Roundup: 13 Multifunction Printers : HP Photosmart C6380
7. HP Photosmart C6380
Scanner and Copier
Historically, HP scanners are not the best and this model holds true to the rule. Compared to those of Canon, it produces images with accentuated contours and contrasts that are a bit too strong. For the amateur, it is fine, but not useful at all for a pro. You need to make too many changes to get back to your original.
Moreover, the scanner is quite slow. The initial preview takes 17 seconds, 13 seconds for a scan of a 300 dpi 4x6 photo. Other cheaper models work twice as fast.
For copies however, its much better. The black and white takes 14 seconds and the color 22 seconds.
Office printing: fast and high quality
Going up in the range with HP means you can finally achieve better speeds than the 4480 and 4580. You go from 5.3 ppm in color to 10.6 ppm on this 6380! In black and white, there is less of a gain but still an appreciable one: around 12 ppm on our test document instead of 7 ppm on the others. And draft mode (excellent quality) goes up to 26 ppm. Do leave it on the default parameters as, although the blacks will be less deep, it’s more economical.
The 6380, then, betters the Canon MP630 and its 8.5 ppm in color and 10.4 ppm black and white.
So, it’s fast but is this to the detriment of quality? In fact, no. Quality is more than satisfactory. Text and graphs are sharp. The text is a deep black and the characters precise. The tinted areas on the graphs are nice and even and the characters are clear.
Photo printing: rapid, as it should be
Photo printing is also fast: 45 seconds to get a 4x6print, 1 minute 30 for an A4 format: this is more than okay. However, although photo quality is a bit better (more accurate) than on HP printers that don’t come with the black photo cartridge, we are still some way off “photo quality” on Canon printers (or even HP) with the full photo cartridge (with a light cyan and magenta). If you look at the image closely, you’ll still see ink drops. Nevertheless, this quality is more than good enough for your album.
Cartridges
Two different sets of cartridges are available. Standard and the more expensive XL, which is also much longer-lasting.
| Cartridge | ISO lifespan | ||
| 364 (black) | 250 | ||
| 364 (cyan) | 300 | ||
| 364 (magenta) | 300 | ||
| 364 (yellow) | 300 | ||
| 364 (black photo) | 1500 |
With standard cartridges you’ll already get a fairly decent yield. If you’re not a big consumer, these will be enough. You’ll have to change them more often but there’ll be less risk that one dries out and blocks your machine. Because HP is following Canon’s lead on its separate cartridges, the print heads are no longer on the cartridge itself (in contrast to their single unit cartridges) but in the printer. This necessitates more frequent cleaning so as not to risk blockages.
If you do a lot of printing, it is best to buy the XL versions.
XL cartridges
| Cartridge | ISO lifespan | ||
| 364 (black) | 800 | ||
| 364 (cyan) | 750 | ||
| 364 (magenta) | 750 | ||
| 364 (yellow) | 750 | ||
| 364 (black photo) | 4500 |
With XL, economy is much better than average but still twice what you get with laser printers.
| HP Photosmart C6380 |
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| Pluses |
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This is an excellent network printer: wireless, fast, good quality and economic, perfectly able to multi-task, even if the fussiest users will note the ink drops that are visible.
Check prices for HP Photosmart C6380
I've used Epson photo quality printers at home for years and have been very happy with the print quality and costs. My only issue, is that after a few years 3-5 they clog up and print unevenly. The good news is by then, the newer printers have much better quality and cost less.
if you guys at toms still have these machines i would love to find out if they still work after you leave them sitting for a month and a bit.
my biggest issue with all ink jets is they dry up on me.
i have been through both cheap and pricy ones and all die.
i have given up and turned to mono laser and for the rare occasion i need colour i go to the local copy shop.
the only think I can say is I'll NEVER buy an Epson printer. Good quality colors, yes, but SHIT ink design.
I am still using my HP officejet 1170c which must be well over 10 years old now and not a problem yet (touch wood) would never touch a lexmark again last one lasted about a year and went in the bin
here's a tip for dainsane1 - leave the printer on 24/7 to fix drying/clogging print heads
I just bought a MP620 and so far so good, great quality printing, photos are fantastic, but must use Canon paper for this and so much easier to set-up than and Brother MFC machine (what a nightmare!) had Epson before this and it crapped out after 2.5 years. Its so good to have a WIFI machine !!! At least in Auckland its so damp the jets will never dry out!
This is a really poor article,
1/ some list cartrige span, some don't/
2/ prices? where are they?
3/ Is this easy to use as its simply easy on the front panel? or has the reviewer actually used it?
4/ I could go on and on, I can't make much sense out of whihc to go for, no conclusion, limited info, few facts, duplex?
terrible article, read elsewhere....
Stinkyink now offer ink cartridges for the Kodak ESP5 ink. Oh and it's free delivery too!
Stinkyink now offer ink cartridges for the Kodak ESP7 ink. Oh and it's free delivery too!