Print media is popular because of its usefulness in our everyday life. It can be used personally at home or commercially in our business place.
The invention of pocket-friendly computers, i.e., smartphones and tablet devices, may have been touted to be the thing that would make printing and papers obsolete. Still, the continual use of print media today proves otherwise.
So, which printer should you get? The short answer is ‘the one that suits your needs.’ Your possible need for a printer should guide your choice when you go to the electronics store to get one.
There are different types of printers, and therefore they are useful for different cases. It would be helpful if you let this article guide you in your choice.
When buying a printer, there are various factors you should consider. If you are worried about printing costs, there is a printer you should avoid. If you would like your print to be highly-detailed like a picture, for example, one printer is terrible at that, and another is great.
These are essential trade-offs you need to consider so that you won’t have to rush to the electronic store quizzing the staff on the store’s return policy.
Two of the most commonly used printers are discussed in this article. They are compared to each other in terms of efficiency, cost, functionality, etc., to give you a stick in the figurative shadows of print media.
Discussing devices like these usually gets technical, but you won’t have to worry about that as both are broken down as thoroughly as possible.
Inkjet Printers
An inkjet printer is a type of computer printing device whose name describes its core functionality using ink as its printing medium. An inkjet printer uses ink to replicate what you have on your computer screen onto the paper you slot into it.
This is an essential piece of information to walk away with because laserjet printers use something different to inks. Picture yourself writing a text on paper with a pen, and you’ve successfully understood how inkjets work.
Inkjet printers work by spraying ink in microscopic droplets onto the print surface, which is usually paper. Inkjets are great for home and professional use. Inkjets are of two types. These two types are based on the different ink delivery methods, i.e., the various ways inks are applied onto the print surface.
One way is known as ‘continuous injection.’ Under this method, print ink is continuously sprayed onto the paper till the image or text is done printing.
This method is faster than its counterpart. Because the ink keeps flowing at a consistent rate, you never have to worry about the print nozzle that the ink comes out of getting clogged.
The other way inkjet printers work is by drop-on-demand, which refers to how the ink trickles down onto the paper surface on demand. It is slower in printing when compared to the continuous injection method.
Still, when you run out of ink, this is the kind of printer you want to have because it costs less to change its ink bank to the other method. Inkjets are the best printers for Cricut and art prints & photos.
LaserJet Printers
Laserjet printers use an electrostatic process to achieve digital printing. These seemingly complex strings of words mean that laserjet printers use a difference in charge for computer printing. Laserjet printers do use ink but in a different form to inkjet printers.
A laserjet printer uses a toner, which is ink that has been converted into powder form. The printer works by passing a laser beam over a charged drum, which selectively attracts the toner onto the print surface. The toner is heated to fuse the image or text onto the paper permanently.
The Difference Between Both Printers
This is a look at the difference between the inkjet and the laserjet printers under different topics under which your need for getting a printer might fall.
1. Cost
The cost of printing and the printer's cost are two different terms that should be taken into consideration when deciding to own a printer.
The printer's cost refers to the cost of buying the device itself, and the former refers to how much it costs to print on a piece of paper using any of the printers.
Inkjet printers are cheaper to buy at the initial stage than laserjet printers. However, over the years, you will discover it is cheaper to own a laserjet printer. This is because it is cheaper to print with a laserjet than to print using an inkjet.
Another cost you will have to worry about throughout a printer’s life is the cost of changing its ink bank. For a Laserjet, changing the toner is more expensive, but you would change the inkjet’s ink bank more times as it gets exhausted faster.
2. Quality Of Print
A laserjet is better for high-volume print work when compared to an inkjet printer. Laserjets can print many 15 to 100 pages every minute, making it the best for monotonous office printing requirements.
You can find laser printers at notary signing agents and many other offices.
An inkjet prints a maximum of 16 pages per minute, so it is not exactly built for speed.
When it comes to the vividness of the print, inkjet printers are the best. If you need to print hi-res images that look just as good on paper as on your computer screen, inkjet printers should be your printer of choice. Laserjets are not great for high-detailed work.
Conclusion
Inkjets are the printers of choice if you need to make vividly-detailed prints. This means if you find yourself printing pictures often, a photo inkjet printer will do you a world of good.
However, if your printing need is often text files, spending money on an inkjet printer is not the best idea.
Your frequency of printing also matters. If you print quite often and you get an inkjet, be ready to visit the electronic store more frequently to change the ink cartridge than if you have a laserjet.
Hey, it’s James here. I’m the founder and editor here at RiverstoneNet.com. I’m a network engineer during the day and a blogger at night. Let me know if I can help you with choosing a new modem/router or troubleshooting your Internet connection.