Photo printers no. HP inkjet printers with CISS. Comparison of characteristics of the best models

A photo printer is a device designed primarily for printing images on special paper. That is why it is always colored and uses at least 3 shades. There are many such options on the market, but only a few can truly be called the best photo printers. We have compiled a rating, adding to it the best equipment for taking photographs at home and in specialized salons. Perhaps he will help you make the right decision.

This TOP includes companies that have been operating in the market for quite a long time and have already won the trust of customers. Basically, the products of companies operating in the mid-price range and premium segment are described here. Each of these brands is quite popular in the market and has earned a great name for itself. The following brands were in the top three:

• Hewlett-Packard is one of the most popular and prestigious companies in the field of office equipment production. It doesn’t have any cheap products in its assortment; it offers devices from the mid-price range and premium models. Basically, it produces jet-type units, which are suitable both for use at home and for office use a small team. This is one of the few companies that offer compact printers for printing photos. They differ from similar options in their bright color rendition and ease of use.
• Epson – main competitor Hewlett-Packard, but, unlike it, it is not concentrated on the production of any one type of printer. He has inkjet, matrix, and laser models of office equipment. They are interesting because of their good resource, versatility in use various types paper and due to ease of use. There are convenient panels controls, capacious ink tanks, large sheet trays with automatic feeding. Some of them can even be connected to a PC remotely via the Internet. There are also products suitable for synchronization with mobile devices.
• Ricoh- this Japanese company Russian market is not so widely known compared to Epson and Hewlett-Packard. However, in recent years, its photo printers have been recognized as some of the best. It has models for printing in A3 and A4 formats; they are distinguished by their intuitive interface, economical ink consumption, and automated operation, which makes their use comfortable. Basically, we are talking about laser models, and therefore the price for them cannot be called low. However, the high quality completely compensates for this shortcoming; the photos turn out clean, clear, and bright, like those of professionals.

Rating of the best photo printers

The reasons for adding office equipment to the rating were numerous positive reviews buyers, the successful results of our tests and high ratings from experts in this field. When analyzing the characteristics of all models, we relied on the following points:

• Ease of use;
• Efficiency of use;
• Economical;
• Versatility of use;
• Life time;
• Value for money;
• Type – for professionals or amateurs;
• Dimensions and design;
• Duration of the warranty.

Among the characteristics, we paid attention to product life, print speed, number of colors, noise level, print resolution, wireless connection. The warm-up time (for laser models) and the first page output, tray volume, type and thickness of paper used were also taken into account. Not the least place in the analysis of goods, as one of the selection criteria, was given to the reputation of manufacturing companies, which, due to their fame, often raise prices for their products.

The Best Compact Photo Printers

There are very few such models on the market; these include devices that can be carried with you and connected to phones or tablets. With their help, it is possible to print photos of limited sizes, on average, 7x15 cm. Despite their small dimensions, their cost is not low. Focusing on the quality of prints and ease of use, we have selected one of the best photo printers out of 10 models.

HP Sprocket, Black

Looking at small sizes this device, you don’t immediately understand why it is so expensive. However, the almost flawless quality of the prints and excellent color rendition clarify the situation. Of course, you can’t print large pictures on it, but it produces standard ones (7.6 x 7.6 cm) easily. The cool thing about this technique is the ability to send photos to it from a smartphone or tablet without connecting to a PC, which expands user capabilities and saves time. Despite its small dimensions, 10 sheets of photo paper can be inserted here without any problems.

HP Sprocket, Black is quite quiet and does not consume much power, 15.91 W. It is convenient to carry it in a bag and use it not only at home, since the weight of the product does not exceed 260 g. The device is easy to operate due to its well-thought-out design and “smart” software. On the left is the power button, on the back there is a charging indicator, a place for the cable and a reset button.

Advantages:

• Lack of retractable tray;
• Good printing speed;
• One year warranty;
• Availability of Bluetooth;
• Accepts photo paper with a sticky layer;
• High resolution images.

Flaws:

• Does not feed paper automatically;
• Limited photo size.

The Best Professional Photo Printers

These devices allow you to print not only photographs, but also various advertising booklets, brochures, and leaflets. Naturally, the cost of such products will be higher than average. Such devices usually work not only with A4 and A3 formats, but also with stickers. Of all the options available on the market, 3 units were added to the rating. The reason for this was their operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and ease of use.

This photo printer is the best for printing photos, particularly because it has built-in capacity ink tanks. There are a total of 6 containers available here, which are located as conveniently as possible and are not noticeable to others, being hidden under the lid. On one refill you can print about 1,500 color photographs in a 10x15 cm format. They come out smudge-free, the paints dry quickly and, before use, special drying is not required, as is the case with many other models.

When ink runs out, compared to cartridge devices, the Epson L1800 inkjet photo printer can be replaced quite easily, and the cost of the service is significantly reduced. Reviews also write about the economical consumption of inks thanks to the printing technology in “drops” measuring 1.5 picoliters. Transporting this printer, which prints photos in almost any conditions, is carried out without any problems, although its size is considerable.

Advantages:

• Wide range of paper density - from 64 to 300 g/m2;
• Can print in black and white;
• Large resource - up to 75,000 pages;
• Good tray capacity – up to 100 sheets;
• Compatible with OS X, Windows;
• Complete kit for instant use.

Flaws:

• Supports A3 paper size only;
• The output speed of the finished photo is lower than that of text (191 sec.);
• Considerable weight of 12.5 kg.

