Which is better to choose, laser or inkjet MFP?

I would like to ask more experienced people what is better to choose, a laser or inkjet MFP for home use? It is clear that the inkjet version is more interesting due to the price. However, as I understand it, there are pitfalls in the form of maintenance costs (read: cartridges). Explain to me what is better to buy for home use? For now I'm leaning towards an inkjet MFP.


Alek55sandr5 | 30 November 2015, 18:05
For home use, an inkjet printer is definitely better. Since an inkjet printer is several times cheaper. And the cost of a laser printer can be justified when you need to print a lot. For example, if you are buying a printer for the office. And for the home it’s definitely inkjet. Now about the cartridges. It is better to immediately buy inkjet printers with refillable cartridges. Since if initially there were disposable ones, you will have to buy new ones. You can also connect a continuous ink supply system (CISS) to some printers.

Pavel | 6 March 2015, 20:52
Depends on the range of tasks that your MFP will face. The main difference between what you choose is the printing method. Let's figure out who can do what.

Laser MFP – prints with powder. Can be designed for color and black and white printing. Prints text perfectly. Has high printing speed. The cartridges are quite large and with one refill you can print many sheets of text or booklets with graphics (especially color ones).

The cost of a print is average and low for b/w devices and medium and high for color devices. However, it is absolutely not suitable for printing photographs. The maximum that can be printed is graphs, diagrams, etc. Smooth transitions between colors, which is important for photography, are not available to him with very rare exceptions (expensive printer models, not MFPs).

Another cool plus of laser MFPs is that their cartridges do not “dry out”. That is, you can print irregularly. I printed 500 sheets, and then didn’t print for six months. At the same time, the cartridge was shaken and everything worked again.

Inkjet MFP – prints with ink and pigment, or in short with liquid. They are all designed for color printing. It’s really possible to get a normal photo with them. Not all of them... there are models that have color rendering like a blind eye. However, on average, the photos they produce are a couple of orders of magnitude better than those from laser MFPs.

The initial investment is very low. Compared to laser MFPs, inkjet counterparts cost half as much. However, the prices for cartridges can be unpleasantly surprising. It depends on the model and manufacturer. There may be inexpensive cartridges, but their volume, as a rule, allows you to print half the number of sheets of text compared to laser MFPs.

The printing speed is average and low - up to the speed of “laser printers” it’s like walking to China. Cartridges tend to dry out from lack of use. Such an MFP needs to be activated at least once every couple of weeks by printing or cleaning the heads, otherwise it will dry out. It’s good if only the cartridge, or even together with the print head, which will introduce you to costs comparable to purchasing a new MFP.

The cost of a print, relative to a laser MFP, is several times higher. Comparable to the price per print from a color laser printer, but in a large percentage of cases even higher.

The quality of text printing depends very much on the model. And the quality of prints in general (text and pictures) depends on the paper and ink. Do you use non-branded consumables? Nobody guarantees you any acceptable quality.

Actually, based on the above, you should choose. If you type text a lot or irregularly, use a laser printer. If you need it for photos and once a week for reports to your child, then probably a jet.

The printer has become an attribute of almost every apartment and office; we can no longer do without printing. Before we start choosing, let’s first look at what types of printers there are. The whole variety of printers is divided according to the principle of operation and purpose, among which basic:

  • Matrix.
  • Jet.
  • Laser.
  • Thermal sublimation.

Matrix

The simple principle of printing, invented in the early 70s of the XX century, is still used in some offices and enterprises. However, it is completely unsuitable for home use due to low print quality, increased noise and slow operation.

Jet

Quite common, print quality varies based on specifications. To print, these printers use cartridges filled with ink with print heads.

Laser

They are used everywhere, both at home and in enterprises and institutions. Most of the devices used are black and white. The image is transferred to the paper by the printing “roller” - the drum, charging its individual sections and attracting small particles of coloring powder - toner.

Sublimation

More often used in printing than for office printing. They are an alternative to inkjet printers, but with a higher print quality and color rendering level, but they are almost never used for home use, since their prices are very high. Only suitable for those who are seriously interested in photographs.

MFP

Multifunction devices (“harvesters”) combine a printer, scanner and copier at the same time. Very convenient, they can be inkjet and laser, but not always reasonable in price. Sometimes it is more profitable to buy these devices separately.

There are also highly specialized printers, for example, for specific production purposes. But here they will not interest us.

Selecting a printer

Now the question has become which model to choose, the technology and the number on the price tag. It all depends on your pocket, of course most optimal from the point of view of convenience we will MFP, however, it should be taken into account that if it fails, there is a chance of losing three devices at once: a scanner, a copier and a printer.

Let's take a closer look at the options with inkjet and laser printers. What is better for home, for family?

Laser and inkjet printer for home - which is better?

TO advantages of jets One can certainly attribute their relative compactness and low cost. For laptop owners, this option is probably preferable.

Print quality– high, but the speed is several times lower than that of laser printers. If your printing needs are small - a few sheets per day - then it is better to choose this option.

Cartridges constitute the main cost of such devices, so if they fail (color or black), replacing them will be very expensive.

TO advantages of laser can be attributed to the speed of printing, almost silent operation, good quality, relatively low cost of prints. But the Achilles heel of these printers is their size, price and weight. And during operation, the unit exhales ozone, which is also not very pleasant.

