

Steady improvements in the inks’ formulas have addressed the shortcomings of both types of ink, and today there is little difference between current dye-based and pigmented inks.īy contrast, toner, which is used in laser printers, is made up of a dry powder. Previously, pigmented ink created longer-lasting prints but was more expensive than dye-based. Pigmented ink consists of a fine powder of solid colorant particles suspended in a liquid carrier. Dye-based ink consists of a colorant that is fully dissolved and suspended in liquid. Inkjet printers spray the ink directly onto the paper, creating vivid, colorful prints. Printer ink is a liquid tinted with four different shades-cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK)-that when combined, are capable of producing a wide variety of hues. Without getting too technical, there are several key differences between toner and ink.
