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 Likes
- Large LCD
- Handy, useful menu
- Easy-to-operate touch-screen
- Light weight
- Optional battery
Dislikes
- Poor print quality
- Limited black-and-white options
- Poor software
- No standard wireless capabilities
Conclusion
HP breaks new ground with the Photosmart A626 compact photo printer and other new photo printers this year with the inclusion of an interactive touch-screen. In the case of the A626, the full screen dimension of 4.8 inches contains a 3.6-inch LCD and space for icons/buttons. Another new innovation on the A626 that is shared with the new Canon inkjet printer, the mini320, is the ability to print 5x7-inch images. The A626 can print directly from PictBridge-enabled cameras, from memory cards, or from a computer. It can also be purchased with an optional battery and carrying case.
In terms of plug and play, the A626 is very quick. If printing direct from memory cards, the longest wait is for the printer to initialize the starter cartridge, which only includes 2.5 ml of ink, so make sure you buy more cartridges when you purchase this printer.
The printer’s touch-screen buttons respond very readily to pressure, and images come up quickly once a memory card is inserted. This is testament to the 64 mb of RAM on board, much more than the Canon’s paltry 42 kb. An included stylus can be used to write or draw on the screen in six different colors and 3 different line weights. This new information is printed as seen on the screen. This would be a fun innovation for kids or for making personalized pictures or photo cards.
The A626’s menu is very helpful, providing plenty of tools for a basic printer, with the ability to change paper type, print quality, and turning on or off the HP Photo Fix tools. Only meager image editing is possible on the printer menu. More options are available via the printer driver on the computer installation. Users can have some control over color, brightness, and contrast.
Unfortunately, we were disappointed in print quality. The A626 did not do well in our color accuracy test, meaning it misrepresents some colors, notably blues and greens. It also didn’t score well on our density test, printing a very thin black tone, which was reflected both in color and especially black-and-white prints. More details on this printer’s performance can be found on the Photo Performance page.
HP uses an integrated ink cartridge for the A626, as most compact inkjet printers do. Where the Canon mini320, for example, and the HP A626 differ is that the Canon’s cartridge contains four inks—cyan, magenta, yellow, and black—while the A626’s cartridge omits the black. The three remaining colors are used collectively to create black tones.
Print speeds, while not remarkably slow, did rank near the bottom of the list of tested printers. Printing a 4x6-inch photo on best quality took between 85 and 95 seconds, depending on whether we were printing from the computer or memory card. The Epson PictureMate Snap could print as fast as 44 seconds, and the Canon mini320 as fast as 71 seconds per print.
Speaking of comparisons, the mini320, as mentioned, can also print 5x7-inch images, and it scored much better on print quality and speed tests. Likewise the Epson PictureMate Snap, which has been replaced by the PictureMate Dash and Zoom printers. Check out our Comparisons section on the Overall Impressions / Ease of Use page for more information on these and other comparable printers.
We have to applaud HP for doing such a good job with the touch-screen display and menus for the Photosmart A626. It’s a fun device to use and the drawing innovation will make this a popular party printer for kids and adults. The larger 5x7-inch print size is, of course, a plus, as is the optional battery. However, we have to fall short of recommending the A626, since much better print quality can be found elsewhere, for the same or less money. Prints from the A626 may suffice for the less finicky consumer, but for those who like vibrant, eye-catching prints with rich colors and blacks, they’ll likely be disappointed.
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