A high yield printer cartridge is a cartridge that contains more ink or toner and can print out more pages than a standard cartridge.
How many pages a cartridge can print is referred to as page yield. Cartridges that contain more ink have a higher page yield, hence the moniker high yield.
What is the difference between high yield and standard yield?
When searching for the right cartridge for your printer, you may have come across two options: standard yield and high yield (XL). And occasionally extra high yield (XXL). Some manufacturers may refer to this as standard capacity and high capacity, but they signify the same thing. You’ll notice that, for the high yield cartridges, the estimated page yield will be considerably higher, but so will the price. So is it worth it to purchase a high yield cartridge?
That depends on how much you print. Prices scale up for higher yield cartridges, and the increased page yield will actually save you money, allowing you to print more pages before the cartridge is depleted, lowering your total cost per page. However, if you don’t print that often than there is no need for you to switch to high yield cartridges.
Standard Yield Cartridge: The most common cartridge size on the market, a standard yield cartridge produces less pages than a high yield or extra high yield cartridge, and can be purchased at a cheaper price.
High Yield Cartridge: A high yield (also known as high capacity) cartridge costs more than a standard yield cartridge but prints more pages and has more ink or toner in it. Investing in a high yield cartridge will save you money over time if you typically print a lot.
Extra High Yield Cartridge: Even more ink is contained in an extra high yield cartridge, which is more expensive than a high yield cartridge. This is more suitable in a document-heavy office setting.
How can you tell if a cartridge is high yield?
Different printer manufacturers can vary in how they label the sizes of their cartridges. For the most part though, high yield ink cartridges include an XL after the cartridge part number. And extra high yield cartridges usually include an XXL. That is how we can distinguish standard cartridges from higher yield cartridges. With HP® for example, the HP 902 is a standard yield cartridge while its high yield counterpart is the HP 902XL.
Let’s see how this plays out with the HP 910 cartridge. The 910 comes in standard, high yield, and extra high yield. Printers that use the HP 910 cartridge can use any of these cartridge sizes and this is how they’re labled:
So if you require the largest size of the HP 910, you should get the HP 916XL. Earlier we stated most printer manufacturers label their extra high yield cartridge with an XXL. However, HP ink cartridges usually only come in standard and high yield sizes with the high yield version having XL attached to the end of the cartridge name. In this instance, instead of naming their extra high yield cartridge with an XXL they changed the cartridge number.
We can see a more contemporary labeling with most Canon® inkjet cartridges. Here, high yield cartridges have XL appended to the cartridge name and extra high yield cartridges have XXL. Let’s look at the Canon PGI-850 black inkjet cartridge for a demonstration.
Size labeling varies with toner cartridges as well. HP toner cartridges have an “A” after the cartridge number and high yield toner cartridges are indicated by an “X”. For example, the HP 26A is a standard toner cartridge, while the HP 26X is its high yield counterpart.
Where as Brother® toner cartridges have different names altogether for each cartridge size. The TN730/TN760/TN770 cartridge lineup is a perfect example of this.
Do higher yield cartridges fit in the same slot?
Yes, high yield and extra high yield cartridges fit in the same slot as standard size cartridges. Your printer should be compatible with all sizes of your printer’s cartridge. For instance, the HP 62XL should work with HP printers that use HP 62.
Also, there is no difference in how to install a standard yield cartridge from a higher yield cartridge.
How much more ink does an XL cartridge contain?
Printer manufacturers vary in this regard as well. However, an XL ink cartridge can have at least 50% more ink up to twice the amount of ink in a standard cartridge. The main takeaway is there is always more ink volume in an XL cartridge than a standard cartridge. Which means, page yields are always higher in a high yield cartridge when compared to its standard yield counterpart.
When it comes to pricing, the more ink a cartridge has, the more expensive it is. And by how much depends on the cartridge. To reiterate, the cost per page lowers when you use higher yield cartridges.
Let’s take a look at this by comparing the costs of printing with the HP 902 (standard yield) and HP 902XL (high yield) black cartridges.
As you can see, the high yield cartridge yields three times as much as the standard yield. So, by purchasing the high yield cartridge, you stand to save $7.23!
Now, compare the prices of 123inkjets’ compatible counterpart to the HP 902 and HP 902XL.
Not only is the cost per page drastically lower on the 123 brand but, by buying the high yield cartridge, you’re saving yourself $15.91!
Conclusion
Higher yield cartridges contain more ink and are more expensive than their standard yield counterpart, however they can save you money in the long run. It’s important to consider how often you print, though. If you rarely print and doubt that you’ll go through the cartridge in a period of a year, it may be best to purchase a standard yield cartridge, as the cartridge is at increased risk of its printhead drying and clogging after this time.
If you print on a regular basis, than higher yield cartridges are the more cost-effective choice. Let us know in the comments below how often you print and if you’ve decided to switch to high yield cartridges.
Savings based on price comparison between remanufactured/compatible cartridge prices on www.123inkjets.com and OEM cartridge and printer prices from the listed retailers: Staples. All products are reviewed independently. All prices effective as of July 19, 2021. OEM names are registered trademarks of their respective owners and are not affiliated with, and do not endorse 123inkjets.