HP Photosmart 3210 All-in-One Printer, Copier, and Scanner

by HP

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 18.3 x 15.6 inches ; 31 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 31 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000B63RJE
• Item model number: Q5843A#ABA
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (119 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #3 in Electronics > Office Electronics > Copiers
  • #66 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > Printers > Inkjet Printers
  • #93 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > Printers > All-In-One Printers > Inkjet All-In-One Printers
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 21, 2005

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The HP PhotoSmart 3210 is the world's fastest photo printing All-in-One with advanced print, scan and copy performance (1). Built-in networking and slide/negative scanner adapter, plus 6 individual inks. Print and copy true-to-life photos that resist fading for generations (2) with HP Vivera Inks, up to 4800-optimized dpi color (3), and high-quality scans. Print without a PC using 2.5-inch image display, memory cards (4), camera phone (5) and more. Easily enhance photos with HP Real Life technologies and HP Image Zone software. World's fastest photo printing All-in-One
World's fastest photo printing All-in-One (1) with economical six individual inks.

• Breakthrough print and copy speeds up to 32 ppm black and 31 ppm color; photos as fast as 14 seconds
• Print professional-quality 4-by-6-inch photos at home for as little as 24 cents per print (6)
• HP ink cartridges are designed for efficient ink usage, high volume printing and can save you money

Advanced scanning and copying
Built-in slide/negative adapter, dust and scratch removal and advanced copying.

• Save old photos scan slides/negatives with built-in adapter, and remove dust and scratches in images
• Make vivid, true-to-the-original color copies, plus new copy preview/crop without PC feature
• Superior scanning on oversized 8.5-by-12-inch with 4,800 x 4,800 dpi optical resolution, 48-bit color

Photos and copies without a PC
Print and copy without a PC simply view and print photos on 2.5-inch display.

• Direct photo printing using image display, memory cards (4), HP proof sheet, or PictBridge USB port
• Adjustable control panel and 2.5-inch color image display enable optimal viewing from any angle
• Easily print and share your photos memories from your camera phone wirelessly or via memory card (5)

Convenient photo center
Auto red-eye removal and other innovations to enhance your photo printing.

• Automatically remove red-eye, enhance detail in dark areas of photos with HP Real Life technologies
• Organize, edit, enhance and print photos and create photo projects with HP Image Zone software
• New automated 4-by-6-inch tray for dedicated photo printing, plus optional auto 2-sided printing (7)
• Standard-size and panorama photos -- with or without borders -- print borders -- print up to 8.5-by-24-inches (8)

Networked Photo All-in-One
Network your All-in-One to share with multiple PCs or send photos to a remote PC.

• Built-in networking -- easily share print, scan and copy functions on a small computer network
• For wireless benefits, plug your All-in-One into the Ethernet port of a wireless router
• Send photos to friends without using a PC via included HP Instant Share printer-to-printer sharing (9)

True-to-life photo-quality
True-to-life, long-lasting photos and laser-quality text documents.

• Print rich and realistic photos with virtually no grain using 6-ink color with HP Vivera Inks
• Photos resist fading for generations (10) and stored laser-quality documents retain clarity for decades (11)

Low on ink?
HP SureSupply notifies you when it is time to replace your print cartridge and helps you purchase locally or via the internet (12). Rely on HP. PC Magazine rated HP service and reliability A/A+ for 13 consecutive years. What's in the Box: HP Photosmart 3210 All-in-One Printer, Scanner, Copier, HP 02 Black (16 ml), HP 02 Cyan (4.5 ml), HP 02 Magenta (4.5 ml), HP 02 Yellow (4.5 ml), HP 02 Light Cyan (4.5 ml), HP 02 Light Magenta (4.5 ml), HP Image Zone Photo and Imaging Software on CD-ROM, setup booklet, user's guide, power supply, power cord. Notes: (1) Speed comparisons in default and fastest modes, when printing from a computer, based upon HP internal testing of comparable consumer photo printing products available as of April 2005. (2) Based on HP Image Permanence Lab light-fade testing under glass on HP Premium Plus Photo Papers; confirmation test in progress by Wilhelm-Research.com. For more information on additional permanence testing factors, visit http://hp.com/go/premiumplusphoto. (3) Up to 4800x1200-optimized dpi color when printing from a computer and 1200-input dpi. (4) Memory card slots support Secure Digital/MultiMedia Card, CompactFlash Type I and II, Memory Stick, XD-Picture Card, Memory Stick Duo (with adapter, not included purchase separately), Mini SD (with adapter, not included purchase separately). (5) Wireless printing requires HP Bluetooth Wireless Printer Adapter (bt300/400 series models); not included, purchase separately. Printer supports Memory Stick Duo (with adapter, not included, purchase separately), Mini SD (with adapter, not included, purchase separately). (6) Special offer with purchase of optional HP Photo Value Pack, Custom 02 Series, 4x6, 150 sheets based on estimated street price. Results may vary. (7) With purchase of HP Auto Two-Sided Print Accessory. (not included, sold separately). (8) Borderless printing up to 8.5x24 using brochure, photo and plain paper. (9) Internet connection required. Internet service purchased separately. Printer-to-printer sharing service compatible with HP Officejet 7400 and 7300 All-in-One series, HP Photosmart 3300, 3200, 2700, 2600 and 2570 All-in-One series; All-in-One must be on a network with broadband Internet connection. (10) Based on HP Image Permanence Lab light-fade testing under glass on HP Premium Plus Photo Papers; confirmation test in progress by Wilhelm-Research.com. For more information on additional permanence testing factors, visit http://hp.com/go/premiumplusphoto. (11) Bases on paper industry predictions for acid-free papers; colorant stability data at room temperature based on similar systems tested as per ISO 11798 and ISO 18909. (12) Only available with genuine HP supplies; internet access required.

