HP Envy is a line of all-in-one printers with great photo printing capabilities. These are ideal options for an affordable photo printer. In this article, we will help you choose between two of the least expensive models, HP Envy 5055 vs 6255. Should you really choose the higher model? Is it worth the money?
What we will discuss below include:
– The dimensions of the two HP printers in question
– The connectivity features on each model
– The power consumption of HP Envy 5055 vs 6255
– The performance comparison of HP Envy 5055 and 6255
– The paper tray capacity of each model
– Whether you should choose HP Envy 5055 or 6255
Dimensions
The very first noticeable difference between these two models is their dimensions. HP Envy 5055 is quite smaller and lighter than HP Envy 6255. However, having a smaller and lighter printer is not always better. See also: HP OfficeJet 3830 vs 4650.
HP Envy 5055 measures 17.53 inches wide, 5.04 inches high, and 14.45 inches deep. However, you should prepare an area of at least 22.22 inches deep in order to allow the paper trays to open fully. The weight of the unit is about 11.93 lbs.
At first, HP Envy 5055 may look attractive due to the compact, lightweight build. If you are going to take the printer back and forth between your home and office, the compact and lightweight build is indeed beneficial. However, it may feel a bit flimsy and vulnerable.
HP Envy 6255, on the other hand, is a thud larger and heavier. It measures 17.87 inches x 6.34 inches x 16.14 inches. Again, don’t forget to give some extra room to allow the paper trays to open. It has a weight of about 14.30 lbs.
The increased size and weight actually make HP Envy 6255 feel sturdier and more stable. It doesn’t vibrate very much when working. As the effect, most people think that this model has a better build quality.
Connectivity
At first, the connectivity features of HP Envy 5055 vs 6255 look similar. They each have a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port and built-in Wi-Fi. However, they actually support different Wi-Fi standards. Also, HP Envy 5055 doesn’t have Bluetooth, whereas HP Envy 6255 has Bluetooth Smart.
HP Envy 5055 supports 802.11n dual-band Wi-Fi. It is certainly able to work with most laptops, tablets, and smartphones nowadays because those devices typically support this standard. However, many home routers still use older Wi-Fi standards, such as 802.11b and 802.11g. As the effect, this printer won’t be able to connect to these routers. You should check whether your home router supports 802.11n or not.
HP Envy 6255 supports 802.11b/g/n dual-band Wi-Fi. In other words, it is backwards-compatible with older Wi-Fi standards. It can work with older and newer routers just fine. You should choose this model if your router is still 802.11b or 802.11g. In addition, this model comes with Bluetooth Smart, which allows you to print directly from a mobile device that is capable of the technology.
Power Consumption
According to their specifications, HP Envy 5055 vs 6255 have different power requirements. Note that HP Envy 5055 doesn’t have an Energy Star certification, whereas HP Envy 6255 is Energy Star certified. You know which model to choose if you want an environment-friendly printer – or if you want to keep your electricity bill at a low level.
In the sleep mode, HP Envy 5055 consumes 0.89 Watts. In a state that is ready for printing, it consumes 3.75 Watts. When actually printing, it consumes 14 Watts.
Meanwhile, in the sleep mode, HP Envy 6255 consumes 0.93 Watts. When ready for printing, it consumes 3.60 Watts. When printing, it consumes 13.95 Watts.
As you can see, HP Envy 6255 generally consumes less power than its sibling here. The difference doesn’t seem like much at first. If you only print occasionally, the difference won’t give much of an effect. But, if you are going to print a lot of documents on a daily basis, the difference will add up and the total energy saving will be very significant in the long run.
Performance
Both HP Envy 5055 and HP Envy 6255 are able to print photos in decent quality. While the maximum resolution when printing in black is the standard 1200 x 1200 dpi, the maximum resolution when printing in color is 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi. So, these printers can give you sharp and detailed images.
Both printers are able to print borderless photos with good quality. The color accuracy is also good. Although they are not on the same level as professional-grade photo printers, they are still better than regular printers that aren’t specifically made for photo printing.
The main difference between these two models is their printing speeds. HP Envy 5055 is slower. It prints at 10 ppm in black, 7 ppm in color. Meanwhile, HP Envy 6255 is faster, capable of printing at 13 ppm in black and 8 ppm in color. If you print bulks of pages quite frequently, you should choose the faster model.
Both models do support automatic two-sided printing. So, you don’t need to repeat the printing process for the odd and even pages. These printers can print on both sides of a sheet of paper in one go.
Paper Tray Capacity
Finally, the difference between these two models is the paper tray capacity. HP Envy 5055 can hold a maximum of 100 sheets in the input tray and up to 25 sheets in the output tray. HP Envy 6255 has an input tray that can hold up to 125 sheets, but the 25-sheet output tray is similar.
The increased input tray capacity of HP Envy 6255, although not a particularly dramatic one, is still a nice thing. You can put more sheets of paper at a time, hence reducing the frequency of reloading.
HP Envy 5055 vs 6255
Conclusion
You should choose HP Envy 6255. This is a better model with better features and performance. The build quality is better, and it supports Bluetooth Smart as well as older and newer Wi-Fi standards. It consumes less power, yet is able to print faster. It has a slightly bigger input tray.