If suddenly one of these printers breaks down, then it’s much easier and cheaper to maintain It will be laser.

Cartridge life

After comparing cartridge resources, it is obvious that laser(several thousand sheets compared to several hundred inkjet sheets) in this regard win. However, there is a drawback - laser lasers will most likely have to be refilled in specialized service centers, since it will be at home unsafe(dust from toner has a harmful effect on the body), hence the additional costs for maintenance.

Struyniki You can also refill it at home using an ordinary medical syringe.

CISS for inkjet printer

The disadvantage associated with the resource of an inkjet cartridge can be leveled by using a continuous ink supply system (CISS).

Ink is supplied through these tubes automatically And continuously. This system improves print quality and saves costs. The only concern is to add ink sometimes and that’s it.

Pay attention to the connection interface

You can find devices connected to the computer via the port USB, network ( LAN), By wi-fi channel and other options or all this in combination. Previously used LPT port, but on at the moment it is hopelessly outdated. Among laser and inkjet printers, you can easily select those that have the interfaces you prefer. The wireless connection method significantly increases the price of the device.

Paper weight

A laser printer can print on almost any paper, without losing print quality, which cannot be said about inkjet. Typically, the thicker the paper, the thicker the sheet.

Both devices are generally capable of printing on matte, glossy, and office paper, but laser devices can handle this much better at different media densities. But there are exceptions; expensive inkjet models have a lot to offer.

Types of Inkjet Printer Ink

Distinguish water-soluble and ink on pigment basis.

The first ones are different low cost, color rendering high, but highly susceptible to exposure sun rays and ultraviolet. They will require special photo paper. Pigment ones are based on a solid dye - pigment, waterproof, provide saturation And durability.

Possibility of printing on CD and DVD discs

For printing on discs at home, preference should be given to inkjet printers, the cost of such printing will be incomparably lower. Also for such purposes, you can use souvenir printers that can print on small-sized parts.

Photo printer

It all depends on the number of photos you print; if it’s a couple of dozen, then it’s better to use jet. As for quality, this model has no competition sublimation type. If you print photographs in large volumes, it makes sense to use photo printer. Photo paper for laser printers is more expensive than for inkjet models. Therefore, we recommend using the latter for these purposes at home.

Other characteristics

Other characteristics to pay attention to: color rendering, droplet size, resolution.

Color rendition– number of colors modern inkjet printers can use from 4 colors and more. 4 colors are already enough to create a full-color photograph, but most likely, if you increase the size, it will look grainy. To improve quality (if this is for you top priority) you should choose a printer with a large number of colors.

Drop size- here stick to the principle - the spool is small, but expensive. Although, of course, start from the tasks that you will set for your printer. You just have to remember that the smaller the size drops of print heads, those the quality will be higher. However, if you decrease the drop, you will lose speed print. You will also have to use higher quality, expensive ink.

Permission(dpi) is an objective characteristic that determines how clear the printed image will be. The more, the better.

Having your own printer at home is very convenient. Those who decide to buy this useful device have a question: which printer is better? In order not to make a mistake in your choice, you first need to answer a number of questions:

  • What type of printing is expected to be done, text or photographs?
  • What format of printed sheets will be needed: landscape A4, small 10 by 15 cm or will be required different sizes fingerprints.
  • Will the additional features of the device be useful, such as the ability to scan, connect wirelessly, print and edit images without using a computer, and other functions that may be useful to someone?
  • What price will suit you?

Inkjet printing - excellent photo quality

If you plan to print color photos, then inkjet printers will provide the optimal balance between price and quality. Inkjet printers traditionally characterized high resolution and high-quality color rendition of prints. If the user wants to use the device only for making photographs, then you can consider compact models that produce photo prints in the most common format of 10 by 15 cm. These devices support printing from flash cards and directly from cameras without connecting to a computer. But most devices are universal in terms of size printed sheets and allow you to work with A4 and smaller formats. For most users using a printer at home, this is the most convenient option.

A stack of sheets with text in a few seconds

The operating principle of a laser printer is completely different and allows you to achieve extraordinary high speed obtaining fingerprints. Therefore, for those who often have to print large amounts of text or graphics, this option will be very convenient. Sheets with text and drawings or diagrams are of high quality and are obtained almost instantly. But it is worth considering that the quality of color photo printing is somewhat worse than with inkjet technology.

Question of price

Price is also one of the important parameters that the buyer pays attention to. Inkjet printers are much cheaper, but their operation costs the consumer more than laser printers. Cartridges that cannot hold too much ink run out quickly. They have to be replaced quite often, and original cartridges are not cheap. As a solution, many companies offer uninterrupted ink supply devices, which reduces the cost of the printing process. In addition, inkjet printers have one more feature: if left idle for a long time without use, the print heads dry out, and then the printer may fail. To prevent this from happening, you need to regularly print at least something on them.



This problem is unfamiliar to laser devices. They can stand idle for years without harming themselves. And cartridges are replaced much less frequently, for many no more than once a year. But, for example, a color laser printer will be very large and expensive. It's up to you to choose.

Thus, having a clear idea of ​​what a printer is needed for and assessing your financial capabilities, you can safely go to the store to make a purchase.