Product Description

The HP PhotoSmart 3210 is the world's fastest photo printing All-in-One with advanced print, scan and copy performance (1). Built-in networking and slide/negative scanner adapter, plus 6 individual inks. Print and copy true-to-life photos that resist fading for generations (2) with HP Vivera Inks, up to 4800-optimized dpi color (3), and high-quality scans. Print without a PC using 2.5-inch image display, memory cards (4), camera phone (5) and more. Easily enhance photos with HP Real Life technologies and HP Image Zone software.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

114 of 118 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hardware is well done but software is HP's weakness, November 18, 2005

By 

Erik W. Brown (Madison, Wisconsin, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: HP Photosmart 3210 All-in-One Printer, Copier, and Scanner (Office Product)

To start off, let me say that I am traditionally not a fan of HP's products. I did, however, view this all-in-one as having some nicer features than some others and took a chance.

I feel that generally HP does well with hardware products and or designs but struggles with their software integration with their products. I feel this is the case here as well. I have had my 3210 for about 2 weeks and here are my experiences.

Pros:
i) Scanning resolution and overall quality is quite good.
ii) Printing quality is also good. I wasn't planning on doing a ton of printing but based on experiences I will probably do more than anticipated because of the good results.
iii) Scanning and printing are both pretty quick. Marketed as the fastest picture printer all-in-one on the market... can't compare with others but I suspect they are correct here.
iv) I was happy to find in my research that replacement ink cartridges are NOT terribly expensive and they are easy to replace and know if they are running low.

Cons:
i) Paper magazine is small so it doesn't hold a lot -- minor.
ii) Software install was more of a pain than I was expecting. Installation on WinXP SP1 was generally OK but on WinXP SP2 it was a struggle. Not HP's fault, certainly, but they weren't able to make the installation easier to prevent some of these isssues or frustrations. I hope they have a lot of tech support people available as this product sells.
iii) Network configuration was not as automated or straight forward as they could have been.
iv) Software interface isn't as easy and fluid as it could be. I think that those who purchase this product that don't have some comfort with computers will be on the phone with HP often.

Overall, I am pleased with the purchase thus far but still have some configuration to work through. In HP's defense, I haven't called or emailed their tech support -- but I shouldn't have to and my schedule makes this tough. Again, I feel the hardware implementation is quite good but their installation software and interface is lacking.

98 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent product getting a bad rap, April 7, 2006

By 

M. Zeissler (DC Metro Area) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: HP Photosmart 3210 All-in-One Printer, Copier, and Scanner (Office Product)

After reading all the reviews here, and against my better judgment, I bought a 3210 - because it had the exact features I was looking for in a multi-function device. My experience was light years apart from what the others have left on this site. Please understand that I carefully read the instructions and gave some thought to the process before connecting the printer to my network. Additionally, my system is clean and well maintained; i.e., I have no spyware, adware or viruses, and run weekly scans to keep it that way. Your mileage may differ.

Software install - no issues. At 1.1GB it's a big install, but I had no problems with it. The installer correctly detected my firewall and had me disable it after I detached my network from the Internet. After the required reboot, it finished installing without any hiccups. I also made sure to click on the "HP Software Update" within the HP Solution Center before doing anything further, installed the rest of the updates and rebooted. Again, no issues at all after making sure the software load was completely current.

Network configuration - no issues. I have a custom configuration for my network; I setup the IP address on the 3210 manually and added the printer to my router and firewall *before* installing the software. During the installation process, the installer spotted the printer at the correct IP address that I had already given it and moved forward without any incident.

