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ark,

Lasers are getting better, but for pure quality, an inkjet is superior. Depends on what you need.

If you want the highest quality, an inkjet is the way to go. It will also have a larger color gamut, is more stable, etc. But, the majority of inkjet papers are coated only on one side, so double sided printing can be an issue.

Lasers are good for comps, but quality, gamut and accuracy can suffer. They can print on plain paper and printing on both sides is usually not an issue. They are less stable than inkjets and require more regular profiling if color accuracy is important.

a CMYK RIP provides greater control over ink limits, linearization, etc. But, a good custom color profile for your paper/printer/ink combination using the standard RGB driver is usually very good. I don't bother with a RIP, since I get great results from the driver. I have done a lot of both. A RIP will be more accurate, especially for postscript encoded data (lines, fonts, etc). RIPs also allow much greater flexibility on layout. Again, depends on your needs.

You don't mention the maximum size of paper you will print on. You can check out an Epson 2400 inkjet. Epson, Canon and HP all have reasonably priced inkjets that will accept 13x19 inch paper. I have no recommendations on lasers and am not current on what is the best bang for the buck.

Lou