Product Face-Offs
HP Photosmart C4480
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| The Cartridge People | 9.99 | |
| Inkraider | 12.38 | |
| Sainsbury's Online | 15.98 | |
| 112ink UK | 16.00 | |
| The Cartridge People | 23.99 | |
| Inkraider | 25.15 | |
| Compare prices | ||
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| Resolution | 4800 x 1200 ppp | ||
| Speed B&W / color | 30 / 23 ppm | ||
| Ink drop size | picolitres | ||
| Number of cartridges | 2 | ||
| Number of base colors | 4 | ||
 See all specifications | |||
| Scanner / Copier / Fax | Yes / Yes / No |
 Hide specifications | |
Nilofar Hadjanadjiboudine
Test date: September 10, 2008
Test date: September 10, 2008
Scanning and Copying Functions
It's often the scanner that lets down HP's all-in-one printers. We wouldn't go as far as saying that the manufacturer now has the sharpest, speediest scans on the market, but there's definitely been some real progress, which we'd like to applaud. The competition still does it better, but HP's scans are by no means embarrassing and perfectly adequate for use at home.
Previewing and then scanning a 4 x 6 '' photo print both take around 17 seconds and result in great images that match the original well. The scans aren't quite as sharp as on models from Canon or Epson, but the color handling has improved vastly, even if some tones remain a little too bright.
Copying, though, is slow, and shows definite room for improvement. A black and white copy takes 19 seconds, and you'll be waiting 40 seconds for a color copy.
Previewing and then scanning a 4 x 6 '' photo print both take around 17 seconds and result in great images that match the original well. The scans aren't quite as sharp as on models from Canon or Epson, but the color handling has improved vastly, even if some tones remain a little too bright.
Copying, though, is slow, and shows definite room for improvement. A black and white copy takes 19 seconds, and you'll be waiting 40 seconds for a color copy.
The new model is the same size as the old one, prints at the same speed, takes the same cartridges, has the same interface and is as energy-efficient?
So is it just a simple clone? Almost, but not quite.
Two small changes have been made to the C4480 to set it apart from the earlier model: the LCD screen now tilts and can be found at the front, rather than a flat screen on the side, and CompactFlash cards can no longer be read.
The cartridges are still the same, without separate ink tanks and as a rule very expensive.
However, the XL versions represent better value for money, containing more ink but without costing too much more.
It seems that the crown of the best-value-for-money printers is no longer Canon's, but HP's and Kodak's, provided you remember to use XL cartridges.
Good Quality Printing - But Nothing Stunning
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Sample of color graphics/text test document. Click to compare with other products in this comparison.
Using the C4480, you will be able to print documents that are perfectly acceptable for everyday letter writing, and photos that look great in your family album.
But if you put the results of this printer up against another, like the Canon M630, as we did in our labs, it's very clear that you won't get top quality results from the C4480.
On the other hand, HP's economic XL cartridges will certainly last longer between changes, and so the decision is yours: are you prepared to pay for the very best in image quality available on a modern multifunction, or are you looking for a more balanced price/quality compromise?
HP's prints are attractive and a lot more reasonably priced - so go for the Canon if you're not prepared to accept any compromises in the quality of your printed output.
Even though it takes a long time about it, the C4480's photos are good, with warm, pleasant colors.
The ink drops are a lot bigger than on some models we tested and very visible if you look closely at the images.
Fortunately, though, most of the people who you're likely to share your holiday snaps won't have a magnifying glass out like us, but it's another factor on which HP lags behind the competition.
HP's prints are attractive and a lot more reasonably priced - so go for the Canon if you're not prepared to accept any compromises in the quality of your printed output.
Even though it takes a long time about it, the C4480's photos are good, with warm, pleasant colors.
The ink drops are a lot bigger than on some models we tested and very visible if you look closely at the images.
Fortunately, though, most of the people who you're likely to share your holiday snaps won't have a magnifying glass out like us, but it's another factor on which HP lags behind the competition.
We love XL!
HP now offers two lines of cartridges for every printer, in standard and XL sizes.
Our advice is to always go for XL if you have the choice: although they are initially more expensive to buy, they definitely represent better value for money in the long term, and in our tests even halved the total cost per page based on European cartridge prices.
| Cartridge | Lifespan (prints) |
| 350 (black) | 190 |
| 350XL (black) | 950 |
| 351 (color) | 155 |
| 351XL (color) | 54 |
Cartridge lifespan - ISO test for photo printing
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Good colors for office and photo printing
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Value-for-money from XL cartridges
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Small footprint
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Energy efficient: 4W on standy, 10W while working
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Very slow
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Visible ink drops on photos
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Tiny screen
The C4480 is slower and not quite as sharp as Canon's excellent MP630. Nevertheless, it's a lot cheaper to buy and very economical run when paired with HP's XL cartridges.
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