HP OfficeJet 5255 has been introduced as a replacement for HP OfficeJet 4650. In a glance, these two all-in-one printers may look similar. However, they are not exactly identical, so make sure that you know their differences before buying. Below, we will help you choose by comparing HP OfficeJet 5255 vs 4650 in various aspects.
Continue reading to find out further about:
– The design, build quality, and dimensions of each printer
– The connectivity options on each printer
– What features of HP OfficeJet 4650 that HP OfficeJet 5255 lacks
– The comparison of their print quality and performance
– What ink cartridges that you can use on these printers
– Which HP printer that is generally better and more recommended
Design
In a previous article, we have compared HP OfficeJet 5255 vs HP Envy 5055. Affordable all-in-one inkjet printers from HP typically look similar, as they all have a plastic construction and a black finish. HP OfficeJet 5255 and HP OfficeJet 4650 are no different. By using the same basic design across the models, the company can press down the production costs and keep the printers at relatively low price points.
That said, HP has put enough attention to the design so that their printers still look nice and professional. A lot of people will agree that HP printers are among the most beautiful consumer-grade models available in the market. HP OfficeJet 5255 and HP OfficeJet 4650 have smooth curved edges, and there are some parts that are accented with glossy lines. They can fit easily into modern office settings.
The build quality is good. Obviously, plastic construction isn’t the most durable thing in the world, but the plastic cases of HP OfficeJet 5255 vs 4650 do feel solid and durable. The parts are all well-built. The paper trays don’t feel flimsy at all.
On the front side of each printer, you can see a 2.2-inch hi-res mono LCD with touchscreen support. The display looks sharp and nice. The touchscreen is intuitive to use and quite responsive, though sometimes it may feel a little bit slow.
Dimension-wise, HP OfficeJet 5255 and HP OfficeJet 4650 are identical. Each of them measures 17.53 inches x 14.45 inches x 7.52 inches. When the paper trays are extended, the dimensions become 17.53 inches x 22.22 inches x 7.81 inches. The weight of each unit is about 14.44 lbs. Both printers are compact enough to fit easily into a small room, ideal for home and small office uses.
Connectivity
Each printer here comes with a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port to connect to a computer. Keep in mind that the cable is not included, so you need to get one separately if you don’t have one yet. HP OfficeJet 5255 and HP OfficeJet 4650 are compatible with Windows and macOS operating systems.
There is no Ethernet port for networking, but you can install the printer on one computer and then share the printer to the network through the computer. This means that the printer won’t be accessible if the computer where it is installed is disconnected from the network or turned off.
Fortunately, both HP OfficeJet 5255 vs 4650 come with built-in 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. You can connect either printer to your home’s or office’s Wi-Fi network, so that all devices in the network can use the printer without depending on a single computer.
These printers also support mobile printing via HP ePrint, HP SmartApp, or Apple AirPrint. This is incredibly convenient for people who often work from their smartphones or tablets. You can send the file directly to the printer for printing, without having to go through a computer first.
Paper Trays
The paper trays of these two printers have similar capacities. The input tray can hold up to 100 sheets of plain paper, whereas the output tray can hold up to 25 sheets of plain paper. In addition, there is an automatic document feeder (ADF) for scanning, whose tray can hold up to 35 sheets of plain paper.
The difference is on the opening mechanism. It is strange that HP OfficeJet 5255 doesn’t come with an automatic tray extender. As the effect, you need to pull out the tray manually before printing. Meanwhile, the older HP OfficeJet 4650 actually has this feature. The tray can extend automatically before printing. This is very convenient when you are printing from a mobile device and the printer is not nearby.
Then again, the company’s decision to remove the automatic output tray extender still has a benefit: HP OfficeJet 5255 doesn’t seem to have any problem about the tray getting stuck. Some users of the older HP OfficeJet 4650 mention that the automatic tray extender can fail, hence rendering the tray stuck and unusable.
