Would You Get a Laser Printer for School?

[MC Webster]

I am starting up university in September and I am wondering what I should do about printers. I have an HP Deskjet 855C and it works fine. However, I'm wondering if the cost of a Laser Printer is worth the investment. I'm going to have replace the ink cartridges in the deskjet with all the pages I'll be printing at school, so is it worth buying a laser printer to save money in the long run, as I won't have to replace the toner cartridges that often? If you recommend I get a laser printer, what should I buy? Thanks!

 

[tenoc]

Review.

For b&w text, lasers are the bong. Crisper text and a lot less smearing.

Check prices for replacement toner carts while you're at it. You won't need one for a while, but they are a factor in overall cost.

 

[MSantiago]

Totally agree with tenoc. Pick up a laser if you can. They print sharper, faster, and cheaper in the long run.

 

[NeoSolo]

If you are going for computer science, it is must....

 

[Tallgeese]

Bought my first laser while preparing to finish my Master's thesis. It could be an awesome MasterCard commercial.

Laser Printer and supplies: $400

Not having to deal with...
End of semester lab schedules
Finicky lab printers
Brain dead lab attendants
during the home stretch: PRICELESS!

Bonus: Laser cheaper in long run (in most cases) than inkjet when you look at total price per page.

 

[MC Webster]

How much does the cost per page differ, approximately, from a laser printer to an inkjet?

 

[Tallgeese]

You can figure it this way:

Assume cost of paper = same for both, so doesn't figure into equation

Calculate single toner cart will print X number of pages for $Y
Cost of laser printer itself = $Z
So: $Y + $Z = $Operating cost of laser

Then:
Calculate single ink cart will print Q number of pages for $R
Calculate that S number of carts will be needed to print X number to pages (from above)
Cost of inkjet printer itself = $T
So: ($R * S) + $T = $Operating cost of inkjet

 

[hans007]

i am thinking of getting a laser also..



the cost of printing isnt an issue (i have a crappy HP 610cl, but i have a nearly limitless supply of ink from my dads company)


but i ship things fedex, and the labels lookl ike crap on an inkjet. especially the barcodes.

 

[Tallgeese]

Originally posted by: hans007
but i have a nearly limitless supply of ink from my dads company

Just wondering if your father owns the company after that tidbit of info...

 

[randomlinh]

8yrs, 2nd toner cart (1st after original), hp 4p still goin on Altho, since I like to print photo's and such, i went inkjet. it all depends on what you plan on printing.

 

[hatboy]

Personally, I'm not sure that a college student really needs a printer at all, let alone an expensive laser. I'm going to be a senior in Computer Science this year. For the last 3 years, I've had a HP Deskjet. I used it quite a bit my freshman year, but after that, I found out that the CS department here has several pretty nice Laserjets that produce much better output than my Deskjet. I also found out that it's a lot cheaper to print to the department's printers than to buy my own paper and especially ink cartridges. Sometime last year, my Deskjet ran out of ink, and I haven't bothered replacing it because I use it so little.

 

[hans007]

Originally posted by: TallGeese

Originally posted by: hans007
but i have a nearly limitless supply of ink from my dads company

Just wondering if your father owns the company after that tidbit of info...

nah, i just have a box of like 25 cartridges that work gave him from returned/broken printers. if my dad somehow owned HP... hmm i'd have a color laser. ahah

 

[RU482]

once you go laser, you never go back

well, at least I don't want to

 

[Peetoeng]

If you are buying hp, wait until you're in school and find out if your school has some kinda agreement w/ hp for academic purchase. You might save some money that way.

For first year student, I don't think you'd do much printing for english comps or lab reports. I'd suggest you use whatever facility available on campus for a while, if it doesn't cut it, then go for it.

Cost of a laser printer would buy lots of beers and bring--ahem--girls

Ah, but you're still underaged to drink.

 

[spanky]

yeah i would get one. i realize i use my color inkjet like three times since i got it two years ago... and it wasn't even for anything important. such a waste. i use my laserjet 6p infinitely more often

 

[owensdj]

MC Webster, you may want to wait and find out if your school lets students print on its laser printers in the computer labs. If so, you might be better off using their printers. My college used to let us print on the lasers, but only if it was the version you were going to hand in to a professor. If you need to do a lot of scrap printing, you might need your own.

 

[MC Webster]

I live in Ontario, Canada, and am going to school here, so I'll be able to drink in 2 months...the girls will not be a problem.

Secondly, I am going into commerce at Queen's University, here in Ontario, and they have a specific centre devoted to commerce students where I can use their printers. Seems like a good idea to make use of that facility from the sounds of it.

It's sounding like the $250US investment into a laser printer isn't really worth it, when I already have an inkjet to use. How many black ink cartridges can I go through anyway?

 

[Slogun]

It's sounding like the $250US investment into a laser printer isn't really worth it, when I already have an inkjet to use. How many black ink cartridges can I go through anyway?

Prices have come down quite a bit. I just bought a laser and I don't really print that much, but I expect to still save money over time, not to mention the time saved in printing speed.

My choice was the Samsung ML-1430 that just came out(It replaces the ML-1210).
$199 at Microcenter, et al, with a $30 rebate good till the end of September.
take a look at it here