Laser or Inkjet Printer: What to Choose for the Office

Speed

Laser prints 25-50 ppm with no warm-up. Inkjet on real documents is usually three times slower, especially in high-quality mode.

Cost per Page

Laser costs 3-7 KZT per sheet of black-and-white text. Inkjet with original cartridges reaches 15-25 KZT, but with a CISS it drops to 1-2 KZT. At high volumes, the difference amounts to tens of thousands of tenge per year.

Idle Time

The main weakness of inkjets: if you don't print for a week or two, ink dries out in the nozzles, and cleaning burns through half a cartridge. Laser can sit idle for months without issue.

Print Durability

Toner is fused into the paper — it doesn't fear water and doesn't fade. Ink smears from a drop of water unless it's a pigment-based type.

When Inkjet Is Still the Better Choice

• You need quality color graphics and photos.
• Printing is regular but low-volume.
• The device's purchase price matters more than the total cost of ownership.

Conclusion

For document workflows — laser, no question. For regular color/photo printing — inkjet with a CISS.