This is the best photo printer in terms of functionality, which boasts a combination of high print quality and ease of use. Yes, its price is not low, but it is fully justified by the good results of use. Here, the unique Vivid Magenta color formula is taken as a basis, which allows you to obtain bright, rich, contrasting photographs. This is what makes it possible to call this model professional.

This is one of the few devices that, in addition to the main ink (6 colors - yellow, cyan, turquoise, black, light and rich purple), also uses gray shades. This ensures a wide color gamut, which accurately conveys the original tones when printed. The device looks even more attractive due to the impeccably high speed of print output - up to 150 seconds versus 191 seconds, which are observed in the previous version in the rating.

Advantages:

• CD/DVD printing function;
• Availability of a special tray for creating layouts;
• Good print head life;
• Meniscus control for precise positioning;
• Two ports for USB connection.

Flaws:

• It is a little noisy when working.

This optimal solution both for small offices and for home use. This technique deserves attention due to its high-quality and at the same time economical printing. It easily copes with a large flow of jobs, producing about 20 pages in one minute. No less convenient here is the fact that the printer supports work in Mac, Windows and Linux environments. The device warms up almost instantly and is ready for use within 30 seconds after switching on.

The Ricoh SP C260DNw laser photo printer works with paper in A4, A5, A6, B5, B6 formats, and therefore allows you to take not only pictures. It is very convenient here that you can load 150 sheets into the tray at once, and their density can be completely different, ranging from 60-160 g/m². Like all models, the cartridge life is strictly individual for different colors, of which there are four - yellow, cyan, magenta, black. However, this is enough to produce clear and bright images.

Advantages:

• Power consumption in print mode up to 58.3 W;
• Withstands up to 30,000 prints per month;
• The first page comes out in 14 seconds in any color;
• Can connect with smart devices;
• Refilling the cartridge is not difficult for masters;
• Doesn't damage sheets.

Flaws:

• Weight 23.8 kg;
• It's a little noisy.

The Best Photo Printers for Home Use

Such products are usually sold in the middle price range; they may have automatic paper feeding and a large tray. Most often, they support 4-6 colors, but the brightness and clarity of the image are acceptable. They are distinguished from professional devices by a slower print output speed and a less good resource. These devices form the basis of the market. We studied 10 different options and, taking into account their parameters, selected the 3 best photo printers.

This multifunction device with an optimal combination of quality and price, which is interesting primarily because it allows you to print photos and documents directly from your smartphone. For this, inkjet cartridges are used, however, they must have a special chip; other options are not suitable here. But this is precisely what ensures high quality and accuracy of the print.

Despite the fact that the device is not very large, it still has wireless connection, which means it is not necessary to keep it near the computer. Communication between them can be achieved with using Wi-Fi, and it is configured quite simply using a special adapter. For one price, the buyer receives a scanner and a copy machine along with a photo printer, which is very profitable. But in this model, the monthly load should not exceed 1200 pages in A4 format, otherwise it may fail prematurely.

Advantages:

• Color printing resolution – up to 4800 x 1200 pixels;
• Black and white images are produced at 1200 x 1200 dpi;
• It is not very noisy;
• Convenient control panel;
• Relatively light;
• Doesn't take up much space in the house.

Flaws:

• Does not independently determine the paper type;
• You must supply the consumables yourself.

The HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 5075 M2U86C is a premium model, but it can't print and scan at the same time.

HP is one of the best photo printer brands, so you expect a lot from it initially. This model also did not disappoint, although outwardly it is no different from its predecessors in the rating. Its advantage lies in the use of original pigment inks of our own production, which guarantee professional quality prints, clear color rendition, durability and brightness.

This option is very beneficial for those who want to save on paper consumption, as it allows you to cut it in half thanks to borderless printing on both sides. Moreover, you can send photos to it from any device that can be synchronized with it, including remotely. All this is possible thanks to the 10/100 Ethernet option, and the HP All-in-One Printer Remote app allows you to scan photos even from a mobile device.

Advantages:

• 225-sheet tray;
• No paper jams;
• Withstands production of up to 15,000 pages per month;
• Finished prints do not fade in the sun and are stored for a long time;
• Easy to refill cartridges;
• Excellent performance;
• Automatic shutdown when idle.

Flaws:

• Does not support all paper sizes and types;
• Works only with Mac and Windows OS.

Canon Pixma G1410

...Having tried it Canon Pixma G1410, we found it suitable for printing photos on both plain and glossy paper...

Expert opinion

Externally, this model is very similar to the HP Officejet Pro 6230 ePrinter; it is also an inkjet version. With its help, it is possible to obtain fairly bright images with a resolution of up to 1200×4800 dpi. There is no blurring in the images and there are no complaints about color rendering. This effect is possible, in particular, due to the support of 4 colors.

The paint used here is not as economical as in previous models, since the minimum drop size is 2pl. However, even with such performance, this is one of the best photo printers for home on the market, and there is often no need to replace ink. For the price offered, this is just a gift!

Advantages:

• Colored water-soluble ink;
• Can print borderless;
• Reliable FINE ink system.
• One set of inks is enough for 7000 pages;
• Resource – up to 6000 pages;
• Low noise level;
• Ease of use;
• The tray is located on top.

Flaws:

• At high temperatures, small streaks of paint may be visible.

Which photo printer is better to buy?

When choosing the best office or home photo printer, you first need to pay attention to its color formula. It is advisable that there is a cartridge or containers for ink of at least 4 shades. The standard set is black, yellow, magenta and cyan. However, if there are more colors, the print usually turns out even brighter and more interesting.

