HP DeskJet 5740 Color Inkjet Printer

• Up to 23 ppm black, 18 ppm color, 26 ppm with optional cartridge
• Up to 1,200 dpi black resolution, 4,800 optimized dpi color
• Borderless photo printing on paper up to 8.5 by 24 inches
• HP PhotoREt III color technology, PhotoREt IV with optional cartridge
• USB connectivity, optional external print server; PC and Mac compatible

I have a small desk and that''s one reason I picked the Deskjet 5740. Both paper trays fold up neatly when not in use, making this one of the most compact printers I''ve ever used.

My #1 concern was text print quality as I do a lot of correspondence and not that much color photo printing. With inkjet paper (my favorite everyday paper is HP''s Bright White Inkjet which goes for $8 for 500 sheets), the results are outstanding. Text is crisp and black... it looks right out of a laser printer!

The Mac OS X drivers are top notch! It can handle inkjet Avery labels, card stock, envelopes, transparencies, and premium photo paper. Plus it gives you full control over ink density, color balance, and ColorSync (Be sure to download the latest printer drivers from HP''s website as the CD was a little out of date).

And when you use glossy photo paper, the color photos are just like film. Really outstanding photo printing from HP''s "home office" Deskjet line. It can also use the special "Photo" ink cartridge as well as the standard "TriColor" cartridge. The 5740 also accepts HP''s jumbo sized black and tri-color cartridges, which are double the size of a normal cartridge at a much better price.

You can''t get a better printer for $99!

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Since we already have a scanner and a separate photo printer I just wanted a simple deskjet printer to use for family and school projects. I spent a day or so researching a bunch of different types and decided on this one. I couldn''t be happier. The print quality is fantastic and although it wasn''t a priority for me I was thrilled with the speed it prints both color and black and white pages. Just had a paper jam this morning (did I mention I have kids?)and rather than spending 10 minutes trying to rip the paper out of the machine, it very nicely rolled the whole stack right out. I *love* this printer and am amazed we got it for under $100.

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Just because there is no official "Windows XP" badge on the printer or the Microsoft web site does not mean the printer "is not XP compatible". That just means Microsoft has tested it and certified it for the particular OS. I have owned many HP printers and have found them to be the most reliable. My only issue has been cartridge cost but after having owned a Canon printer with separate color tanks, I''ll stick with HP. As a previous poster stated about an Epson, you spend most of the time cleaning print heads. The poor sales guy at BestBuy was correct to say that the HP was trouble free. Of course this is a generality but for the most part, they are. I used to sell printers and the ratio of HP returns to other brands was wide. I would test returned merchandise and find that most items were fine. The problems are usually with the user or the user''s computer.

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I purchased the 5740 early this year as a replacement to an HP 970Cxi. It was still running great but, my printing needs had increased and I wanted a newer model. At first, I was quite pleased with my purchase. I had used it for both b/w and color prints with no problems and then one day it just stopped printing in color. I naturally replaced the color cartridge thinking it had run out. Nope, that wasn''t the problem. I went through all the maintenance procedures they recommend...still nothing. I did the HP chat and he thought it might be a driver issue. I removed the printer and did a new install and for that day, the printer worked fine. I shut down my computer and when I rebooted the problem was back again. Did the whole removal...from the the registry and everything...and a fresh install. Again, it worked fine for the day and then died again. Nothing had changed on my computer...no new software or hardware. Spoke to HP again and he decided the unit was defective and suggested a replacement. I agreed. Sent back the unit, received the refurbished one and once again removed the drivers, etc and reinstalled. Bingo, this one doesn''t work either. Removed the 5740 and hooked up the old HP and installed its drivers. No problems. I tried the 5740 on another computer with XP and similiar problems ensued. I''ve decided it''s not my computer...it''s the printer. Another reviewer stated the drivers weren''t compatible with XP. I''d have to say that I agree.

We bought this about three months ago for typical home use and it has worked great. It is small, fast and quiet. The buttons on the front of the machine are very basic (On/Off, clear jam, cancel print and an indicator for ink level in each of the two cartridges). We are using this on an older PC that runs WIndows 98. The setup was a breeze, but you have to buy the USB cable separately. The software that comes with the printer is pretty standard. Black and white documents are clean and color documents come out good but not good enough to print high-end photos. For the price this is a great value for home use.