Pigment vs. Dye Based Ink Cartridges: Which One’s Better?

You get great prices for ink cartridges at Inkjet Wholesale but that doesn’t mean that you don’t spend a lot of money every time you get a low ink warning. No wonder, you’re trying to figure out how your ink cartridges are priced and, more importantly how they work.

Inkjet printers are available in the market for throwaway prices. That is precisely why ink cartridges are so expensive.

Basically, what happens is that manufacturers give you printers for such low prices because they think that they’ll make profits when you buy ink cartridges. So, the price of ink cartridges seems high to you.

We understand the situation all printers owners find themselves in so we provide ink cartridges for extremely low prices.

However, when it comes to printer cartridges, nothing is black and white (pardon the pun). You’re obviously thinking about the differences between toner cartridges and ink cartridges. You’re right about the intricacies between choosing laser printers and inkjet printers.

Even within the ink cartridge category, everything isn’t cut and dried. For example, did you know that there are two types of ink cartridges? Did you know that your printer could support both pigment and dye based ink cartridges? Did you know that the debate of pigment vs. dye based ink cartridges is as tough to settle as the debate between toner cartridges and ink cartridges?

There aren’t a lot of people who are aware of the debate of pigment vs. dye based cartridges. So, don’t feel that you’re falling behind. Instead, let us remedy the situation. Here are the absolute basics surrounding the debate of pigment vs. dye based ink cartridges that you should know if you use an inkjet printer.

Pigment vs. Dye Based Ink Cartridges: Definitions

The dilemma of pigment vs. dye-based ink cartridges hasn’t been around for very long. The reason for this is that, for a long time, ink cartridges used to be based on the dye.

Pigment based ink cartridges are relatively a newer invention. Their invention is behind the rise of the debate of pigment vs. dye-based ink cartridges.

This begs the question of what is the difference between pigment and dye based ink cartridges.

In order to understand the difference between pigment and dye based ink cartridges, one needs to understand what pigment is and what dye is.

You most probably already know that dyes are usually liquid in form. In addition, inside ink cartridges, they’re almost always mixed in with water. In fact, in case you didn’t know, your ink cartridges are 95 percent water!

Pigments, on the other hand, are not liquid. They are actually solid. A pigment is powdery and dry in form. Essentially, this means that pigment is a collection of extremely small solid particles that are mixed in with water inside the pigment based ink cartridges.

Now that you’ve understood the basic nature of pigments and dyes, you’ll be better able to appreciate the dilemma of pigment vs. dye based ink cartridges. The reason for this is that the nature of your print will be a direct consequence of the physical forms of pigments and dyes.

What this means is that there is no winner in the debate of pigment vs. dry based ink cartridges because both of them have their respective pros and cons. We’ll give you a rough idea of where the pros are and where the cons are in pigment vs. dye based ink cartridges.

Pigment vs. Dye Based Ink Cartridges: Why Pigment Is Better

How do pigment-based ink cartridges work? The logic is simple. Since pigments are essentially extremely small particles, you can assume how they interact with the paper in question. Pigment particles sit on the paper and bond with the fibres while dyes get absorbed into the fibre.

This means that pigment particles are thicker on the paper than dyes. For example, since pigment particles don’t get absorbed and only sit on the paper in layers, they are resistant to external influences such as environmental gases and ultraviolet rays from the sun.

These properties also give pigment ink cartridges a boost when it comes to pigment vs. dye-based ink cartridges in terms of stability of colour. Prints made with pigment-based ink cartridges tend to retain their original colour much more than prints made with dye-based ink cartridges.

It’s also worth mentioning that the physical properties of the two substances make a difference in how they interact with water too.

From the angle of resistance to water, the debate of pigment vs. dye based ink cartridges is won by pigments because dyes have a tendency to flow when they come in contact with water while pigments are more resistant.

Thus, when it comes to longevity of the print, stability of the colour in the print, and resistance to natural elements, the only winner in the debate of pigment vs. dye-based ink cartridges is the former.

To put things into perspective, pigment-based ink cartridges have the potential to resist fading for up to 200 years while dye-based ink cartridges can only manage between 25 to 30 years.

Because of these qualities, pigment-based ink cartridges have two main uses. The first is external use. Pigment-based ink cartridges are used for external signage and hoardings because they’re more resistant to ultraviolet rays than dye-based ink cartridges.

The other major use of pigment based ink cartridges is for archival purposes. Since prints made with pigment based ink cartridges remain stable for an extended period of time, they’re preferred in situations where the print is required to stay consistent for a long time.

Pigment vs. Dye-Based Ink Cartridges: Why Dyes Are Better

Pigment-based ink cartridges, indeed, have many qualities which allow them to win the battle of pigment vs. dye-based ink cartridges.

However, dye-based ink cartridges beat their counterpart where it matters more i.e. print quality and cost.

In other words, dye-based ink cartridges not only provide better colour quality in prints but are also much cheaper than pigment-based ink cartridges.

Still, you’re most probably wondering what we mean by better print quality.

Dye-based inks top the debate of pigment vs. dye-based ink cartridges regardless of which picture quality metric you consider.

For instance, dye-based ink cartridges provide more saturation of colours, greater brightness, higher colour range, and even improved the density of black.

Additionally, there’s a phenomenon that is known as metamerism that dye-based ink cartridge prints are free from. Metamerism is basically the slight change in the print colour on the basis of light changes. This means that a print may look alright in artificial light but look like it has a green tinge in sunlight.

This is a problem which exists with most old pigment-based ink cartridges. While manufacturers have come a long way in reducing the occurrence of metamerism with pigment-based ink cartridges, it’s still worth considering if you’re still unsure about pigment vs. dye-based ink cartridges.

Pigments Vs Dye Ink: Can Everyone Tell The Difference In Quality?

If you’re not a professional photographer or graphic artist, it may be challenging to tell the difference in print quality.

When it comes to printing, there are two types of ink that people mostly use: pigments and dye. Pigment inks use solid particles that are suspended in a liquid, while dye inks are solutions that consist of a liquid and a colored dye.

In terms of print quality, the differences between the two are subtle. Pigment inks tend to produce sharper and crisper text, while dye inks tend to produce smoother and more precise color blends. Moreover, pigment ink is more water-resistant and light-colored than dye ink.

Tips For Better Prints (No Matter What You Use):

• Use the recommended ICC profiles for your printer’s ink and paper combination to ensure consistent image quality.
• Use Epson, Canon and HP cartridges as they offer both dye and pigment-based inks and compatible printers.
• Never change inks in the middle of a printing job, as this can cause issues such as clogging in the ink jets.
• Avoid using pigment-based inks in a printer that is designed for dye-based ink because it can also cause clogging issues.

Pigment vs. Dye-Based Ink Cartridges: The Verdict

At the end of the day, your choice depends upon two things – what kind of things you want to print and how much you are willing to pay. Consider.

• Choose pigment if you want longevity.
• Choose pigment if your prints will see a lot of sunlight.
• Choose pigment if you’re printing on glossy paper.
• Choose pigment if you want to avoid smudging.
• Choose dye if colour quality is important.
• Choose dye if price is a concern.