inkjets are specifically the most common type of printer for two basic reasons:
1. they're cheap
2. they're fast
3. they're small
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SO LASER PRINTERS:
They look complicated, and they are still more expensive than inkjets, but they have a major mechanical advantage:
They just need to rotate a mirror and rotate some rollers (picture from commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F…)
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they use powered toner instead of liquid ink, so clogging due to dry ink isn't a problem. the "ink" is always dry.
They don't need plumbing: no liquids are involved.
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Their downsides are that they're more expensive, they're bigger (although there are some pretty small laser printers these days), and they require more power (they need to heat the paper!).
They're also... different on the speed front.
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they're faster on a per-page basis, usually? but since they require heating elements they have to warm up.
So if you have to print 1 page, it may take longer on a laser printer.
but if you have to print 20 pages, it'll be faster.
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their other big limitation is that traditionally laser printers have only been black & white.
There are color laser printers now, sure, but they're even more expensive in comparison and they're even bigger.
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but yes.
if you have to print a bunch, it is definitely worth it to get a laser printer.
They're more expensive up front, but they make up for it in cost-per-page and NOT BREAKING EVERY TEN FUCKING MINUTES
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My dad had this laser printer (photo from December 2011) sometime into the 2010s. I think he got rid of it because he couldn't get toner cartridges anymore. Purchased 1992 or 1993, specifically because it was 600dpi. I no longer remember if it's an HP LaserJet 2MP or 4MP.
Feb 3, 2022 · 7:10 PM UTC
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