HP PhotoSmart 7550 Inkjet Printer (HP-Q1605A)

Hewlett-Packard Photosmart 7550

PhotoSmart 7550 Inkjet Printer (HP-Q1605A) Review, by Dan Littman December 3, 2002

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• Reviewed by: sidflorida

  Strengths: The print quality is wonderful. Has never jammed. LCD screen is great.

  Weaknesses: I have found none. Highly recommended.

  Overall: I love printing pictures, flyers and much more on this printer. It is great. I purchased 4 and gave them as presents last year for Christmas and everyone loves them. They are all still working great.

• Reviewed by: barhar

  Strengths: Very good Photo quality

  Weaknesses: Regular & Photo printing is too slow

  Overall: Excellent printers, I have always used HP Products, but this is the slowest one I have ever eccountered. Quality printing in both Photo and regular printing. I would purchase other HP printers.

• Reviewed by: JKrobin

  Strengths: *Superior photo quality and true to life skin tones and colors!

  Weaknesses: A little slow compared to some other photo printers but not terribly. Mine isn't loud & fits snuggly into my cabinet. Ink cartridges should be see through because ink level indicator suggests changing the cartridge sooner than needed (see below).

  Overall: STUNNING PHOTO PRINTER! No trouble with text either as I make photo scrapbook pages. Ink cartridges tell when ink is low and I have found that I can print several more pages of photo's before changing that cartridge and still not go into reserve mode! I made notes of how many photo's & sizes I could print from a particular cartridge AFTER THE FIRST LOW INK NOTICE because when I FINALLY get the "2nd LOW INK" notice box, I can only "squeze out" 3 additional pics in wallet size using Windows Picture & Fax Viewer before actually seeing ink fade on paper. I print in all different sizes so had to test cartridge longevity by trial and error. This means I don't change my cartridge on the first low ink notice just because the printer indicates it!! Also, because my printer came with a defective photo cartridge, HP sent a free replacement (received excellent customer service) so now I never replace all cartridges at same times and have (for my usage) 3+ weeks in between photo & tri color cartridge purchases! One cartridge empties first and printer also tells which cartridge is low on ink so I never change a cartridge till just after the "2nd notice". My ink lasts much longer now!! What a shame that HP doesn't make see through cartridges... Printer features w/o PC (printer as a stand alone) are quite nice and fun to use! I have used several different photo paper brands and find that I can use many different brands in both glossy & matte and still get great results! I find that the higher quality papers when using glossy are best and all brands of matte papers have been great. Of course, the brighter the white, the better the quality of prints. I ONLY use my 7550 for photos. Have another HP for all around printing. For me, it worked with Windows98 and now works with XP. Tried it and CAN copy from internet but wouldn't want to "waste" my costly cartridges for everyday internet printing! For the pages that cut off the right side, just chose to print in "Landscape" instead of portrait. No problems with that or envelopes either. I print from 4 and 5 MP digital cameras and 35mm photo lab CD's as well as photo scans.

• Reviewed by: Beacher

  Strengths: Good Pictures

  Weaknesses: TAKES FOREVER! It could wake the dead!

  Overall: I bought this printer based on reviews here but I'm on my way out the door 10 days later to buy something that really works as reviewed! This printer is so noisy it could wake the dead! Seriously I can't print in my home office and talk on the phone at the same time....the person on the other end of the phone wants to know "what the heck is all that noise?" Also it prints great pictures if you have ALL DAY!

• Reviewed by: donldsn

  Strengths: Quiet, Smooth, Media card slots, ease of use. Quality of photo is the best I have ever seen

  Weaknesses: Cartridge latches poor design, plastic body has cheap feeling to it

  Overall: This printer is far superior to any printer I have tested. I have owned nothing but Epson in the past and this is better than any of those, much more quiet, unbelievable pictures. The paper tray up is difficult to load but not a major deterent. After reading other reviews I am worried about the ink usage costs???We will see. I love it.