HP Color LaserJet 1600 Printer Review

The HP Color LaserJet 1600 is an entry-level printer, perfect for a home office. The HP Color LaserJet 1600 provides high-quality color and monochrome prints on both legal- (8.5 in. x 14 in.) and letter-size (8.5 in. x 11 in.) paper. While the printer is not capable of printing on special paper (photo, card stock, transparencies or irregular sizes),  if you are in search of a simple printer to print copies of presentations or documents for personal use, the HP Color LaserJet 1600 is capable of producing your desired results.

The printer’s paper tray—capable of holding 250 sheets—is not expandable, nor is the 16 MB memory. The HP Color LaserJet is not network ready, as it does not come equipped with an Ethernet, but rather a simple USB connection. It is also only compatible with Windows-based computers (Windows 98, SE, Me, 2000, XP and Server 2003). Another downside is that the printer comes standard with starter cartridges, rather than full-sized toner cartridges; meaning that if you print often, you will need to replace the color cartridges sooner than normal. The lower price of the HP Color LaserJet 1600 may not make a huge difference after you spend additional money on color cartridges, much sooner than you had originally planned. That said, the HP Color LaserJet 1600’s print quality might make up for its shortcomings.

The HP Color LaserJet 1600 comes standard with HP’s PhotoREt 2400 technology that is included in other more advanced HP printers. The HP PhotoREt technology ensures that text-heavy prints are clear and images appear crisp. The printer also uses HP’s ColorSphere toner, which aids in the clarity of images and texts produced through the HP Color LaserJet 1600. Each toner cartridge is capable of producing between 1,800 and 2,500 sheets before a replacement is required.

If you are in search for a printer that can handle large print jobs, produce a wide variety of print jobs or produce professional-quality prints, the HP Color LaserJet 1600 will not meet your needs. However, the printer’s relatively low price compared to other color laser printers, coupled with high-resolution text and images, make it a feasible solution for the home or single office within a larger operation.