However, where inkjet printers use dots of ink that dry on the paper, laser printers use a more complex mechanism that creates patterns of electrical charges that attracts tiny bits of toner to a photoconductor drum. From the photoconductor, the toner is transferred to the oppositely charged piece of paper, then fused to the paper with a combination of heat and pressure. Laser printers generally offer fast print engine speeds, high resolutions, PostScript, and Ethernet connectivity. As such, the amount of RAM the printer has and the speed of its processor affect how quickly it can print complex layouts, especially those that contain many fonts. Without enough RAM, some graphics may not print, or the printer may have to download the same fonts repeatedly.
Laser printers use toner cartridges that vary in cost and in the number of pages they'll print.
None should be all that expensive, but it's worth comparing the cost per page. Most current laser printers offer at least 600-dpi resolution, and some go as high as 2400 dpi. If you're concerned about resolution, compare sample printouts under a magnifying glass to see which you prefer. Particularly when it comes to photographs, straight dpi numbers don't tell the entire story. Also consider duplication methods - there's no point in printing a 2400 dpi original and then having it photocopied.