HP PageWide Pro 552dw Printer - Review 2022

The PageWide Pro 552dw Printer ($699) is the top-of-the-line model in HP'south outset-generation of PageWide printers. The new designation comes from the inkjet printer engineering science inside, which uses a printhead that measures the width of the page. The design delivers extraordinary speed for an inkjet, forth with light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation-quality text and graphics. That, plus a college newspaper capacity than almost inkjets, puts the 552dw squarely in contest with lasers. More important, it offers plenty make it our Editors' Choice printer for upward to heavy duty use in a pocket-sized office.

The 552dw is really ane of HP'due south second generation of single-function, desktop printers based on PageWide technology. The first generation—which use Officejet rather than PageWide in the name—includes the HP Officejet Pro X551dw Printer , which is another height choice.

The 552dw is in the process of replacing the older model at this writing, and information technology'due south a step up in many ways. In particular, it delivered ameliorate speed on our tests, and it has double the claimed page yield for both black and color cartridges. The claimed cost per page is the same—at a low 1.3 cents for printing with blackness ink merely or half dozen.8 cents for a color folio—but the higher yield frees you from having to replace the cartridges as often.

The Nuts
Along with speed that'south well into light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation territory—rated at fifty pages per minute (ppm) in the default Professional person mode—the 552dw offers a level of newspaper handling that's more often found in lasers. It comes with a 500-canvas drawer, a 50-canvas multipurpose tray, and a duplexer standard. For offices that need more, yous can also add together one 500-sheet drawer ($199) or a floor stand ($799) that includes 2 500-canvass drawers, for a maximum 1,550 sheets.

The 552dw's output tray holds a substantial 300 sheets. Every bit with a laser, the paper comes out confront downwards, then documents don't have to print in reverse gild for page one to be at the front of the stack.

The printer besides offers some of import conveniences. If you lot connect it to a network, using either Ethernet or Wi-Fi, you can impress through the cloud, as well every bit print from an iOS or Android mobile device by connecting through an access point on your network. You can also take advantage of HP's impress apps and print from a USB memory key using the 4.3-inch impact screen to give commands.

HP PageWide Pro 552dw Printer

If you choose to connect to a single PC via a USB cable instead of connecting to a network, you won't be able to print through the cloud or employ HP's print apps, but y'all tin can still impress from a mobile device by using the printer's Wi-Fi Direct to connect to it direct. If your mobile device supports NFC, you can too connect simply by borer the phone to the NFC logo on the printer.

HP PageWide Pro 552dw Printer

Setup and Speed
As is typical for any printer that offers a large paper capacity, the 552dw is as well large to comfortably share a desk with. However, it's likewise bigger than most lasers with like capacities, at 16.5 by 20.nine by 16 inches (HWD) without the optional paper drawers. In add-on, information technology's hefty enough, at 37 pounds, that yous might want some help moving it into place. Physical setup is similar to setting upwardly a color laser. Network setup is standard. For my tests I connected the printer to a wired network and installed the drivers on a Windows Vista organization.

I timed the 552dw on our business application suite (using QualityLogic's hardware and software for timing) at x.5ppm, making it a bit faster than the HP X551dw, which came in at 9.2ppm. It's also faster than most color lasers. The Xerox Phaser 6600/DN , for instance, managed only 4.6ppm. The HP Color LaserJet Pro M452dw , which is a top option in part for its speed, came in at nine.8ppm.

Output Quality
The 552dw's output quality isn't as impressive as its speed, just it's good plenty for most whatever business employ. Text quality on my tests was better than what about inkjets offering. Information technology was besides within the range that includes the vast majority of colour lasers, making it easily good enough for any business apply. I was able to smudge it a footling past dripping some water on information technology and then rubbing it, merely even the smudged text was readable.

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Graphics output is a clear step in a higher place the level most inkjets and color lasers tin manage, which makes it easily good enough for most business needs, including PowerPoint handouts and the like. I saw some minor banding in large black fills in my tests, but no other obvious problems, and no banding with other fills. Colors in photos I printed on obviously newspaper were a picayune dull, but that'south not surprising for an inkjet. Colors in photos I printed on photograph paper were far ameliorate.

Decision
For college-quality text than the HP PageWide Pro 552dw Printer offers, consider the Xerox 6600/DN or, for greater speed than the Xerox model, the HP M452dw. For virtually offices, however, the 552dw's output quality volition be easily good enough, while the speed, paper handling, and low cost per page will be difficult to beat. The combination makes information technology our Editors' Choice color printer for upward to heavy duty use in a small role.