For ease of printing, it is better that the device can connect to a PC wirelessly via Wi-Fi. No less relevant is the ability to transfer images directly from the phone, which is ideal for selfie lovers. Those who want to receive prints of various sizes should consider purchasing office equipment that supports A3, A3+, A4 paper sizes.

Here's what model you can choose based on different purposes:

• To quickly print selfie images, you can buy HP Sprocket, Black.
• The Epson L1800 is well suited for use in a photo studio, for example, to obtain prints for passports and other documents.
• If you also need to print advertising brochures, in addition to photographs, you should pay attention to the Epson SureColor SC-P600.
• For working with paper different types and formats best choice there will be a Ricoh SP C260DNw.
• Amateur photographers can limit themselves to non-professional options - HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 5075 M2U86C and HP Officejet Pro 6230 ePrinter.

Even if we are talking about the best photo printers, no one can guarantee that they are completely free of shortcomings. Therefore, we advise you to familiarize yourself with them in advance and understand whether they are important to you. In any case, this rating will help you make your choice!

In the days of film cameras, it took quite a long time to get a finished photograph. Take a photograph, develop the film, print - and each stage was extremely slow.

But in certain moment The era of instant photographs has arrived, and the name of the main manufacturer of such cameras has become a household name - Polaroid. But nothing lasts forever and the time of instant photographs quickly ended, the era began digital photography, when you don’t even need to print a photo to look at the result. But humanity has a craving for retro things, in particular, someone once thought and revived instant photographs.

Currently, the most famous instant cameras are from a Japanese company whose name cannot be named. This means that there will be a comparison of the hero of our today’s review, but it will be with a certain abstract company A. So, today I will introduce you to the compact HP Sprocket photo printer. It is worth considering that compact photo printers come in different sizes, if we are talking about HP Sprocket and the like, then these devices are slightly more smartphone printing on special paper.

The technology of such paper is called Zink, which stands for Zero Ink, that is, “without ink.” There is also a variety of compact photo printers that print on regular paper measuring 10 by 15 cm, but such “compact” photo printers are more laptop-sized in size and will not be considered in today’s review. One more thing - at the beginning I mentioned instant cameras, but in this case these are instant photo printers, their essence is approximately the same, you just select any photo on your smartphone or take it right here and now, and then send it wirelessly to printer. By the way, this company has similar compact photo printers, and it was on them that photographs were taken for comparison.

Specifications

Common parameters

• The main color is red;
• Print format - 50.8 x 76.2 mm;
• Maximum print resolution - 313x400 dpi;
• Printing speed - 1 ppm;
• Interfaces - micro USB, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC;
• Includes: ZINK Zero Ink photo paper 10 pieces;
• Features - battery operation;
• Dimensions and weight;
• Width - 75 mm;
• Height - 115 mm;
• Depth - 22 mm;
• Weight - 0.172 kg;

Packaging and accessories

A small compact box in a plastic holder contains the printer itself, a set of documentation, a charging cable and a pack of ZINK Zero Ink photo paper (10 pieces). The box shows appearance printer and basic specifications.

Appearance

Externally, the HP Sprocket printer most closely resembles a small PowerBank. A small parallelepiped with beveled corners, the body is made of glossy plastic, which very quickly collects fingerprints, dust and other dirt. The front side of the printer displays the company logo and model name. On the reverse side there is a website with promotional materials. The only control element is the power button, located on the side. At the ends there is a charging connector (standard microUSB) and a slot for outputting the finished photo.

HP Sprocket is available in black and white color options, which also look stylish and interesting.

Paper is loaded from the top - the top panel is a small cover, removing which you can access the paper compartment. The printer allows you to load 10 sheets of paper at a time. All printer control is carried out through a smartphone application; iOS and Android operating systems are supported.

The HP Sprocket printer uses ZINK Zero Ink paper that measures 5 x 7.6 cm (2 x 3 inches). The paper tray holds 10 sheets, which is actually just one pack. The photo is printed without borders, i.e. occupies the entire surface area of ​​the leaf. To use the photo printer, you need to download a special application to your smartphone - Sprocket. After installation, you should perform several simple and logical clear actions, and the printer is ready to use. When you first launch the application, it will show you tips on how to use the printer and how to properly load paper into the tray. The process of selecting and printing a photo is extremely simple. The photo source can be your smartphone’s gallery or data from Instagram, Facebook or Google accounts.

The application allows you to edit photos before printing, the process and capabilities are similar to the functions of Instagram - minor photo corrections, adding frames or inscriptions, etc. After editing the photo, if necessary, simply press the print button and the photo will begin to print. You can view the print queue, including reprinting the last photo you printed. Printing occurs in less than a minute, and the photo is immediately ready for viewing, unlike other similar photo printers that I have used before, there is no need to wait for some time for the image to appear.

Print quality testing

Naturally, you shouldn’t expect print quality at least close to stationary photo printers or specialized laboratories. HP Sprocket has a completely different positioning; in fact, it is a printer for entertainment. Immediately after shooting, take a printed photo as a keepsake after a party or memorable event. A separate problem for almost all color printers is printing black and white photographs. Accordingly, we will check the quality of color printing and the accuracy of color reproduction, as well as the possibility and quality of printing black and white photographs. Before each use of the printer, a special complete blue calibration card is loaded into it to eliminate the influence of various factors on print quality.

Color print.

First, let's print a special calibration table. Further in the table there will be the original image on the left side, and a scanned version of the printed image on the right.

