printing machine are n’t exactly known for origination . But every once and a while , one comes along that catches your attention .
The HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw did exactly that . The printer work up on the company ’s long legacy of quality laser printers with its neweco - friendly and energy - effective TerraJet tonerand its unique dial - based drug user interface .
I put the Modern Color LaserJet Pro through its pace to encounter out how well this young engineering work , and checked print performance , caliber , and prospicient - term price . To earn thoughtfulness asone of the best colour optical maser printers , it involve to excel in every style — and I ’m captivated to describe that this one did .
Design
HP ’s Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw is an attractive printer with a sheer marine - blue front panel on a blanched body . It has a sturdy design but is n’t too bulky , with a step of 16.6 by 16.8 column inch and put up 11.3 inches high . The weightiness is 36 pounds , so it ’s not too heavy to move around when you need to .
The user port of the Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw is unequaled . To keep costs down , printer manufacturers often include button and a stock screen rather of a touch screen . However , HP opt for a 4 - line black and white display and a dial , a clever choice .
believe about how easy it is to line up loudness with a telephone dial or set the temperature on an oven . With a speedy twist you get on the button what you require without recapitulate button clicking . I enjoyed using the Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw ’s dialto pilot and scroll . The dial acts as a clitoris also , so I press to take or prevail to open a crosscut menu .
A USB - A port at the top leftfield is hidden behind a pitch - up dust cover . That makes manner of walking - up printing process commodious .
A 250 - sheet paper tray is a drawer at the bottom of the HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw . The grandiloquent blue venire above tilts forward to unwrap a 50 - sheet of paper media tray for labels , envelope , and alternate media .
Printing performance
The HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw is built for speed without sacrificing tone . The first varlet shoots out in as little as nine minute . For longer document , pages roll out at 35 pages per minute ( ppm ) . Color prints just as quickly as black and white . Duplex speed retard slightly to 31 ppm and save paper by using both face .
HP ’s TerraJet toner melts at depleted temperatures , using 27 % less vigor and provide more consistent colour . In my trial , the Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw deal photos nearly as well as an inkjet printer and much more promptly .
To be light , an inkjet manage elusive tone well , offers borderless printing process and some , like theEpson EcoTank ET-8500 , apply a six - colouring material ink systemto extend the dynamical range and color accuracy of photographic prints .
The HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw is project for the position where you call for color documents more often than shining pictures , and it stand out at that task . Blocks of color nontextual matter publish cleanly with no streak , lines , or blotch .
It ’s a swell color laser printer that ’s versatile enough and fast enough for any problem .
Special features
HP ’s Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw has two USB - A ports : one on the front and one on the back . Both accept pollex drives .
For walk - up printing , I render the front port and discovered I demand to enable it before it would work . The toggle is under ripe preferences in the HP Smart app .
With the telephone dial , I can select any file on the flash parkway , PDF or image , adjust photographic print options and print without the penury to install a driver on my computer or an app on my phone . That ’s quite commodious in a shared workspace .
I did n’t try the rear USB - A port , but HP aver it ’s for occupation entrepot . A thumb drive can go for mark jobs to make prompt copies of often demand written document or hold mark until a exceptional person go far at the printing machine . Again , this is a big characteristic for a busy office , but not as important for habitation use of goods and services .
Software and compatibility
Setup was straightaway and easy at the printer . HP ’s twofold - band , ego - healing Wi - Fi link to my net in seconds . I used the dial to enter my Wi - Fi password . In retrospect , I should have press the WPS button on my router and chose that option from the Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw ’s carte du jour .
There are USB - B and Ethernet larboard on the back for direct connection to a computer . Windows and Mac data processor recognize the HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw instantly , and the HP Smart app for iOS and Android let me match toner levels and get at advanced setting .
Once I enabled the front USB - A interface , everything worked as expect . I could print anything on labels , envelope , visiting card stock , or standard report , apace and with great character .
Price
HP ’s list price for the Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw is $ 569 , but it ’s easy to find for as lowly as $ 399 . That ’s a dandy price for a dependable and tough gloss optical maser printer with 35 ppm focal ratio . The Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw ’s sales agreement price stimulate it almostas cheap as Brother ’s HL - L3295CDW .
I researched toner costs , an authoritative consideration to evaluate the long - term value of a printer . HP makes 210A and 210X cartridges . The latter lasts three times longer and offer significant savings over meter .
A stock black toner magazine render about 2,000 pages , while the high - capacity magazine ply 7,500 pages . Each standard color toner pickup survive for 1,800 varlet , while the eminent - capacity model bring home the bacon up to 5,500 pages .
I calculate cost base on the current cartridge prices and found black and white impression to be inexpensive while color is low-cost . The average price of black and white document is 2 to 5 cents per Thomas Nelson Page . The high - yield cartridges are more crucial for color printing , which costs 12 to 20 penny per Sir Frederick Handley Page .
Color print cost are lower thanCanon ’s well - rat all - in - one imageClass MF654cdw , with swell hurrying .
Is this the printer for you?
HP ’s Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw is a great colour laser printer that ’s a joy to apply . I like the retro dial interface . The print quality is exceptional , and the speed is impressive .
For little businesses , there ’s pot of capability as your office grows . The recommended tariff - cycle is 4,000 pages per month , but the printer can address up to 50,000 page to lodge large project . An optional 550 - tabloid newspaper publisher tray mean you do n’t have to recharge as often .
While the Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw is an ideal choice for diminished business , it also works well for a home office . It ’s affordable , not too large or enceinte , and can care anything you postulate from a printing machine .
If you want copy , scan , and fax capabilities , HP ’s Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdwhas the same print quality and stop number but include a flatbed scanner and automatic document feeder .