Scan, Copy, and Fax
As all-in-one printers, HP OfficeJet 5255 vs 4650 are equipped with built-in scan, copy, and fax functions. Most of the technical specs remain similar. They each have a flatbed scanner with an optical resolution of 1200 dpi. The maximum scan size on the flatbed is 8.5 x 11.69 inches (suitable for up to A4 paper size), but the ADF unit allows a maximum scan size of 8.5 x 14 inches (suitable for up to Legal paper size).
However, HP OfficeJet 5255 only supports RAW, JPG, and PDF scan file formats. This is good enough for most purposes, but the older HP OfficeJet 4650 actually supports a wider range of scan file formats: JPG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, RTF, PDF, and PDF Searchable. Not all people need those file formats, but some jobs may benefit from them.
The maximum copy resolution is limited to 600 x 300 dpi. Both printers support copy reducement/enlargement settings from 25% to 400%.
The maximum fax resolution is 300 x 300 dpi. Both printers support black-and-white fax and color fax. However, HP OfficeJet 5255 is a little bit faster with an average transmission speed of 5 seconds per page. HP OfficeJet 4650 has an average transmission speed of 4 seconds per page. Not much of a difference, but still a good thing.
Print Performance
The primary difference between HP OfficeJet 5255 vs 4650 is the print speeds. HP OfficeJet 5255 is noticeably faster than HP OfficeJet 4650 in both black printing and color printing. This will allow you to tackle your jobs more quickly.
According to the specs, HP OfficeJet 5255 can print with ISO standards at 10 ppm black, 7 ppm color. Meanwhile, the older HP OfficeJet 4650 is slightly slower at 9.5 ppm black, 6.8 ppm color. In the draft setting, HP OfficeJet 5255 goes up to 20 ppm black, 17 ppm color whereas HP OfficeJet 4650 goes up to 20 ppm black, 16 ppm color.
In terms of print quality, they are pretty much identical. They both can print at a maximum resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi, which already allows sharp and crisp text. Small to medium images have good detail. When printing on special HP photo papers, both printers can output 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi, hence improving the sharpness and detail further.
HP OfficeJet 5255 and HP OfficeJet 4650 are great for printing documents. They can also produce pretty good photos, but they are not recommended for professional photo printing due to the relatively low color accuracy.
Recommended Monthly Duty
Both HP OfficeJet 5255 and HP OfficeJet 4650 are recommended for printing 100 – 400 pages per month. This is an ideal print volume for home use. These printers can serve a few users who only print occasionally. They are also still viable choices for small office use if your average monthly print volume isn’t too high.
The maximum monthly duty cycle of HP OfficeJet 5255 is rated at 1,000 pages. Interestingly, HP OfficeJet 4650 has a higher maximum monthly duty cycle, which is rated at 1,200 pages.
Even so, you should not exceed the recommended monthly print volume too frequently, as it will make the printer wear out more quickly. Not to mention that you will need a lot of cartridge replacements. If you usually print more than four hundred pages per month, getting a more capable printer is better. A printer designed for heavy-duty use will be able to withstand the workload.
Ink Cartridges
Both HP OfficeJet 5255 and HP OfficeJet 4650 work with the HP 63 ink cartridges. Each printer here requires two cartridges: the black ink cartridge and the tri-color ink cartridge. There are two sizes available, standard and XL (high-yield).
The standard black HP 63 can print up to 190 pages, whereas the standard tri-color HP 63 can print up to 165 pages. Meanwhile, the high-yield black HP 63XL has a maximum page yield of 480 pages, and the high-yield tri-color HP 63XL has a maximum page yield of 330 pages.
HP OfficeJet 5255 vs 4650
Conclusion
In general, HP OfficeJet 5255 is more recommended. It has higher print speeds, and the fax performance is also a little bit better. Although it doesn’t have an automatic tray extender, this is also a good thing because the paper tray won’t get stuck. HP OfficeJet 5255 is suitable for occasional printing in home or small office.