Impression

Not all photos can be printed correctly on the HP Sprocket. There is a feeling that the higher the quality of the photograph, the more dynamic range, the worse the print will turn out. The paper used in the HP Sprocket simply cannot capture the full range of shades and smooth gradients. There is also a problem with the transfer of skintones, and to a greater extent than with competitors. Obviously, this is a limitation of Zink paper; the competitor uses its proprietary technology with a different type of both cartridges and paper, which is visible even to the naked eye. Although the paper form factor for HP Sprocket itself is more convenient, and printing is done without borders, which looks more advantageous, and the printed image is larger in area.

It is worth noting that high-contrast photographs print better than those with slight toning or low contrast. When printing, you should select photos that do not have bright highlights or sharp gradients. B&W photographs are printed with slight toning. The black color is closer to dark brown, somewhat reminiscent of the black on conventional TFT screens, but real color depth cannot be achieved. Actually, this is a problem with all such printers, although the competitor has a special cartridge with paper specifically for black and white photographs, i.e. there, shades of gray are not obtained by mixing three colors, but initially a dye is used specifically for printing gradations of black.

Autonomous operation

The manufacturer does not declare the capacity of the built-in battery. During testing, the battery was fully charged. Printing one ream of paper (10 sheets), with calibration performed before each print, used up almost 50% of the charge. Accordingly, when standard use A fully charged battery is guaranteed to print 20 photos and even a little more.

Printing cost

At the time of writing the review, the cost of the HP Sprocket printer was 9,999 rubles. The cost of paper is approximately 500 rubles. for a pack of 10 sheets or 950 rub. for a pack of 20 sheets, thus, if you do not take into account the cost of the printer, then the cost of one print is approximately 50 rubles. On the one hand, the cost of the printer, as well as the final photographs, is on par with its competitors, but if you look at the cost of printing photographs in professional photo laboratories, it becomes clear that the cost of one photograph is extremely high. But it's worth remembering that with the HP Sprocket, you get photos instantly, and all from a device slightly larger than a standard smartphone.

conclusions

The compact HP Sprocket color photo printer does not pretend to be a full-fledged photo printer, and it’s not even about the quality of the print, but about the size of the resulting image and the final cost of printing. The purpose of the HP Sprocket is to provide entertainment, to give emotions at holidays, parties or just while walking. And if we consider it in this way, then such a device can brighten up your birthday, wedding, or just a vacation with friends a little, give you a little more smiles and a small photo as a keepsake of such a wonderful day. There is a demand for such devices, just as there is a demand for various photo booths in which you can print any photos, for example, from Instagram, and in terms of the cost of printing, such a photo printer in the future looks more profitable to operate.

Pros:

• Compact dimensions;
• Convenient printing application;
• Convenient paper format;
• Borderless printing.

• Printing cost;
• Accuracy of colors and gradients;
• Low dynamic range of printed images.

Just one and a half to two years ago, portable inkjet photo printers for many users seemed nothing more than fun, exotic entertainment, or even a misunderstanding. But time has dotted all the i’s and shown not only viability, but also an increase in interest in this kind of product. Almost all serious brands already have interesting, promising and new models of mini photo printers. But today we will not talk about all of them at once, but about a specific product, a new product from HP, the Photosmart A618 inkjet photo printer.

What is interesting about this printer, what new can it offer us? And is it worth the money they are asking for it? We will try to answer these and other questions in the format of this article.

Acquaintance

The HP Photosmart A618 can be called a lightweight version of the Photosmart A717, which today is the top model of HP's modern line of portable photo printers. Of the main differences between the A618 and the more “advanced” A717, I would highlight only three - the size of the LCD screen (it is slightly smaller, 2.4" versus 2.5"), the inability to connect to a television receiver and the absence hard drive for storing photos. These simplifications, of course, are significant, but at the same time they made it possible to reduce the cost of the printer without depriving it of its attractiveness.

Brief technical specifications (declared by the manufacturer)
Printing technology	Thermal inkjet printing HP
Print head nozzles	600 color ink nozzles
Print quality (color, premium quality)	Print from your computer at up to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi and 1200 dpi input resolution
Print speed (color photo, best quality on photo paper, 10 x 15)	Up to 98 sec
Print speed (color photo, in draft mode on photo paper, 10 x 15)	Up to 39 sec
Footnote for typing speed	Approximate values. Depends on the document type and printing mode. The exact speed varies depending on system configuration, software, and document complexity.
Attached software	HP Photosmart Essential and HP Photosmart Premier
Standard paper trays
Recommended media	HP Advanced Photo Paper: 10 x 15 cm and 13 x 18 cm
Media sizes	10 x 15 cm, 10 x 30 cm, 13 x 18 cm
Recommended media weight	HP Photo Paper up to 280 gsm
Standard RAM
Compatible Operating Systems	Windows 98 SE, 2000, Me, XP Home, XP Professional, XP Professional x64 Edition; Mac OS X v10.3.9 and higher
Standard Connectivity	USB port (USB 2.0 compliant), PictBridge support, memory card slots, wireless connectivity with built-in HP bt450 Bluetooth for wireless printing and PC connectivity
Acoustic power of noise emission	5.5 B (A scale)
Dimensions (W x D x H)	252 x 116 x 129 mm
Dimensions with trays raised (W x D x H)	252 x 118 x 126 mm
Weight	1.57 kg
Power consumption	Average 14W printing, less than 3W standby, less than 1W off
Equipment	HP Photosmart A618 Compact Photo Printer, HP 110 5ml Tri-Color Ink Cartridge CB304AE, HP Photosmart Software
Total print system life with HP 110	Approximately 55 10 x 15 photographs
Battery recharge time	~ 2.5 h

We won’t talk much about the appearance of the device; everything is clearly visible in the photographs.

