20. Mai 2011

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Comparative Test 9 ink All-in-Ones up to 200 Euros: Ink cartridges

ISO-pages: That´s how manufacturers test yield.

All AIOs in this test have single ink tanks. Their yields are differing considerably. HP´s Photosmart Plus B210a prints 250 ISO-pages only, HP´s Officejet 6500A up to 1.200, until you have to exchange the black ink cartridge.

Color yield has a wide variation (average), too. Brother´s DCP-J515W has empty color ink tanks after 260 ISO-pages, both Epson- and HP-printers deliver more than 700 pages.

Only Epson-AIOs have pigmented ink in their black and color ink tanks. This prevents bleaching, and the ink is smudge- and water-resistant. Brother, Canon, HP, and Lexmark use dye-based ink (dissolved color particles) in their color cartridges and pigmented ink in the black ones. When getting in contact with water, dye-ink dissolves on paper immediately. Take a look at the page "Marker- and smear test".

*see article "HP ändert Patrone Nr. 364 XL" (available in German only)

Brother DCP-J515W and MFC-J615W

The Brothers´ink cartridges are inserted in the printers on their right hand sides - they are not directly connected to the print heads. They deliver their inks via flexible hoses.

Brother DCP-J515W: With small LC985 cartridges.

Brother MFC-J615W: Somewhat larger LC1100 cartridges.

By now Brother is the only one producing ink cartridges without chip. A chip has no specific advantages for the user. But the manufacturers enjoy the problems others have producing compatibles.

Brother DCP-J515W: Has LC985 cartridges...

...with yield a little on the short side.

Brother MFC-J615W: Works with LC1100 cartridges,...

...yield is slightly higher.

The tables above are available in German only. They show (left to right) ink tanks MSRP, best offer, and page yield (ISO).

Canon Pixma MG5150 and MG5250

Both Canons use the same ink tanks, but different print heads. The number of nozzles is different, this results in different print speeds.

Canon Pixma MG5150: Print head with 320 nozzles for black and 2.048 for colors.

Canon Pixma MG5250: Print head with 512 nozzles for black and 4.096 for colors.

Canon ink cartridges: Text black PGI-525BK, photo black CLI-526BK and three color cartridges CLI-526C, M, Y.

The cartridges` positions in the print heads differ as well (see pictures below). The print heads are permanent ones, to remain in the printers for their life cycles.

Canon Pixma MG5150: Five single ink tanks with chip.

Canon Pixma MG5250: Five single ink tanks - print head with more nozzles.

A short history of ink tanks

Once upon a time Canon ink tanks were big and transparent (left). Starting 2008 only a tiny window remained to check their fill level (center). Canon´s black out production began in 2010 (right), to complicate refilling.

Canon-Single-Ink CLI-8, CLI-521 and CLI-526: Transparent, tiny window, shielded from views.

The five single ink tanks have a higher price than their predecessors (mentioned in our news).

The table above is available in German only. It shows (left to right) ink tanks MSRP, best offer, and page yield (ISO).

Epson Stylus Office BX525WD and Stylus SX620FW

Both Epsons use the same ink cartridges. They are on sale as low yield (T129x) and high yield (T130x) ink tanks. Commendable: On delivery ([fett {[mark LU}]]) both AIOs come with high yield cartridges.

Epson Stylus Office BX525WD and SX620FW: Both printers ...

...use the same ink tanks T130x and T129x.

The cartridges contain pigmented inks, so the prints are waterproof and pretty light-resistant, in contrast to dye-ink prints.

Epson-cartridges: High yield and pigmented ink.

Epson Stylus Office BX525WD and Stylus SX620FW: Four single ink tanks.

Their predecessors (T100x) came with a slightly higher yield. The new ones (T130x) are sold for the same price, so cost of print per page has increased.

The table above is available in German only. It shows (left to right) ink tanks MSRP, best offer, and page yield (ISO).

HP Officejet 6500A E710a and Photosmart Plus B210a

The ink tanks in both HPs look very much alike, but have different labels, yields, and prices.

HP Officejet 6500A E710a: Ink cartridges Nr. 920.

HP Photosmart Plus B210a: Ink cartridges Nr. 364.

HP-cartridges Nr. 920: For HP-Officejet-printers.

HP-cartridges Nr. 364: For HP-Photosmart-printers.

Exchange of the cartridges is quite simple, as with Canon. Ink tanks and print heads look very much alike. More on that in this article.

You may buy these ink tanks with low and high yield (XL). On delivery you get only the low yield ones, marked "Intro" or "Setup".

Intro-cartridges: Officejet with low yield filling.

Setup-cartridges: Photosmart with low yield filling.

The photos below show the different ink tank sizes. To the left: Small black ink cartridge, right side: Big XL-cartridge.

HP-cartridges Nr. 920: Left side small, right side big XL-cartridge.

HP-cartridges Nr. 364: Left side small, right side big XL-cartridge.

The table above is available in German only. It shows (left to right) ink tanks MSRP, best offer, and page yield (ISO).

Update

HP will take the Nr. 364-XL-cartridge (yield 800 ISO pages) off the market. As a replacement a slender XL-cartridge is supposed to come, with the same label, but with a yield of 550 ISO-pages. Its price is calculated in such a way, that price per page doesn´t change. More on that in our news: "HP ändert Patrone Nr. 364 XL".

The table above is available in German only. It shows (left to right) ink tanks MSRP, best offer, and page yield (ISO).

Lexmark Prospect Pro205

Lexmarks color ink tanks are filled with dye-ink. Contact with water on the printed paper causes bleeding. The print head is destined to remain in the printer for its life span, same with Brother, Canon, Epson, and HP. Only the ink tanks have to be exchanged.

Lexmark Prospect Pro205: Four single ink tanks Nr. 100.

The cartridges are on the market with different capacities. Behind the label 100 you may find an A or XL - and a combination of both as well. So you have black and three colors as No. 100, No. 100A, No. 100XL and No. 100XLA. The ones without an "A" and marked ([fett {[mark R}]]) cannot be refilled and have to be sent back to Lexmark. Ink tanks with an "A" have the same amount of ink, may be refilled, and are more expensive than the [fett {[mark R}]]-models. XL stands for more ink, and higher yield. Got it?

On delivery ([fett {[mark LU}]]) are tanks with low yield, which cannot be refilled, and have to be returned to Lexmark.

Lexmark Prospect Pro205: Four single ink tanks with dye ink.

The table above is available in German only. It shows (left to right) ink tanks MSRP, best offer, and page yield (ISO).