On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 06:20:02 GMT, peter wrote:
=>Some laser printers have a combination toner + drum, while some have separate toner and
=>drum.
=>In theory, the later kind can offer cheaper toner. However, they tend to have expensive
=>replacement drums.
=>
=>Other that this, what are other pros and cons of each design?
AFAIK, they are are equally durable.
FWIW, the local office supply store no longer recommends
cartridge type laser printers -- toner replacement type
only. The tech who serviced my copier told me that they are
phasing out support for cartridge type machines as their
customers have found cartridge type machines too expensive
to operate. Since this business successfully competes with
the big-box office-supply chain here, they clearly have a
lot of satisfied customers. Their service contract is
costed per page, and includes toner and whatever on-site
servicing is needed. At current retail prices for toner in
the aforementioned big-box store, the toner alone would
cost as much or more per page as their service contract.
Cool deal! Competitive enough to make it worth while for
relatively low-volume printing such as a home user would
do.
I've noticed that the prices for cartridge type machines at
the local box store are falling fast, some are drifting
down towards the low hundreds. Buy a couple replacement
cartridges, and you've paid as much as for the printer.
Looks like the old "Sell the printer cheap and soak them on
the consumables" ploy. See also a recent thread on
Lexmark's policy of forbidding 3rd party remanufacturing of
their cartridges, and successful enforcement through a
lower court in Nebraska or someplace.