In the absence of design differences from the very first portable HP printers, the A618 turned out to be very elegant and stylish. It’s quite difficult to ignore this lacquered beauty, and the dark color of the case only gives the device additional seriousness. The new Photosmart no longer seems like just a pretty toy. And the ability to print photographs in the now popular 13x18 cm format takes it a step above its small-format classmates.

The printer is interesting, first of all, for its capabilities - direct printing from memory cards and flash drives, support for the PictBridge standard, the above-mentioned maximum media format of 13x18 cm, support for panoramic printing on photo paper 10x30 cm in size, and, of course, built-in support for Bluetooth technology. There is good news for users of fashionable iPod players. The A618 can not only print photos from iPod devices, but also export pictures from memory cards to these devices.

Installation, menu, operation

Everything that I said about installation and the driver in the previous article on can also be addressed to the A618. The only difference is the limitation of the maximum print format, which is 13x18 cm. Otherwise, everything remains virtually unchanged.

The system defines the new device as follows:

The printer menu, as usual, is multi-stage, with a large number of different settings, but, nevertheless, quite understandable. Even without reading the instructions, many of its points do not raise questions or ambiguity.

In order not to dwell on each of the menu items separately, I will only give it block diagram, which will allow you to evaluate the autonomous capabilities of the printer.

Menu structure:

• Printing options;
• Editing;
• Tools;
• Bluetooth;
• Reference;
• Preferred settings.

1. Printing options

- Seal of everyone. Printing all photos from a memory card installed in the printer;
– Printing video frames. Print nine frames of a video clip;
– Print range. Print a range of photographs;
– Print catalog page. Print a catalog of all photos on the memory card;
– Panoramic photographs. Enable or disable panoramic printing mode; By default this mode is disabled. When you select On. All selected photos are printed in 3:1 aspect ratio. When printing directly from a digital camera connected via USB cable, panoramic printing is not supported;
– Photo stickers. Enable or disable label printing mode; By default this mode is disabled. When set to On, 16 photos are printed on each page;
– CD/DVD stickers;
– Photos for documents.

2. Editing

– Rotate the photo;
– Add a frame;
– Add color effect(Black and White, Sepia, Antique or No Effects (default);
– Brightness of photos.

3. Tools

– Photosmart sharing (Instant Share). Transfer photos to other users from a memory card installed in the printer. The printer must be connected to a computer on which the printer software is installed and access to the Internet is provided;
– View 9 photos;
- Slide show;
- Print a test page;
- Print a test page;
- Cleaning the cartridge;
- Cartridge alignment.

4.Bluetooth

– Device address;
- Device name;
- Password;
- Availability;
- Reset parameters.

6. Preferences

– Print quality.(Best (default and provides the highest print quality), Normal, Fast Normal;
– Paper type;
- Date Time. Print date/time stamp on photos;
– Color space. (Adobe RGB, sRGB and Automatic selection);
– Borderless;
– After printing. Indicates whether photos are deselected after printing; the following values ​​are provided;
– Preview with animation;
– Improved video quality;
– Restore default values;
- Language;
- Password;
- Availability;
– Reset parameters.

There were no complaints about the printer's operation in offline mode. Everything is clear and without failures, except for the lack of information about the amount of ink in the cartridge (which I will talk about below). And working in tandem with a computer revealed two shortcomings of a particular instance.

These problems are most likely related to the specific sample we tested, and can be “treated” by updating the printer firmware.

Seal

It is quite difficult (if not impossible) to get excellent quality prints on the three-color system that HP portable photo printers still use. The noticeable halftone pattern is the main reason I rate this printer's print output as only very good. Good color rendition, high detail and realistic print are the main advantages of this model. And don’t forget about printing speed. A print of maximum quality in two minutes (from a PC) is a very good indicator for this system, which can be further reduced by changing the print parameters.

The test used three types of photo papers: HP Premium Photo Paper (glossy), HP Premium Photo Paper (semi-gloss), and HP Glossy Photo Paper (HP Advanced). Everything that was said about color rendering in the article also applies to this printer. That is additional customization in the driver, when printing on new HP Advanced paper you will need.

Conclusion

It's time to sum it up.
What do we get for $200? Let's compare the “old” and new A618, especially since not only the cost, but also the technical characteristics of these devices are very similar.

The marking of the cartridge used has changed, but we still have the same second-generation version: a three-color system, 200 nozzles per color, with a minimum droplet size of 4-5 picoliters. And as a result, the printing speed and its quality are within the limits of existing values. The situation with filling the cartridge is also similar. VIVERA ink used in the new HP 110 cartridge (CB304AE) has been successfully used and is used for cartridges 134, 135. That is, there have been practically no changes in the printing system. But in fairness, we must admit that the lack of black density, which was reflected in the results, did not manifest itself in the A618. In terms of realism and color rendition, the photographs of the A618 are noticeably better.

The printer driver has changed: it has become more convenient and clearer. The same can be said about the design of the device. It has become more modern, elegant and attractive. But if you remember, the main advantage of the model was the built-in HDD 1.5 GB and the ability to connect the printer to a television receiver. But the A618 doesn’t have this.

In return we get autonomous operation from the battery (up to 75 photos from one charge), and built-in bluetooth adapter, which most likely will not be used often, due to the presence of a card reader and a USB port.

The device will undoubtedly find its buyer, but, in my opinion, its price is still too high. With a printer cost of $150-170, it is guaranteed success. So far, being in the same price niche as the A618, it does not have any noticeable advantages. This is an image model with a good technical component, and support for the increasingly popular iPod players is further confirmation of this.

