If you run a company like us, you are bound to wonder about the usual printer question. Between Laser vs Inkjet printers, which should you go for? After all, the difference between both are usually not well described by the sales representative that attends to us in the shopping mall.
Before we continue, it is crucial to know if you why you need that printer for. You see, depending on your needs, either one of the printers might do the job. Or perhaps buying both laser and inkjet printer would be good as well, as both might be relevant for your needs.
Laser vs InkJet Printers : If I just want to print Black and White documents
If you’re considering just to print black and white documents, the laser printer might be the one you need. Prices has dropped so much that printing black and white documents on a laser printer might be as much or even cheaper than inkjet printers. Plus, if you need to print a lot on a regular basis, cost per page can go as low as a few sen compared to inkjet which would be more than 10 sen.
Laser vs Inkjet Printers : If I want colour documents or photographs
For colour documents or photographs, we usually recommend our friends to go for Inkjet. Why? Because it is much cheaper than laser printers. However, if you prefer photographs or colour documents that won’t be easily affected by water, then going for a laser printer or perhaps finding shops that print one-off for you with that Photo Paper would help. We know of a few in Klang Valley who specialise in laser printing in large colour prints. Perhaps you would be keen to contact them?
However, if you need high quality colour prints on a regular basis, then perhaps investing in a top of the line colour laser printer would be good long-term.
Disclaimer : Recent trends has seen inkjet printers making headway on laser printers with regards to smearing when it comes to water. As stated by PcPro.uk1 below
What’s more, many office inkjets, including those in the Officejet Pro X series, already use pigment-based black inks rather than dye-based inks. These work better and dry faster on plain paper, and aren’t as prone to colour fading, or to smearing when put in touch with water. Spill water or use a highlighter pen on a print using dye-based ink and you’ll mar the text as you mark or wipe the paper. Do so on a print made using pigment-based ink and you’ll have no such problem. Buying inkjet no longer means making compromises. If you’re looking for a printer that can handle general office use, either an inkjet or a laser will do an effective job.
Laser vs Inkjet Printers : I need to print documents fast
Again, as stated by our disclaimer above, inkjet printers have been making strides on print technology. Even for printing speeds, Â HP’s Officejet Pro series is able to perform admirably. Nevertheless, when looking for a fast printer, be sure to look at ppm (pages per minute). However, always factor in the cost of the toner or replacement cartridges before proceeding with your purchase.
On our end, there was once we bought a certain brand of laser printers cheaply at PC Fair, only to find that cost per page (cpm) was much more expensive than we bargained for. Plus, as we print a large number of documents per day for our other business, we found that we needed to change to some other brand which provided a lower cpm, though a higher cost upfront.
Laser vs Inkjet Printers : Conclusion
Is there a clear winner when it comes to choosing between laser vs inkjet printers? Not really. Rather than looking at weaknesses on both sides, we come to a conclusion that depending on your need either one or even both type of printers would suit you. Why be limited by a certain type only?