HP 2512 Ink
Deskjet 2512 Ink Cartridges

HP 2512 Printer Review

The HP Deskjet 2512 was clearly designed to be one of the most affordable all-in-one inkjet printers on the market, but a few sacrifices had to be made. Its print speed is merely average, at up to 20 pages per minute in black and 16 pages per minute in color, and it includes no networking capabilities. HP 2512 printer ink is fairly affordable, however, and high-capacity versions are available.

In addition to printing, the 2512 can handle copying and scanning. Its copy function is pretty limited, with a very simple control panel and copy speeds of only 5 copies per minute for black and 3 copies per minute for color. The copy resolution is only 600x300 dpi as well, so users shouldn't expect stellar quality.

Scanning is a little more full-featured, with a maximum optical resolution of 1200x1200 dpi that should be a good fit for home use. Optical character recognition can also turn documents into editable text, and this is one feature that is somewhat unexpected at such a low price.

HP touts the printer ink advantage system of the 2512, in that the device is designed to conserve HP 2512 ink when possible. This is generally the case, and is helped by the availability of both standard and high-capacity Deskjet 2512 ink cartridges. This lets users choose between the lower cost per page of high-capacity HP 2512 ink cartridges or the more affordable price of the standard versions.

Reviews of the machine praise its straight paper path, solid speed, and sleek design. Reviewers were disappointed by the lack of networking, and felt that the use of a tricolor Deskjet 2512 ink supply could lead to extra waste.

For an ultra-affordable all-in-one inkjet, it is hard to complain about the features the Deskjet 2512 lacks. Still, some buyers might be better served by spending a bit more for things like wireless support and media card slots.