HP OFFICEJET 6500A PLUS MULTI FUNCTIONAL PRINTER

               The HP OfficeJet 6500A Plus multi-function device is definitely a speedy and convenient printer for daily office printing. It features a color inkjet printer, an A4-sized flatbed scanner with auto document feeder, color copier, fax machine, and a photo printer in one small package. The MFD also features both wired and wireless networking capabilities for a clutter-free connectivity.
               For saving paper and reducing user intervention during 2-sided printing, the printer also sports an automatic duplex unit. Photos can be printed directly from a card reader which supports MS Duo, XD, MMC and SD flash cards. Scanning can be saved in PDF or JPG formats directly onto the flash cards without the need for a computer to be connected. Sadly, there is no USB port here which could support PictBridge or printing from USB pen drives.

                The HP OfficeJet 6500A Plus has a very sturdy body, but the exterior is completely glossy which will attract dust and fingerprints and can be scratched very easily too. We found the output paper tray very flimsy, which was the only downside with regard to the overall build quality. The printer uses four conventional CMYK ink tanks; the black can be replaced with a larger capacity tank for larger volumes of plain documents. The front panel uses touch sensitive buttons which are illuminated when they can be used. Also included here is a 2.3-inch touchscreen display which makes it simple to use all the functions of the device. Finally, unlike other manufacturers, HP still believes in powering their printers using an external power brick. The printer aslo features online apps built into the printer itself and also can be updated directly from the internet. The printer synchronizes with an online server ‘www.hpeprintcenter.com’ for apps and predesigned documents. These documents include games, news, calendars, crafts, recipes, coupons and a few more.
                The printer can really spew out averages of 22 and 12 pages per minute in draft and normal modes respectively, while churning out just three pages per minute in the best mode. Since the MFD has an auto duplex mechanism, we also tested two-sided printing which resulted in six pages per minute in draft mode. Scanning A4-sized color documents or photos at 300 dpi resolution took around 32 seconds, while copying documents in monochrome and color took around 16 seconds and 29 seconds respectively.
                Finally, 4x6-inch photo printing was a bit of a disappointment as the quality of the prints was only slightly above average. The photos were non-grainy and very sharp, had a good contrast and had a great color reproduction, but looked very dull and lacked life. Overall, since the printer is not meant for professional photo printing but is aimed towards small offices and corporate, it seems to fulfill the demands of speed, connectivity, convenience and quality.

VERDICT: An excellent soho multifunction printer for a sweet price
FOR: Fast printing, duplex printing.
AGAINST: Glossy exterior, feeble paper out tray.

SPECIFICATIONS
www.hp.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 18.75 x 17.72 x 10.17 in;
Weight: 8.2 Kg; Print resolution: 4800x1200;
Scan resolution: 4800 @ 48-bit; Functions: Print, Scan,
Copy, Fax; Connectivity: USB 2.0, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Card
reader; ADF: Yes; Auto-Duplex: Yes.