HP C510 Ink
Photosmart C510 Ink Cartridges

HP C510 Printer Review

With a wireless removable touchscreen, the HP Photosmart C510 inkjet printer is a bit like getting a printer and a tablet in one. It still offers quick speeds of up to 33 pages per minute, along with faxing, scanning, and copying functions. Some buyers might miss features like a document feeder, but its low price and affordable Photosmart C510 printer ink add to its value.

From a first look, the prominent feature of the C510 is its touchscreen control panel, which practically doubles as a tablet. This lets users print from web services like Flickr and Facebook, or even browse the web anywhere within range of the base machine. Those expecting a full tablet experience will be disappointed, but it is a nice touch to be able to take the TouchSmart screen with you instead of standing at the machine.

It also integrates with Apple devices using AirPrint, and includes HP's ePrint so that users can do mobile printing from almost anywhere. While the unit does include duplexing for two-sided prints, memory card slots, and wireless networking, it lacks a wired networking port and an automatic document feeder. Multiple print modes are available to help prioritize quality or save on Photosmart C510 ink.

In addition to the four standard colors of HP C510 ink cartridges, the unit also requires a "photo black" supply. Each color Photosmart C510 ink cartridge has a yield of around 300 pages, while the black supply has a yield of 250 sheets. Luckily, "XL" versions of HP C510 printer ink supplies are available, with more than twice the capacity, lowering the cost per page.

Overall, the TouchSmart removable display is a very impressive feature that will attract gadget geeks, but its usefulness is limited mainly to printing and basic web browsing. Still, the machine's solid feature set, quick speeds, and affordable supplies make it a very good buy.