New Printer help

[thejman]

Looking to get a colour printer, and have found an epson aculaser for a decent price. is it worth getting one of these or trying an all in one printer that costs about the same. which has a scanner and wireless connection.
will be printing some photos and brochures etc.

is there a huge difference between inkjet and laser?

thanks for your help

 

[Surreal2]

Looking to get a colour printer, and have found an epson aculaser for a decent price. is it worth getting one of these or trying an all in one printer that costs about the same. which has a scanner and wireless connection.
will be printing some photos and brochures etc.

is there a huge difference between inkjet and laser?

thanks for your help

I always pay heed to the old adage 'you don't get something for nothing'. If an all-in-one device is compared with a single printer or scanner at the same price, there must be some compromise in the all-in-one.

Personally, I'd always opt for buying the best separate printer and scanner I could afford.

I don't know the aculaser - but when I'm looking for equipment I search for user and magazine reviews/comparisons/group tests (online as well as buying relevant magazines etc) and research as much as I can. This helps me to define my own requirements, and if compromises are required the reviews/comparisons/tests help me to hone the choice down. On more than one occasion when I've done this, I've ended up choosing a different machine to that which I first thought of buying.

There are differences in cost, speed and performance between inkjets and colour lasers. Again, it will depend on what your objectives are.

 

[kiwiguy]

Colour lasers are much more realistically priced these days, but just be aware that the original cost of the laser is but a small price of ownership.

The colour toner packs are usually expensive, a replacement set often equalling or exceeding the laser cost itself (and often the lasers come with very small "starter packs" of toner).

Of course the same is to be said for inkjets to a degree, but at an overall lower cost relative to the laser.

As an example the epson aculaser C900 costs about NZ$720 and a replacement toner set costs NZ$900 based on a quick look on Google.

I think a good inkjet (photo capable) will still out perform a low cost colour laser, as an educated guess. That will reverse over time I am sure.

 

[thejman]

thanks guys, very helpful.
what about picture quality? i will be making some brochures, and i heard that inkjet sometimes smudges.

 

[kiwiguy]

Inkjet takes longer to dry and is less waterproof if the brochures get wet.

Laser is certainly better in this regard.

Have looked at colour lasers myself, but baulk at mortgaging the house and selling my body just to pay for the toner...