GameSpot's X-Wing vs. The laser cannon is the standard starfighter armament, as efficient and deadly as it is common. They are effective to a range of 1.5 kilometers against other starfighters, and nearly twice that distance against larger craft and capital ships. Laser cannons are powered by the starfighter's power core, and as such do not run out of ammunition. However, they grow weaker as the their dedicated energy reserves decrease.
Laser cannons are fast-firing, but they slow considerably when linked.
They are considered your best friend and your worst enemy. Ion Cannons, while slower and shorter-ranged than laser cannons, target an opponent's electrical systems, without damaging the hull. An ion cannon assault leads to the target's systems shutting down completely - invaluable for capture and espionage missions. Turbo lasers can fire without delay, hence the name. Imperial Star Destroyers and other capital ships come fortified with dozens of these energy weapons, and their able gunnery crews can pinpoint individual starfighters and destroy them with frightening consistency.