Paper pickup and out of paper notices - no issues. I use GP Advantage Premium Ink Jet paper from CostCo and am having no issues whatsoever. Same thing with bulk Kodak photo paper from CostCo. Most inkjet printers have an issue with overfilling the paper tray, so I keep mine under filled. No problems with getting erroneous out of paper messages. The plain paper output looks acceptable in rough draft and stellar in high resolution; the photo paper output is just drop dead gorgeous in hi-res; neither paper exhibited any evidence of gouges.

PDF creation - no issues. The software works as designed, without wasting any paper or creating gibberish. Black and white, gray or color, all the settings worked as I expected them to and created perfect PDF documents.

Hardware buttons - no issues. All the buttons work like they should on the printer. Additionally, all the buttons within the software residing on the PC work as advertised as well.

Ink usage - no issues. The ink usage is as I expect so far. With plain paper I use the draft mode on everything except for what others see; I never print photos of any kind on plain paper (plain paper is a sponge for printer ink). With photo paper I use a very glossy finish, which helps keep the ink usage down. I was quite surprised by the tiny containers of ink that are used in the printer, but nothing more than that. I'll have a better idea how the 3210 ink usage compares to my old inkjet this next Christmas when I print out my annual calendar gifts to family members.

Noise - no issues. Compared to many other printers and scanners I've used over the years, both HP and non-HP, the 3210 is *very* quiet. The sound rises when scanning really high DPI levels, but is whisper quiet at the default 300 DPI for low-res scans.

Overall impressions - 5 stars. The printing is superb, the device is quiet, it has built-in networking, everything works as I expect for it to; what's not to like? My experience has been unlike the others listed here - don't know why - and I'll continue to buy and recommend HP products.

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Persistent paper feed problems, June 6, 2006

By 

C. Hall "chall811" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: HP Photosmart 3210 All-in-One Printer, Copier, and Scanner (Office Product)

I purchased the HP 3210 to replace a six year old laser printer. I read several reviews before deciding on this model, but apparently I didn't read closely enough.

Setup of the printer was a breeze, and for the first week or two things seemed to work flawlessly. Most of what I do at home is just some light document printing, which worked like a charm. I also played with the scanning, as well as the copying of a photo, which was really very cool. Again, it just worked great and I was pleased with the purchase.

Then after a couple of weeks I started getting an "Out of Paper" message on the display, despite the fact that the tray was full. I did all the usual stuff, pulled the tray out, reshuffled the paper, put it back in, and reset. The printer seemed to work OK again, until the next time I'd print a document.

Honestly I really didn't pay that much attention to the issue until the other day when I was doing some research for my job and wanted to print out a 45 page document. A complete nightmare; I spent 2 hours of a Sunday afternoon just trying to get the output. It would print a page, then give me the error. I hit the OK button, it clicks and whirs a little, spits out another page, and then the same error.

This all happened while using HP's premium Inkjet paper. I tried another brand of multi-purpose paper (20# weight instead of 24#) with equally poor results.

The problem has just gotten progressively worse, and I'm at a loss as to what to do. I purchased at Circuit City in early April so I doubt they will accept a return. My only recourse will probably be to contact HP, which I haven't tried yet but will.

It is really a shame because, aside from this major problem, the printer is everything I need. The right size, functions, etc. Now I'm just hoping that I can recoup some of my investment.

I'm very disappointed and really expected more from HP. Obviously, and unfortunately, I cannot recommend this printer.

*****ADDENDUM*****
6/11/06: After writing the above review I contacted HP tech support regarding the "Out of Paper" problem. I was expecting this to be a nightmare but I was actually quite impressed with the hold time (less than 2 minutes) and customer service. Anyway, after describing the problem the HP rep acknowledged that this has been a documented issue with this model. Of course he put a postive spin on it and said "since this is a new printer and the technology is very precise, etc.). Bottom-line: By default the printer is set to "Automatic" paper size and "Automatic" paper type. The HP rep instructed me to change these settings to "Letter" and "Premium Inkjet Paper" respectively. Doing this did in fact seem to solve the problem. So in essence, the "Automatic" settings do not work on this printer (as obviously they should). However this "workaround" is acceptable. *If you do try this be sure to save the settings as turning off the printer will reset the defaults back to "Automatic" unless you have taken the extra step to save settings.

One last note: Even with these settings changes I did still receive the dreaded "Out of Paper" message when the tray got a little low (about 10-15 sheets left). Anyway, I'm going to work with it for a few days and see how it goes.

I still wish I'd bought the Canon Pixma MP800!