HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301 Printer: A Complete Review
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Since our inception all the way back in the 1930s, HP has consistently been at the forefront of consumer technology innovation. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the printer market - where, in 1984, we made history by bringing the very first laser printer to consumers: the HP LaserJet.
LaserJet continues to be a top name in laser printing to this day, just consider the HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301 line. These printers bring reliable black-and-white and color prints to individuals, organizations, and businesses of all sizes.
Before we review the features and specifications of the LaserJet 4301 models, it’s important to understand the many benefits of laser printing.
Laser vs inkjet printers: what’s the difference?
When it comes to printers, there are two main types available: inkjet and laser. Inkjet printers are most popular with consumers for at-home use, so you may already be familiar with them. Even if you don’t know exactly how inkjet printers work, the answer lies right in the name.
Inkjet printers drop small amounts of ink or dye onto the paper below from elements called print heads. These droplets are what form the desired text or images on the page. Traditionally, ink is fed to the print heads via ink cartridges, although ink tank printers are becoming more common.
Conversely, the process of laser printing is a bit more complex. Instead of ink, laser printers utilize a substance called toner. This powdery material is typically made up of granulated plastic, and it has been negatively electrostatically charged.
Inside the printer is a photosensitive drum, which is given a positive charge. After the printer receives a file to be printed, a laser scans across the drum, selectively removing the positive charge in specific areas.
The printer then applies toner to the drum. The negatively charged toner is attracted to the positively charged areas on the drum, which forms the desired image.
Next, the positive toner image is transferred from the drum onto negatively charged paper. The paper passes through heated rollers, which permanently adheres the image to the blank page. The printed page is then dispensed into the output tray.
Benefits of laser printing
In a home or small office, inkjet printers are the most common choice among both consumers and professionals for low-volume print jobs. But if you own a small- to mid-sized business or work in a team within a larger company, you may have a higher print volume - which a laser printer is better suited for.
That’s because laser printing comes with a lot of advantages, especially if you do a lot of printing. For one, while laser toner cartridges are initially more expensive than ink, they last longer - lowering the cost per page. High-yield toner cartridges can print thousands of pages before needing to be replaced, making them more economical in the long run.
Additionally, laser printers are capable of higher page-per-minute (PPM) rates. This means they can quickly and efficiently print a high volume of pages in just a few minutes.
To achieve this impressive print speed, laser printers have a lot of moving parts. With that in mind, they are sturdily built and designed for continuous, high-volume printing. This durability means that the printer will require less maintenance, thereby maximizing uptime.
And what about the print quality itself? Once the toner has adhered to the paper, it is resistant to moisture and smudges - so not only is the printer itself durable, but the printed pages are too!
But that’s not the only benefit of laser prints. They are particularly great for black-and-white text documents. That’s because, unlike ink, the toner doesn’t bleed into the page, resulting in sharp, well-defined characters.
Finally, how about color printing? Color laser printers are now more common than ever, and they can output quality color prints.
All in all, laser printers are a great choice for those looking for consistency and reliability. They’re especially effective for small business owners. They’re also great for a home office or dorm room. If you’re looking for a laser printer perfect for both black-and-white and color prints, you should consider the HP LaserJet Pro line of color laser printers.
Introducing the HP LaserJet Pro MFP 4301 FDN and FDW printers
The HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301 series is a line of versatile, high-performance printers that bring professional-level features to organizations and businesses of all sizes. The printer can quickly scan, copy, and fax with ease, and settings can be easily adjusted via the 4-inch touch screen.
Wired and Wireless Options
HP offers two variations of this laser printer. The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301 FDN is a wired printer that can only be connected to networks via an ethernet connection. Still, this printer supports a wide variety of network protocols for maximum versatility in a variety of professional environments.
If you’re looking for wireless connectivity, you should go for the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4302 FDW. These two printers feature identical specifications, so your choice will ultimately come down to your network connectivity needs.
With that, let’s take a closer look at the printers’ standout features.
Powerful and versatile
One of the most important elements of a printer is its maximum resolution, which gives an indication of the quality of its prints. The higher a printer’s resolution, the sharper the resulting prints will be.
Printer resolution is commonly measured in dots per inch (DPI), which determines the level of detail in printed, scanned, or copied images. In printing, DPI refers to the quantity of ink dots that the printer can deposit on each square inch of paper. When scanning or copying, DPI represents the number of dots the scanner or copier can capture per inch. Higher DPI results in more ink dots, leading to better image quality.
The HP LaserJet Pro 4301 series features a maximum resolution of 600 x 600 DPI, so it’s perfect for printing high-quality text documents and other files in both black and white and color.
The printer is fast, too. It takes just 10 seconds for the first page to print, and it is capable of up to 35 pages per minute (ppm). Higher print speeds help small businesses handle larger print volumes within a shorter amount of time, accommodating increased demands without sacrificing quality or efficiency.
Plus, thanks to the convenient 4.3-inch color touch screen, you can quickly and easily adjust settings related to scanning, copying, calibration, maintenance, and more with the tap of a finger.
And whether you’re incorporating your new printer into an existing network or setting one up for the first time, HP Web Jetadmin software makes it easy to install and manage all your interconnected devices in one place.
Simple setup and easy maintenance
HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301 printers take up a maximum space of 16.6 x 27 x 30 inches, depending on how many paper trays you are using. The 4301 line features two standard trays, one that is 3 x 5 inches and one that is 8.5 x 14 inches. You can install an optional third tray with dimensions of 3.93 x 5.82 x 14 inches.
The 4301 printers also support several media types, including postcards, labels, envelopes, and a wide variety of plain paper.
And taking care of your HP Color LaserJet is easier than ever. Thanks to a sturdy chassis and high-quality internal hardware, this printer is durable and has a high monthly duty cycle, which refers to the maximum number of pages per month a printer can reliably output.
With a duty cycle of up to a whopping 50,000 pages, the HP LaserJet Pro 4301 is built to tackle even the most voluminous of print jobs - although HP’s recommended monthly page volume ranges from 750 to 4,000 pages.
The HP Color LaserJet Pro comes pre-installed with four HP LaserJet toner cartridges: black, cyan, magenta, and yellow. Thanks to the long lifespan of toner cartridges, you likely won’t have to worry about replacing them for a while. But you also don’t want to get caught off guard by an empty printer when you have a big job to get done.
Sign up for HP’s Instant Ink program and you’ll receive replacement cartridges before you need them, so you always have a steady supply of toner ready to go.
Summary
Overall, the HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301 printers are a great, versatile option for small- to medium-sized businesses and groups of up to 10 people. And thanks to HP’s long-standing reputation for high-quality printers and other products, you can’t go wrong with either HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301 printer option.
