


Setup is speedy, involving little more than connecting the power cord, linking the printer to your computer through a USB 2.0 cable, and snapping in the five compact color ink cartridges (cyan, magenta, yellow, light cyan and light magenta) and a larger-capacity black ink tank. And depending on the settings you use, you'll achieve printing speeds quite a bit slower than advertised. On the downside, the relatively large 5pl ink drops (some competing models such as the Canon Pixma iP5000 squeeze out 1pl drops) can produce a visibly grainy texture that some users might find objectionable. Although it functions serviceably as a speedy text printer (especially with the optional duplexing attachment), the HP Photosmart 8250's real strength is as a personal photo lab. The individually replaceable ink cartridges and recycling system coupled with bulk paper purchases mean 4圆-inch prints can cost as little as 24 cents each. Rather than using the old tricolor ink-cartridge systems with their built-in printheads, HP has switched to an innovative reservoir system fed from six separate ink tanks. The HP Photosmart 8250, a replacement for the, retains the 4,800x1,200dpi resolution, the long-life Vivera inks, and the relatively speedy printing of its predecessor but replaces the old print engine with a radically redesigned one.
