When it comes to shopping for toner cartridges shoppers sees the names "original", "compatible", "generic", remanufactured", "refilled", etc. across the internet. Consumers with simplistic knowledge mostly go with the default option i.e., original, however, they are quite expensive. Well, the price is just the one factor, there are far more pros and cons of original and compatible cartridges. So let’s dive a little deeper and know the differences between the original and the compatible toner cartridges.

Difference between genuine and compatible toner -

Are compatible toners cartridges cheaper than the original?

The simple answer is yes. The original cartridges are developed after years of research time and cost, so manufacturers somehow have to get that money back leading to higher prices. Well, it’s not just the price which is important, when you buy the original cartridges, there’s a surety that it will fit correctly and work properly on your device. But when it comes with the third-party i.e., compatible cartridges there’s a possibility of failure for a number of reasons, however, the probability is just about approx. 2%, so you don’t have to worry a lot.

Do Compatible toners affect printer warranty?

Usually, it’s very rare for cartridges to cause any issue with the printers. But if you are still worried about it, here’s nitty-gritty. If an original cartridge messes up with the printer under the warranty period, the manufacture has to honor that warranty.

But what if you use third-party products? Don’t worry, they can’t just say “you used a compatible, we’re not helping”. If you are using Compatible  Toners Cartridges, the supplier has to prove that the third-party cartridges caused the fault. For that, they will arrange an engineer visit to determine the fault and its cause. If it’s the printer’s fault it’s all sorted if it’s because of cartridges, then your supplier warranty covers the damage.

Is there any difference in print quality?

Well, this is not the point of argument. Of course, the original toner with the quality paper will always provide the best results. But it doesn’t mean that Compatible Toners don’t provide a quality print. Most often the formulation of both toners is incredibly close, so the compatible toners also offer nice color reproduction and print accuracy all at a bargain price. So what’s the difference? The difference will be visible with the different objectives of printing.

If your aim is paper printing, compatible toners fit the best. Even, it’s the place where some third-party toners may beat the original one. And for photo printing, Original Cartridges are the legends of the league. In photo print, original toners offer crisper text and image quality with brighter and sharper coloring. But, compatible toners are also brilliant in photo printing even with the quality that you can’t tell which one is original. Storage and paper type also plays a significant role in quality.

Should I buy original or compatible toner cartridges?

It totally depends on your usage factor. If you print regularly with high frequency, you may consider compatible toners as they cost less, so you can save a lot of money. On the other hand, if you use your printer rarely, you should stick to the original.

Conclusion –

With the cusp of evolution, technology has moved on a long way, and now it’s possible to get a good quality print with compatible cartridges too. So if you have never tried a compatible toner cartridge, it’s a good idea to hit a try now. However, if you are still paranoid, you may try purchasing a compatible with your next original order for a risk-free test.

Now, if you are looking for printing accessories in UAE, always consider gear-up.me. At gear-up.me we have a large selection of toners, printers, and printing accessories available for all types of printers at very competitive prices.