HP Deskjet 1280 Printer

HP Deskjet 1280 Printer Review

The HP Deskjet 1280 is a robust inkjet printer designed for users who require wide-format printing capabilities, making it particularly suitable for businesses, graphic designers, and those who frequently deal with large-scale document or image printing. Released in the mid-2000s, the 1280 emphasizes versatility and practical performance for a variety of printing tasks.

Design and Build

The HP Deskjet 1280 sports a compact and straightforward design, typical of HP’s approach to its home and small office printers. The printer’s build is sturdy, with a footprint that is understandably larger than that of standard personal printers, given its wide-format capabilities. However, it remains manageable for most office desks. It incorporates a minimalist control panel with basic functions, catering to users looking for simplicity rather than technological clutter. This design choice makes the printer user-friendly, even for those who may not be tech-savvy.

Printing Capabilities

One of the strongest aspects of the HP Deskjet 1280 is its ability to handle a variety of paper sizes up to A3, broadening your printing possibilities significantly compared to standard A4-only printers. This feature is particularly beneficial for architectural drawings, spreadsheets, posters, and other large documents. The printer supports media ranging from standard paper to transparencies and glossy photo paper, enhancing its versatility.

The printer offers a reasonable print resolution of up to 1200 x 600 dpi for black prints and up to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi for color prints. While this does not reach the higher resolutions of more contemporary models, it was considered very satisfactory at the time of release, delivering sharp and vibrant prints for both text documents and images.

Performance and Speed

In terms of speed, the HP Deskjet 1280 performs adequately, with printing speeds hovering around 14 pages per minute for black and white and up to 11 pages per minute for color prints. These figures might seem modest by today’s standards but were competitive at the time of the printer’s launch. Its performance is well-suited for moderate printing needs without an excessive demand for high-volume printing tasks.

Connectivity and Compatibility

Connectivity options for the HP Deskjet 1280 are limited by today’s standards, with the primary connection being through a USB port. It lacks wireless capabilities and network connectivity, which might be a drawback for modern offices looking for seamless integration into their existing network infrastructure. Nonetheless, for standalone use or with devices directly connected to the printer, it performs adequately.

The HP Deskjet 1280 is compatible with a range of operating systems, including Windows and certain versions of Mac OS, although users might face challenges finding drivers for the very latest operating systems due to the printer’s age. For users with compatible systems, installation is straightforward.

Cost and Consumables

An important consideration with any printer is the cost of consumables, and the HP Deskjet 1280 is no exception. It uses HP ink cartridges, available in both standard and high-yield capacities. While HP cartridges ensure optimal performance, they can be relatively expensive. Users often look to third-party options to manage costs, although the use of non-HP cartridges can sometimes impact print quality and reliability.