The HP Color DeskJet 3550 is an affordable inkjet printer with an emphasis in photo printing. The PC and MAC compatible DeskJet 3550 prints up to a resolution of 2,400 x 1,200 dpi. The text printing is decent with minor errors on smaller fonts; although none of them are presentation quality the graphics are good graphics and the photos are even better. The printer connects via its USB slot and lacks a parallel port. The printing is definitely on the slow side with an average top speed of 13 pages per minute and there’s a slight tendency towards paper jamming. The DeskJet 3550 uses a 2 ink cartridge system with 4 colors (HP 28 Black Ink and HP 27 Tricolor Ink). One must note however that since they’re not individual ink cartridges they are less efficient and might cost more in the long run. Overall the DeskJet 3550 is a good buy for families and students looking for a serviceable photo printer on a budget.
