HP Photosmart 375 review

The Photosmart 375 is just as easy to use when connected to a computer via USB cable. The included HP Director software can help you transfer images to your computer from the printer's memory slots or open images in the HP Image Zone editor. Alternately, using the printer driver, you can print directly from any application. The driver lacks the special-effects settings available in the printer itself but adds saturation, brightness, and color-balancing sliders for quick corrections.

The HP Photosmart 375 performed well in CNET Labs' tests. It took around 1.6 minutes to finish a 4x6-inch photo--very competitive with printers in this class. By contrast, the Epson PictureMate took 2.44 minutes and the Kodak EasyShare Printer Dock 6000--one of the fastest portable snapshot printers we've tested to date--took 1.5 minutes to get the same job done. At around 29 cents per print for paper and ink (or 39 cents if you opt for high-gloss Premium Plus paper), the per-picture price is very competitive. For comparison's sake, the Epson PictureMate price per print is also 29 cents, while the EasyShare's comes in at a whopping 79 cents per photo. Also, HP has incorporated its new Vivera ink set and improved printheads into the Photosmart 375, which promises to deliver more vibrant, longer-lasting prints. Wilhelm Imaging Research's test results indicate that the Photosmart 375's prints on the company's new Premium Plus photo paper will last twice as long as those of the Photosmart 245.

Print quality
Our test photos generally looked good, although we had a few complaints. Some colors, particularly pastel shades and yellows, looked washed out, while others, especially reds, seemed overly saturated. There was also a slight reddish tinge in the white, gray, and black areas, most likely because the tricolor ink cartridge uses cyan, magenta, and black inks to simulate grays. Sharp-eyed viewers could see individual ink dots with the naked eye. The printer was prone to nozzle clogs when left idle for a few days, resulting in pronounced horizontal banding, but that cleared up after a few prints and printhead cleanings.

CNET Labs project leader Dong Van Ngo contributed to this section of the review.

HP's service and support for the Photosmart 375 are excellent. The company backs this printer with a one-year limited hardware warranty and one year of free technical phone support. A toll-free 800 number is available 24/7, but many questions can be answered at HP's Web site, which includes an online live chat with a technician, e-mail support, a searchable knowledge base, software and driver downloads, and tips for getting the most out of your printer.