HP 950 Ink
Deskjet 950 Ink Cartridges

HP 950 Printer Review

There are printers out there that are over the top with functions and features, especially for someone who just needs a simple printer for home. The HP Deskjet 950 is a modest inkjet color printer with the capability to produce decent photos and graphics, as well as crisp and clear text documents. Most businesses will want a loaded machine with networking and wireless capabilities. However, if simplicity and affordability are desired, the 950 fits the mold.

This unit is only a few years old but kind of seems outdated. A maximum resolution of 600x600 dpi can be reached using the black HP 950 ink, while the color can reach 2400x1200 dpi. More recent models have much better resolutions, but they don't cost less than $70. When printing in color Deskjet 950 ink, up to 8 pages per minute can be produced. Using exclusively black printer ink, this unit can bang out as many as 11 pages per minute.

There are only 2 HP 950 ink cartridges, one black and the other tricolor, which consist of yellow, cyan and magenta printer ink. Using HP PhotoREt II software, the ink is released through nozzles and layered to create colors with more depth and accuracy. Most HP inkjet units also operate with drop-on-demand technology, so the HP 950 ink is applied to the paper in very small dots. The ink tanks have low page yields, while the printer has a monthly cycle of 3,000 pages. Luckily, replacement Deskjet 950 ink cartridges are easy to find and are available from third party vendors.

This unit features two connectivity options—a USB and parallel port. It has a built in RAM of 32 MB and is compatible with most major operating systems, such as Windows and Mac. Various papers are conducive with this unit, such as index cards, envelopes, labels, transparencies and banners. All in all, the HP Deskjet 950 is a solid purchase and a reliable printer.