Inkjet vs Laser

Inkjet printer

• Inkjet printer is a type of computer printing which print the digital image by spraying ink onto paper.
• In this mechanism the print head has several tiny nozzles, also called jets.
• As the paper moves past the print head the tinny nozzles spray ink onto it.
• The ink is absorbed to the paper and dries instantly.

Types

1. Basic document printer
2. Photo printer
3. Copier/Scanner/Printer (All-in-one)

Basic document printer

• If you need a printer to just print basic documents, with or without color than this printer is better choice.
• It used to print word document, excel spreadsheet, web page, or an e-mail message.

Photo printer

• If you are interested in printing photos up to 8 x 10 in size and needs the photos to be high quality, the photo printer is the best option.
• It can also print high resolution photos.

All-in-one printer

• If you need the ability to make copies of documents and scan documents or photos into a computer, as well as print documents, the all-in-one printer is the best choice.
• Some all-in-one printers may also even have fax capabilities.

Advantages of Inkjet printers

• Great for photos and image-heavy documents.
• Inkjet printers do a better job of blending smooth colors than laser printers.
• Inkjets can print onto many types of paper, including glossy photo paper, textured stationery and even some fabrics.
• Inkjet printers tend to be smaller, lighter and easier to maintain than laser printers.
• Inkjet cartridges can be refilled and reused, cutting down on waste and saving money.
• Low cost than laser printers.
• Easy to replace the cartridges.

Disadvantages of Inkjet printers

• Slower printing of large documents.
• Inkjet ink is water-based, so prints are susceptible to water damage and fading.
• Ink cartridges need frequent cleaning.
• Inkjet printers have a higher cost per page when it comes to printing, due to their rather inefficient usage of ink.

Laser printer

• A laser printer works like a photocopy machine.
• Laser printers produce images on paper by directing a laser beam at a mirror which bounces the beam onto a drum.
• The drum has a special coating on it which is called toner (an ink powder) sticks.
• Laser printers use buffers that store an entire page at a time, when a whole page is loaded, it will be printed.
• These printers can print eight pages per minute, but faster and print approximately 21,000 lines per minute, or 437 pages per minute if each page contains 48 lines.

Types

1. Basic document printer
2. Copier/Scanner/Printer (All-in-one)

Basic document printer

• If you only need to print documents, like a Word document, Excel spreadsheet, or a web page, the basic laser printer is a good option.
• It prints only black and white.
• Even there is color laser printer also but it has higher price.

All-in-one

• If you are looking to be able to make copies of documents, scan a document to a computer, and print documents, the all-in-one laser printer is a good choice.

Advantages of laser printers

• Laser printers can print faster than inkjet printers.
• Laser printers are better prepared to handle high-volume print jobs.
• Excellent print quality.
• More efficient use of toner.

Disadvantages of laser printers

• Laser printers can't handle a variety of paper or printing materials like inkjets.
• Higher toner cartridge cost.
• Larger physical size.
• High cost for color.
• Can be noisy.

My notes