HP DeskJet 1220c/ps review

Good things may come in small packages, but for a large-format printer, size definitely matters. HP's brawny DeskJet 1220C can handle a broad range of print sizes, from a 4-by-6-inch postcard to a 13-by-50-inch banner, but makes its biggest impression by producing first-rate photographic prints. Good things may come in small packages, but for a large-format printer, size definitely matters. HP's brawny DeskJet 1220C can handle a broad range of print sizes, from a 4-by-6-inch postcard to a 13-by-50-inch banner, but makes its biggest impression by producing first-rate photographic prints.

Sleek and Fast
The smoothly rounded curves and smoky, purple-gray plastic on the $499 DeskJet 1220C may remind you of a boom box, but unlike a radio, it operates almost noiselessly. The DeskJet is easy to set up and use, and HP packs it with useful features, such as a duplexer for double-sided printing and a Stop Print command that immediately cancels a print job. If you want to use thicker paper, the HP includes an alternate, straight paper path that can accommodate paper weights up to 67 pounds.

The 1220C's print speed is sure to please, too. When printing text, the HP churns out 3.9 pages per minute, making it more than 2.5 times as fast as the Epson Stylus Photo 1200, another large-format printer.

Unfortunately, text isn't this printer's forte. The HP's text output on plain paper was rated only fair by CNET Labs' printer jury and good (but not excellent) on coated ink jet paper. As a photo printer, however, the HP's quality improved, especially in the case of graphics on plain paper, which earned a rating of excellent. Surprisingly, the rating dropped to good again for the graphics on coated paper, due to rough color gradients and loss of detail.