If the HP Photosmart D5460 were a presidential candidate, it would run on a platform of value and affordability. Print speeds reach over 30 ppm in color and in black and white, and it takes a reported 17 seconds to roll out a 4”x6” color photo. The HP Photosmart D5460 also prints on CDs and DVDs, features a 1.5” LCD screen, and offers PC-free photo printing via PictBridge and memory card. So at an MSRP of $99.99, does this new printer provide the overall value that its spec sheet and price tag imply? A couple critics have seen the machine for themselves, and they give the HP Photosmart D5460 a ringing overall endorsement.

 

Susan Silvius of PC World gives the HP Photosmart D5460 an impressive 84/100 for its high quality output, solid print speed, affordable ink cartridges, and separate trays dedicated to photo paper and CDs/DVDs. She also finds the control panel and LCD screen simple and straightforward to use. Her only real issue is the printer’s curious inability to handle legal sized paper, which you pretty much assume your machine should accommodate. Other than that, Silvius considers the HP Photosmart D5460 “a bargain that you can brag about.”

 

Leslie Ayers of Mac Life gives the HP Photosmart D5460 a strong 4/5 for many of the same features and benefits that Silvius mentions, but she does have one notable bone to pick - printing a photo from an image editor like Photoshop is a bit of a hassle. In fact, Ayers reports that she had to get help from a friend in order to print a basic image from the dedicated photo tray. And considering that you’re not always carrying around a memory card from which you can print directly, that can be a tough drawback to have. But overall, she seems to find that the high quality prints are worth the minor inconvenience. Also, keep in mind that Mac Life covers Apple-compatible technology, so printing photos through a PC image editor may work out a bit better.