Updated: 11/01/2018 16:09:32

Expert: Sergey Vorontsov

*Review of the best sites according to the editors. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective in nature, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.

The American company Hewlett-Packard is one of the most famous and recognized manufacturers of computers, components and peripheral devices. HP brand printers occupy a significant position in the company's production volume. The Expertology editors have prepared a special rating based on the recommendations of our experts best printers produced by this tech giant. The review of ten items is divided into two groups based on the color of the print: the first group is color printers (regardless of technology), the second is only monochrome laser ones.

Rating of the best HP printers

Best HP Color Printers

In this part of the review, we will look at a group of printers that received the highest ratings from our experts. Specific Models were selected to cover the needs of a wide variety of users. Therefore, printers differ significantly in printing technology - inkjet and laser, format - from the most common A4 to wide-format, productivity and, accordingly, cost.

Let's start traditionally with the most expensive model with extensive capabilities. This is a color “laser” capable of printing on A3 format media (this, not least of all, determined its high cost).

The dimensions of the device are 545x338x599 mm and it weighs 40.9 kg. Despite such impressive dimensions and significant weight, the device requires desktop placement. In operation, it consumes up to 440 W of mains energy, in standby mode – no more than 4.4 W. In terms of productivity, this model is conditionally designed for the average office with an approximate production of about 75 thousand prints in 30 days. The actual operating speed is 20 prints per minute in any color. The first print is issued after 17 seconds. Duplex is activated automatically.

Color printing is based on a 4-color basic model using the appropriate number of individual cartridges. Highest level image quality resolution - 600x600dpi. The capacity of each color cartridge is comparable to the estimated 7.3 thousand pages, black – 7 thousand pages.

The dimensions of the trays are as follows: automatic feeding tank - up to 850 sheets, standard - 350 sheets; output – up to 250 sheets; manual feed – up to 100.

Despite the large format and, accordingly, high cost, the presented model surprisingly does not shine with outstanding electronic control parts: a processor with a modest 540 MHz frequency; RAM memory is 192 MB, however, it can be upgraded to 448 MB. However, such a technological profile cannot be considered a direct disadvantage, since redundancy in processor and memory is not the most rare phenomenon, which significantly affects the cost.

This series provides exclusively for connection via a wire - directly to a computer via USB or general access over local network.

The printer software includes support for PostScript and PCL, adaptation to operating systems of the Windows, Linux, and MacOS families.

Advantages

• large maximum format;
• fault tolerance;
• combination of speed and productivity;
• appearance.

Flaws

• complaints about problems with drivers causing the “Out of Memory” error.

The second number in our ranking is a model that is fundamentally different from all the others. This is a wide-format printer with an exceptionally large maximum working format - A0. Printing principle: thermal, inkjet, full color.

The dimensions of the device are 1292x932x530 mm, weight - 27.7 kg. These dimensions require installation on the floor. Consumes 35 W of mains power in operation. Normal noise level should not be higher than 48 dB. There is also a slight noise in standby mode – 16 dB. The control panel is equipped with a 4.3” color LCD display.

A color image is formed by a combination of ink of four basic shades, each from a separate cartridge. Black ink is pigment ink, color ink is water-soluble. The quality of prints in terms of resolution is 1200x1200 dpi in color and 2400x2400 dpi in black and white.

Let's consider the most important features of the device, which are important specifically in the context of the purpose of large-format printers. The printing speed can be illustrated by the example of line graphs in b/w and color on A1 format in draft mode - exactly 70 prints per hour (or 35 seconds per page). Line printing accuracy varies within 0.1% with a line width of at least 0.07 mm. The media can be sheets (paper, photo paper, films) with a width of 210 to 914 mm or rolls with a width of 279 to 914 mm with an outer roll diameter of up to 10 cm. The maximum media thickness is 0.3 mm, density is from 60 to 280 g/sq. meter. Photo printing is possible - a separate tray is provided for feeding media. No stand provided.

The technical and software parts of the device include the following capabilities: wired and Wi-Fi connections; equipped with 1 GB RAM memory; AirPrint technology; availability of a web interface; availability of drivers for Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS; without PostScript support.

Advantages

• reliability;
• speed;
• fault tolerance;
• wireless connection;
• quality of graphs, free images and photographs.

Flaws

• not noted.

Further in the rating, we will consider a more ordinary model - an A4 color “laser printer” with very decent performance, which, according to conventional estimates, is enough to cover the needs of an “average” office - 50 thousand copies in 30 days.

Printer dimensions – 470x295x411 mm, net weight – 18.9 kg. The power consumption level of the electrical network is up to 570 W during normal operation, during standby - 17.6 W. The declared noise level is no more than 48 dB. The design and dimensions provide for desktop placement.

The quality of prints in terms of resolution is up to 600x600dpi, regardless of the color mode. Duplex mode (2 sides) is activated on the fly. The actual speed of work is calculated by producing 27 prints per minute in any color. The first copy is issued after 8.90 sec in b/w mode and 9.50 sec in color. The color image is formed from four basic shades, each of which is supplied from a separate cartridge. The capacity of each cartridge corresponds to a conventional 2.3 thousand pages.

The media supply/output system in this series is organized as follows: an automatic feed tank with a capacity of 300 sheets; output location – 150 sheets; manual loading – 50 sheets. We recommend paper with a weight of 60 to 200 gsm. meter.

Key indicators of the technical and electronic part of the device: 256 MB of RAM memory, processor with a core frequency of 1.2 GHz. Connection – direct via USB or shared via local network. AirPrint is supported. There is a direct printing function or via a web interface.

