Comparative analysis of different laser regimes of silver nanoparticle generation in water was performed for laser pulsewidth in the range of 300 fs–100 ns. Optical spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and method of dynamic light scattering were used for nanoparticle characterization. Different laser regimes of generation were used with varying pulse duration, pulse energy and scanning velocity. The proposed universal quantitative criteria as productivity and ergonomicity of the obtained colloidal solutions of nanoparticles were investigated to compare different laser regimes of production. The efficiency per unit energy for picosecond generation of nanoparticles, free from the influence of nonlinear effects, turns out to be higher by 1–2 orders of magnitude than for nanosecond generation.