HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 4645 Review

Just last week I took delivery of my HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 4645 all-in-one printer. Shamelessly admitting to the execs at HP that this is actually my first ever printer (personal capacity) and the first we’re to get a thorough hands-on here on SA VIbe I have very high expectations of this so-said money saving bad boy. For I have been turned off buying a printer by the expensive maintenance (ink) costs that come bundled with them. Rest assured, I have been using it for the past week, putting it through its vigorous features (both over-the-air and corded) with lots of printing as the HP challenge prescribes. for the next month – or so – I’ll be posting my weekly findings on the Ink Advantage 4645, my printing progress and in between fun.

First Look

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The printer came in securely packaged, with all the necessary steps taken to keep all moving parts immobile. This makes it less prone to damage while being transported. The first thing that greets you when you unpack the 4645 is the rather miniature sized ink cartridges (first thought; “How dare they?” knowing I have a weakness for the sky-high prices that comes with ink cartridges) my heart-rate reached a rather depressing high. Calmness restored, you’re then greeted by the Inkjet in all its glory. There it was, the HP Deskjet Inkjet 4645 which weighs in at only 6,2 kg and comes in at 446 (w)x 548 (d) x 189mm (h) looks sober in its all black (everything) body. The glossy finish makes it all classy, although its more likely to gather fingerprints and scratches. The design is streamlined and simple. The build seems to be rugged and feels sturdy, while the printer itself – despite the 6kg weight – is surprisingly light.

The input and output tray are on the front of the device, which folds nicely into the front of the 4645 when not in use, can hold up to 100 sheets of paper. This is more than sufficient for the targeted consumer segment. Input paper is to be fed in face down with leading edge on the inside, so the print comes out with face up with leading edge out. Weird at first considering most home printers have the face up and exist the same way.

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A very simple control panel is situated on the left-hand side of the unit which quietly moves to the center of the panel thanks to the alphanumeric keypad. In addition to the back-lit power button and keypad, there is the mono graphic display makes navigating the print, copy, scan, and fax functions a breeze.. The 4645 has a high-speed USB 2.0 interface and can therefore be connected easily to any PC. But why would you bother with the cords? In addition to using a direct USB connection, you can set up the Deskjet Inkjet Advantage 4645 on your network via Ethernet or WiFi. I tested the WiFi connection and the process was easy; using the printer’s LCD and scrolling buttons, I managed to navigate through a few setup screens to find our network, quickly entered its password using the keypad, and established a connection within a minute. Macs and PCs alike on our network were able to see the printer without the need to install any additional software. Brand plus.

[quote_left]This week, I play heavy emphasis on the Deskjet Ink Advantage 4645 wireless features[/quote_left]

Once I had connected the printer to a wireless network, I could use HP’s AirPrint feature to print from any iOS device without an additional application. Using AirPrint, I could print out a photo from my iPhoto library by simply choosing the connected printer and hitting Print. You can’t adjust any print properties, however; and my Hipstamatic test photo printed with a portion missing on both letter-size paper and 4×6-inch photo paper.

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In addition to AirPrint, the 4645 also features HP’s ePrint technology, which enables you to send jobs from any connected device to the printer using the uniquely assigned e-mail address and AiO (All in One) remote application for both iOS and Adroid. You can find this address using the control panel (Wireless Direct> Wireless Direct). It’s a convenient feature, to be sure, but it comes with a few restrictions. For one, the printer must be on and also connected to your network. For another, it can’t print Web pages, although you can simply copy and paste the text into a document as a workaround. Then again, you can bypass all of the restrictions if you’re on a iDevice.

In closing, the HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 4645 is available for a RRP of R1799 (you can find it cheaper at Massmart stores this weekend) at this price it is one of the best printers for home and office use. The kind of connectivity options it has are quite commendable which makes it great choice.

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Papi Mabele

Papi Mabele has a marketing background, he is a digital marketing expert with extensive experience in launching and building global brands in the emerging markets. Papi is also an avid tech writer, enthusiast and all round tech junkie. As a freelance writer and analyst he has been numerously published in Popular Mechanics (SA), GQ South Africa, Premier Magazine, Driven Magazine, Bloem News, Courant, The Weekly, Enthooze Magazine and PiE magazine amongst others.