Advantages

• ease of settings;
• availability of branded cartridges and ease of refilling;
• favorable price based on characteristics;
• elegant design.

Flaws

• high quality “pictures” only on new original (expensive) cartridges.

Next in our ranking is another interesting model color "laser" A4 format from Hewlett-Packard. In terms of estimated productivity, it is slightly inferior to the previous model - 40 thousand copies in 30 days, and already falls into the conditional category “for a small office”. However, its price completely covers all these conventions, and the technical characteristics are quite up to par.

Printer dimensions – 392x247x435 mm, net weight – 13.8 kg. Obviously, with such dimensions, the installation is meant to be desktop. In operation, it consumes up to 381 W of electrical power and produces noise up to 50 dB. During standby, power consumption is minimal – no higher than 7.5 W.

A full-color image is formed according to the same principle as in the previous model - four basic colors, each from a separate cartridge. The capacity of a black cartridge is 1.4 thousand pages, and that of any color cartridge is 1.3 thousand pages.

The print quality in terms of resolution is up to 600x600dpi in both color modes. The operating speed in both modes is 21 copies per minute, the first print is issued after 10.70 s in black and white and 12.10 s in color. Duplex mode is turned on automatically.

Media input/output: 251-sheet automatic paper feed tank; output – 100 sheets; manual feed – 1 sheet. Recommended paper density is from 60 to 220 gsm. meter.

On the electronic and technical part this model has both advantages over the previous one and weaker points. So, random access memory half as much - 128 MB, weaker processor - 800 MHz. But in terms of connectivity, this model has a noticeable advantage - in addition to a wired connection via USB and local network, connection is also possible via Wi-Fi. The package of “native” drivers includes support for Windows, Linux, Mac OS, and iOS operating systems.

Advantages

• there is a Wi-Fi connection;
• attractive price against the backdrop of decent characteristics;
• ease of installation and operation;
• reliability and reliability.

Flaws

• expensive original cartridges, difficulties with refilling.

In terms of dimensions, this model is comparable to the laser version described above - 464x145x385 mm, but in weight - expectedly disproportionately lighter - 5.1 kg. In operation it consumes up to 33 W, in standby mode - 1.16 W. Placement: desktop. Printing technology – inkjet, thermal. Estimated productivity is about 15 thousand copies per 30 days. The incoming tray can hold 225 sheets of paper, and the outgoing tray can hold 60 sheets.

This model demonstrates a very careful and thoughtful engineering approach to ensuring print quality. So, there are five modes in total: draft, normal, high quality, photo printing and maximum resolution. In b/w mode, draft printing provides a resolution of 300x300dpi, high quality and photo printing - 600x600dpi, highest quality - 1200x1200dpi. At full color The first three modes, according to official data from the manufacturer, are in the “Auto” mode, which implies optimal adjustment of the resolution, photo printing - 600x600dpi, and the top mode - optimized quality 4800x1200dpi. The last “exorbitant” figure is the result of a complex image formation algorithm, and not the resolution in its pure form.

The breakdown of print speeds is as follows: draft – up to 29 copies per minute in black and white and up to 24 copies in color; standard ISO printing – up to 18 copies in black and white and up to 10 in color; 2-way auto mode– up to 8 copies in black and white and up to 5 in color. The first print is issued after 16 seconds in black and white and after 18 seconds in color.

As for an inkjet printer, this model has quite remarkable electronics on board: a 500 MHz processor and 256 MB of RAM. With regard to the connection options, the situation here is the most attractive among all the models in the selection - in addition to wired methods via USB and local network, you can also connect the printer via Wi-Fi and even FireWire. AirPrint is also supported. There is no PostScript support. Standard drivers are available for operating systems Windows, Linux, Mac OS, iOS.

Advantages

• affordable price;
• high quality printing with a flexible engineering approach;
• speed;
• many connection methods, including wireless;
• "in-flight" is installed on all compatible systems.

Flaws

• quite noisy.

Best HP black and white printers

Now let's move on to the second selection in our rating, which was compiled only laser printers HP with monochrome printing.

First of all, we will present the most powerful, productive and expensive model, the capabilities of which were built by the developers based on the most intensive use in large offices or in operational printing enterprises. The most important point consists of the maximum format - here it is A3.

Device dimensions - 568x392x596 mm, net weight - 38.5 kg. Operating power consumption is 786 W, standby power consumption is no more than 22 W. The declared maximum noise level is 56 dB.

The printer is capable of printing at 1200x1200dpi quality. Speed ​​– 20 pages per minute for A3 and 41 ppm for A4. The first copy is issued after 10.50 s. Duplex mode is activated automatically. The estimated capacity of the cartridge is approximately 17.5 thousand copies.

Media feeding and output of finished prints are organized as follows. The autofeed reservoir is very large - 4600 sheets, but this is the maximum capacity, and the recommended capacity is 600 sheets. The output section has a capacity of 250 sheets. Manual feed slot - 100 sheets.

As central processor An ARM Cortex chip with a core frequency of 800 MHz is used. Standard equipment with RAM memory is 512 MB, upgradeable to 1 GB available. Connection is possible directly to a computer/server via USB or to a local network via the RJ-45 port.

Other features of the model: PostScript support, direct printing, built-in web interface, availability of drivers for operating systems of the Windows family, as well as for MacOS.

Advantages

• huge automatic feed tray;
• speed;
• capacious cartridge, no problems with refilling or analogues;
• Large maximum media format.

Flaws

• No obvious disadvantages were found.

