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More…HP's Photosmart C5280 shows how good design can tame an inherently complicated machine. This inkjet multifunction printer has a few limitations and a mountain of benefits--for a tidy $150.
HP Photosmart C5280
Pricing
$180.00 From 1 Vendor Get Best Prices »
- Spec Navigator
- Core Components
- Media Handling
- Display
- Network
- Connectivity
- Platform Support
- Dimensions
- General Features
- Green
- Included Hardware
- Included Software
- Resolutions
- Scanning
- Faxing
Media Handling
| Manual Feed Slot | No |
| Maximum Number of Input Trays | 2 |
| Maximum paper size, height | 14.0 inches |
| Maximum Sheets With All Paper Trays | 125 |
| Output Tray Capacity | 50 |
| Standard Number of Input Trays | 2 |
| Maximum paper size, width | 8.5 inches |
| Standard input sheet capacity | 125 |
| Duplex printing | No |
Connectivity
| Other Interfaces | wireless possible with optional accessory (purchased separately) |
| Parallel Port | No |
| Serial Port | No |
| USB 1.1 | Yes |
| USB 2.0 | Yes |
General Features
| Printer Emulation Type | Host-based |
| Media slots |
|
| PictBridge compatible | No |
| Printer languages supported | PCL3 GUI |
- Lab Tested
- How We Test Printers »
Pros
Prints CDs and DVDs; easy control panel
Lots of useful software and utilities
Cons
Text looks feathery on plain paper
Onscreen manual thorough but disjointed
Bottom Line
This basic unit has one standout feature--CD/DVD printing--that helps forgive its mediocre speed.
HP Photosmart C5280
Photosmart C5280 Review, by Melissa Riofrio August 21, 2007
Installation takes almost no effort. The setup poster is a little hard to read because it stacks three languages' worth of narrative next to each illustration, but the CD-based installation process is fully automated. The C5280 comes with a USB connection, but no Ethernet port.
The control panel is one of the best I've seen: Most buttons are clearly labeled with real words as well as icons, and all are grouped by major function. A 2.4-inch, tiltable LCD shows menu options; the navigation buttons make sense. When you're working with photos, the LCD shows thumbnails and walks you through the editing and layout options. A redeye-removal button automates this common correction. SD Card, Compact Flash, xD-Picture Card, and MS Pro Duo Card slots are located on the machine's front.
For paper handling the Photosmart C5280 offers a 125-sheet input tray, whose lid serves as the 50-sheet output tray. Nestled in a slot beneath the input tray is a special tray for CD/DVD printing: Snap in a specially coated disc and then slide the tray into a feeder that lowers from the output area. Roxio's Express Labeler software (usually installed automatically during setup, but also available on a CD) helps you create the image for the disc from your PC.
In our printing tests, the Photosmart C5280 achieved middling speeds but produced generally attractive prints. Plain, black text pages came out at about 7.3 ppma??a bit below average for this category; color documents averaged 2.4 ppm overall, also a bit below average. At default settings on plain paper, text looked slightly feathery and jagged; photos looked a bit grainy. Special paper and settings yielded smoother, more subtly colored photos. Costs per printed page (calculated using HP's estimated cartridge yields) are reasonable: 8 cents perpage of black text, and 24.1 cents per page for all three colors plus black.
The C5280 produced scans and copies quickly, and they looked good overall. The included HP Scanning software lets you preview and edit images before saving a file. Copies seemed a little chunkier than the originals, but not distractingly so. The MFP has the quantity, sizing, and other copying features that most home and small-office users will need, except that the letter/A4-size flatbed scanner can't elevate its lid to accommodate books or other thick media, and can't scan film or slides.
The Photosmart C5280 comes with a wealth of software and utilities, much of it launchable from buttons on the HP Solutions Center's on-screen interface. In addition to Roxio's disc-labeling software, you get HP's Photosmart Essentials for editing and managing digital photos, plus maintenance utilities and links for reordering supplies directly from HP. An HTML-based manual complements Flash videos that explain common tasks like cartridge replacement.
Regrettably, the manual's various topics are inadequately linked. For instance, the description of how to copy from the control panel doesn't link to the description of how to copy from the PC. But in this case the disconnect is real: You can manage scan and copy settings from the HP Solutions Center or from the control panel, but one doesn't mirror the other--I could create completely different settings for the same job in each place. The place you send the copy command from wins the battle, but the two ought to be synchronized.
The Photosmart C5280's mediocre speed and sparse connectivity options restrict it to a small or home office. Those users, however, will enjoy a highly capable, easy-to-use device with excellent photo output.
