Page yield is the number of pages that a single cartridge can print.
The ISO standard for testing ink cartridge yields is to print pages
with 5% page coverage until the cartridge runs out of ink.
This is called the page yield of a cartridge.
But what you print will affect how long your printer ink lasts and how many
pages you can print with it.
If you print a lot of pictures, your ink will run out much faster.
If you only print a few things at a time, like documents, your cartridges
will last longer.
Think of the page yield as a rough guess, not a hard number,
because the real number of pages your cartridge prints
depends on a lot of things.
Colored pictures instead of mostly black and white words.
If you print more documents than pictures, you can expect to run out
of black ink faster.
And if you print more colored images than words, you will run out of
colored ink.
Size and length of content.
Do you print papers with long chunks of text?
Do you often print pictures that are big?
Doing so will use more ink and reduce the number
of pages you can print from your cartridge.
Print quality.
Your ink will last longer if you always print in draft mode.
But if you always print in high quality mode, you might run
out sooner than you think.
When to use a standard cartridge and when to use
a high-yield (or high-capacity) one
For Inkjet Printers
If you don't print a lot, it makes more sense to get normal size ink cartridges.
If you don't print often, don't buy high-yield refills to stock up on ink.
You won't save money because it's likely that the ink will run out anyway.
But if you print a lot and often, high yield cartridges will save you money
and cut down on how often you need to buy new ones.
If you really want to save money on ink, get compatible ink cartridges.
Compared to brand name cartridges, they can save you up to 70%.
For Laser Printers
Laser printers are known to print more than inkjet printers, but which cartridge size
you should get still relies on how often you use your printer.
If you use your laser printer at home, a standard-sized toner refill should last you
a while.
If you're looking for toner cartridges for your office laser printer, which probably writes
a lot more than your home printer, you should choose ones with a higher yield.
Shop for a printer based on how many pages
it can print
Different printers use different cartridges, and the number of pages
a cartridge can print varies from one cartridge to the next.
Most people buy a printer based on how much it costs to buy,
but we think it's just as important to look at how much it costs
to run.
How often you need to buy new cartridges and how many you may need
to buy to keep your printer going will depend on how many pages the cartridge
can print.
When a printer has a higher page rate, it needs to be replaced less often,
which saves money.
When looking for a printer, especially a color printer, you should also think
about whether or not cyan, magenta, and yellow all come in one cartridge.
Or is there a different cartridge for each color?
If you print a lot of colored papers, you should get a printer with separate cartridges
for each color (one for cyan, one for yellow, and one for magenta).
They also have more ink, and you can still use the printer
even if one of the color cartridges is running out.