Number two in this ranking is another high-performance model for a large office. The estimated performance is more than impressive - 275 thousand copies in 30 days. At the same time, the printer is more than half the price of the previous one, and the main factor for this is the limitation in format - A4.

The linear dimensions of the device are 431x380x466 mm, net weight is 21.6 kg. In active operation mode it consumes up to 780 W of electricity, in standby mode - no more than 15.3 W. The nominal noise level declared by the manufacturer is no higher than 55 dB.

In terms of picture quality, this model has exactly the same capabilities as the previous one - up to 1200x1200dpi resolution. As for the printing speed, in this case it is much higher – up to 61 copies per minute. The first print is issued after 5.40 s. Duplex is activated on the fly. The cartridge capacity corresponds to a conditional 11 thousand copies.

The media supply and output of finished prints are structured as follows: an automatic feed tank with a maximum capacity of 4400 sheets; output compartment – ​​up to 1300 sheets; manual feeding – up to 100 sheets. We recommend using paper with a weight ranging from 60 to 199 gsm. meter.

The standard RAM equipment for this model is 512 MB and there is also a very decent “gap” for an upgrade - up to 1536 MB. The processor is also quite serious - with a core clock frequency of 1.2 GHz. Connection methods – the local network(RJ-45 interface) or direct connection to a PC via USB. It has its own web interface, support for AirPrint and PostScript, and direct printing. “Native” drivers allow you to install the printer on Windows, Linux, Mac OS, and iOS systems.

Advantages

• exclusively high speed;
• one of the best combinations of performance and cost;
• fault tolerance;
• powerful electronics.

Flaws

• Many users are severely lacking in wireless connectivity.

The rating continues with a medium-productive A4 printer with more modest productivity indicators - up to 80 thousand copies in 30 days. However, in terms of other characteristics, the device is of a fairly decent level, and the price is more than half the price of the previous one.

The body dimensions are 381x216x357 mm, the net weight of the printer is only 8.58 kg. Power consumption level during workload is up to 591 W, idle - 6.1 W. The noise declared by the manufacturer is no higher than 54 dB.

The print quality in terms of resolution is equal to the two previous solutions - 1200x1200dpi. Print production speed is up to 38 copies per 60 seconds, the first one is issued after 5.70 seconds. Duplex mode is activated automatically. The toner volume in the cartridge is designed for an average of 3.1 thousand copies.

The supply of source files and the issuance of copies is organized as follows: an automatic feed reservoir with a capacity of 900 sheets (recommended - 350), an output slot with a capacity of 150 sheets; manual loading – 100 sheets. We recommend paper weights ranging from 60 to 175 gsm. meter.

The standard RAM in printers of this series is four times less than that of the previous solution - 128 MB and cannot be upgraded; but the processor power is exactly the same - 1.2 GHz core clock frequency.

The dimensions of the device body are 365x191x247 mm, the net weight is minimal and comparable to inkjet printers - only 4.7 kg. Maximum power consumption in operating mode is 380 W, in standby mode – no more than 1.7 W. The noise declared by the manufacturer is no higher than 51 dB. Print production speed is up to 22 pages in 60 seconds, the first copy is issued after 7.30 seconds.

In this model we already see a noticeable “drawdown” in image resolution - the maximum is 600x600 dpi. But this is quite expected, given its affordable price. What is extremely noteworthy is that the printer comes with cartridges. There are as many as three of them with standard toner refills. This is a more than noticeable advantage, but there is one annoying thing. The DRUM chip built into the printer keeps its own count of printed copies and, after the nominal value has expired, “makes a decision” about the need to replace consumables, at a time when there may still be an impressive amount of toner remaining and the photodrum is in almost perfect condition.

The feeding/dispensing system is constructed as follows: an automatic feeding tank with a capacity of 160 sheets; output socket – 100 sheets; manual loading – 10 sheets. Recommended paper: 60 to 163 gsm. meter.

The amount of RAM here is the same as the previous model - 128 MB and cannot be expanded. The processor is twice as weak - 600 MHz. Connectivity options include 802.11n generation Wi-Fi and wired USB. Network connection No. PostScript is not supported, only PCL 5e. Compatible with native drivers operating systems Windows, Mac OS, iOS. There is support for AirPrint.

Advantages

• three cartridges included;
• compact and lightweight;
• wireless connection;
• toner is separate from the print head.

Flaws

• The DRUM chip eliminates the advantage of having three cartridges as standard.

This selection of ratings, and at the same time the entire review, is completed by a budget A4 printer with relatively modest performance - about 10 thousand prints in 30 days, which, nevertheless, is in great demand due to all its other characteristics.

The dimensions of the device are 365x332x467 mm, the weight is as minimal as that of the model above - 4.7 kg. Operating power consumption – up to 380 W, standby – no more than 1.7 W. At maximum load it produces noise at a level of no more than 51 dB.

Many parameters of this model are completely the same as the previous one: print resolution is maximum 600x600 dpi; speed – up to 22 pages per minute; output of the first print after 7.30 s; tray organization – 160/100/10 sheets; Recommended paper: 60 to 163 gsm. density meter; memory/processor – 128 MB/600 MHz respectively; connection via Wi-Fi and USB; AirPrint; no PostScript support; driver package for Windows, Mac OS, iOS.

Another point in which this model is inferior to the previous one is the nominal toner cartridge resource. Here it corresponds to the conditional 1400 copies.

Advantages

• attractive price;
• compact and lightweight;
• appearance;
• wireless connection.

Flaws

• There are complaints about problems with standard drivers.

Attention! This rating is subjective in nature, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.