The HP OfficeJet Pro 8730 is an all-round printer, writes Hanna Sheikh Mokhtar
HP has always been one of the top brands when it comes to printing solutions. With the HP OfficeJet Pro 8730, users get an all-in-one device (it can print, copy, scan and fax documents) instead of just a printer.
Whether you use it at home or in the office, the OfficeJet Pro 8730 promises to deliver high-volume printing of exceptional quality.
OUT OF THE BOX
When it arrived, I was quite daunted by its size. As I was more used to personal printers, the HP OfficeJet Pro 8730 appeared big and bulky though at 15.2kg, it shouldn’t be a problem for a medium-built person to handle.
When I got it out of the box, I began to admire its sleek and sexy design. It’s definitely smaller than the average enterprise printer (it is 531mm high by 500mm wide).
One reason it gives the impression of being smaller could be the lack of multiple trays we often see in office or enterprise printers. What it lacks in height however, it makes up in width, with the front display jutting out slightly from the rest of the body.
COOL TOOL
It churns out prints, both monochrome and coloured, faster than expected. Even two-sided prints are done in a jiffy.
The high speed printing mode can be a bit noisy. The problem is solved with Quiet Mode even though printing slows down only slightly.
Scanning a document is a breeze, as the touch-screen display panel is very user friendly.
You can scan a document and send it to your email, a network folder, SharePoint (a web file hosting application under Microsoft Office), your computer or a USB.
What’s more amazing is its ability to print with just a touch of your NFC-enabled (Near Field Communication) mobile device to the printer. I tried it with my NFC-enabled HTC One M9 Plus phone and it worked like a charm.
The printer can accommodate various paper sizes such as A4, A5, A6, B5, envelopes (Dl, C5, C6, Chou #3, Chou #4) and cards (Hagaki and Ofuku Hagaki).
MY TAKE
When it comes to performance and quality, this model steals the show. Its speedy printing means less time wasted at work, helping to boost productivity significantly.
What I particularly like is the front-facing USB print feature. With this, I can readily print documents or even images directly from my USB storage.
HP claims that the printer can print up to three times as many pages as other printers with its optimal Original HP high-yield ink cartridges. This means users can manage their budget at up to 50 per cent less cost per page than laser printing.
The OfficeJet Pro 8730 retails at RM1,379 (including GST).
Design: 4 Stars
User-friendliness: 4.5 Stars
Features: 4 Stars
Value-for-money: 4 Stars
Verdict: 4 Stars
✩ We are giving away one HP OfficeJet Pro 8730 worth RM1,379 as Grand Prize, in conjunction with this week’s Lab Review. Three consolation winners will receive a HP Wireless Headset worth RM56 each. Details at www.facebook.com/technst.
