HP PHOTOSMART PREMIUM C309A SOFTWARE
HP PHOTOSMART PREMIUM C309A PC
HP PHOTOSMART PREMIUM C309A BLUETOOTH

Using the printer’s default settings (600 DPI) with HP’s Photosmart software and Advanced Photo Paper, the HP produced prints that were considerably grainier than the same photos printed on the Artisan 800. HP provides a few sheets of this paper with the printer, but we found that we achieved much better results tweaking the printer settings on our own. The paper can even warn the printer if it’s been loaded upside down in the paper tray. Special symbols on the back of the paper inform the printer of the type of paper being used, the size of the paper (up to 8.5 x 11 inches-but not the more picture-frame-friendly 8×10), and the print quality settings the printer should use. HP recommends using its own photo paper, which offers a feature that HP calls Auto Sense. HP also offers multi-packs and XL cartridges at a discount (on a cost-per-page basis). That’s a big plus if you find you print more documents than photos.) Color and photo black replacement cartridges sell for $10, while the regular black costs $12.

The machine uses HP’s Vivera-series ink, which comes in cyan, magenta, yellow, and two types of black cartridges (photo black and black, the latter of which holds a larger quantity of ink. It also has a built-in duplexer for two-sided printing, a feature that’s an added-cost option on the Artisan 800. The Photosmart can print on plain paper (up to legal size), up to 110-pound card stock, envelopes, labels, photo paper, and CDs. Like the Artisan 800, the Photosmart has both a PictBridge interface and an integrated media-card reader that can accommodate any of the common formats, including CompactFlash, MMC, SD, XD, and Memory Stick. Adding the printer to a home network was very easy-in marked contrast to the Epson, which requires a hard-wired connection to your router before you can switch over to Wi-Fi.

HP PHOTOSMART PREMIUM C309A BLUETOOTH

If you do prefer to print straight from your camera, you can preview your photos using the integrated 2.4-inch display and make rudimentary edits-including automatic red-eye removal-without ever firing up your computer.īoth printers boast USB, wired Ethernet, and Wi-Fi connectivity, but the HP goes one step further to support Bluetooth networking, too.

HP PHOTOSMART PREMIUM C309A PC

Assuming you edit your photos on your PC before printing them, you won’t need to push most of these buttons unless you’re copying or faxing. Where the Artisan 800 is done up in glossy black plastic and features a fancy touch-screen user interface, the HP sports an eggshell white exterior and more than two dozen buttons. Not to judge a book by its cover, but the Photosmart C309a even looks more like an office machine than something you’d use for arts and crafts projects.

HP’s Photosmart Premium C309a settles on the opposite side of the spectrum, competently cranking out office documents, but underperforming on photos. When we reviewed Epson’s Artisan 800 a few months back, we concluded that it was a better photo printer than productivity machine. We love the utility of multi-function printers, but trade-offs seem inevitable-especially when you’re talking about an all-in-one that claims photo-printing prowess.

Hp photosmart premium c309a