Melissa Riofrio
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0 Comments | 0 Topics | Print Only This Review
PCWorld Lab Results
- Rating Breakdown
-
73
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68
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95
- See Complete Lab Results »
Performance Comparison with Similar Printers
73
74
82
76
Performance
| 300dpi Line Art Image (secs) | 26.65 |
| 4 by 6 Color Photo (secs) | 21.64 |
| 4 by 6 Grayscale Photo (secs) | 21.99 |
| Color Output Quality | Very Good |
| Color Photo Quality | Superior |
| Copy Output Quality | Good |
| Copy Quality | Good |
| Final Scan Time, 2-by-2-Inch Document, 600 dpi | 16.8 |
| Final Scan Time, 4-by-5-Inch Document, 100 dpi | 6.88 |
| Final Scan Time, One-Page Word Document, 300 dpi | 18.88 |
| Grayscale Glossy Output Quality | n/a |
| Grayscale Output Quality | Very Good |
| Line Art Output Quality | Good |
| One-Page Copy | 23.91 |
| One-Page Copy (secs) | 23.91 |
| One-Page Line Art, Maximum Resolution | Very Good |
| One-Page Webpage (secs) | 27.71 |
| One-Page Word Document, 300 dpi | Very Good |
| Overall Scan Quality | Very Good |
| Preview Scan, 2-by-2-Inch Document, 600 dpi | 7.62 |
| Preview Scan, 4-by-5-Inch Document, 100 dpi | 7.43 |
| Preview Scan, One-Page Word Document, 300 dpi | 7.32 |
| Sports Action Shot (secs) | 80.01 |
| Ten-Page Word Document | 106.66 |
| Ten-Page Word Document (secs) | 106.66 |
| Tested Color Speed (ppm) | 2.4 |
| Tested Glossy Photo Speed (ppm) | 0.7 |
| Tested Grayscale Speed (ppm) | 2.7 |
| Tested Lineart Speed (ppm) | 2.3 |
| Tested Text Speed (ppm) | 7.3 |
| Text Output Quality | Good |
| Three-Page Word Document | 47.07 |
| Three-Page Word Document (secs) | 47.07 |
| Total Scan Time, 2-by-2-Inch Document, 600 dpi | 16.8 |
| Total Scan Time, 4-by-5-Inch Document, 100 dpi | 6.88 |
| Total Scan Time, One-Page Word Document, 300 dpi | 18.88 |
| Two-Page Excel Document | 52.23 |
| Two-Page Excel Document (secs) | 52.23 |
Scanning
| Preview scan, 2-by-2-inch document, 600 dpi | 7.62 |
| Preview scan, 4-by-5-inch document, 100 dpi | 7.43 |
| Preview scan, one-page Word document, 300 dpi | 7.32 |
| Preview scan, one-page Word document, 300 dpi | 7.32 |
Text Printing
| Text output quality | Good |
User Reviews
Average User Reviews for HP Photosmart C5280
2 Reviews Add your own »
- Latest User Reviews 2 reviews
-
Reviewed by: jikamens
Duration of ownership: 6 Months
Strengths: lots of features, fast text, easy setup and easy use
Weaknesses: Awful photo print quality since day 1. Stripes across the entire page of every print. HP has sent two replacement printers and five replacement ink cartridges, but none of them has solved the problem. I've asked for asked them to take back the printer, ink and paper, all of which were purchased directly from HP, and give me a refund, and they've refused.
Overall: OK unit if you don't care abuot photo print quality. Awful service and support. HP used to be an amazing company, but no more.
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Reviewed by: DippityDoo
Duration of ownership: 2 Weeks
Strengths: looks nice, has neat video screen.
Weaknesses: AWFUL Print software and USELESS CD/DVD print capabilites...
Overall: After a 30 minute software installation on a dual xeon 3.0 running XP pro and 2 GB ram, I thought "this better be good for the install to take that long". I was sorely disappointed when I attempted to print a DVD. If you plan to print to CD's or DVD's, STAY AWAY from the C5280. The software they include limits you to using one of a few grotesque templates, and will not allow you to just put plain text where you please. You may not delete or alter the templates, and are even asked to "upgrade" to an even worse version of their terrible software for just $30 more. I truly feel scammed, as I am now unable to print directly to CD's or DVD's unless I want my discs to look like they were done by a 3rd grade special needs art class. I tried a few other CD print softwares, but this HP will not work with them. They clearly want you to stay with their awful program. If you plan to print to CD's or DVD's, save yourself a step and just put the unit directly into a dumpster.
Review Now! Already own it? Tell us What You Think
User Reviews From Around the Web
-
Reviewed by: Brechbiel
Strengths: Great photos !
Weaknesses: I have yet to come across a weakness.
Overall: I bought this printer last year - It does everything I wanted it to. My wife is looking for a printer for her new computer. I am thinking about buying her a C5280. God Bless each of you who read this message.
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Reviewed by: macsgirl01
Strengths: quality printing easy to use
Weaknesses: none so far
Overall: Bought this for my daughter for college. Does quite a lot for the money. bought as a package deal with macbook laptop. only set back would be that it is big and bulky. A plus for the unit is that you do Not need a computer to operate it. Works with camera or sd cards.I would purchase it again especially for the price savings.
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Reviewed by: jikamens
Strengths: lots of features, easy to set up, easy to use, fast text printing
Weaknesses: slow copying, slow photo printing, awful photo print quality
Overall: I bought this printer primarily for high-quality photo prints, but I haven't gotten a single one out of it. Every single print it produces has stripes across the sheet. HP has sent two replacement printers and five replacement ink cartridges, but none of them have solved the problem. I've asked them to simply take back the printer, ink and photo paper, all of which were purchased directly from HP, and refund my money, and they're fused.
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Reviewed by: IbarraYJ
Strengths: Compact design and looks elegant.
Weaknesses: Toner doesn't last long and they're expensive! No parallel port and no feeder.
Overall: This is a nice little printer that can do three tasks, print, scan, and copy. If you're looking for a personal all-in-one printer and you don't need to print much I'd recommend this machine. There is a built-in LCD screen that will allow you to see pictures when you have a memory card connected to the printers memory card reader, which is a nice feature.
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Reviewed by: jccuch
Strengths: perfect printer
Weaknesses: none
Overall: this product is everything it said it is, i like the pop up window ,the two tray one for standard print paper and the outher tray holds picture paper , this product is easy to use,
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