HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw Review: Specs, Pros and Cons

HP’s LaserJet Pro has been rolled out for a few years and the manufacturer has introduced a long list of printers under this line. The HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw is among entry-level laser printers that boast impressive color and increased work efficiency. Additionally, it lets you print with an inexpensive running cost.

The M255dw is well-engineered to keep up with your work pace, thanks to seamless connectivity as well as easy printing and innovative features to improve your experience. Whether you have a home-based office or small business, the M255dw can be a great choice to ensure your business documents are well-handled.

Stylish yet Robust Build

Almost all modern HP printers are constructed with stylish design and the LaserJet Pro M255dw upholds the tradition. It comes with a sleek layout that evokes elegant looks, especially when you opt for white color scheme. The clean lines combined with round edges allow you to add visual interest to the workspace.

Measuring 9.7 inches high by 15.4 inches wide by 16.5 inches deep, this printer is a nice space-saver. Weighing around 32.6 pounds, the device is much heavier than its counterpart, the LaserJet Pro M404dw that weighs only 18.87 pounds.

At first, I thought the M255dw has no ADF feature. But I finally found out that HP brilliantly hides the auto document feeder so it looks much simpler than other printers with duplex functionality. Another thing that catches my attention is the standing display that looks modern and sophisticated. All the control is now at your fingertips, thanks to a 2.7-inch color graphic screen.

HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw Printing Specs

The LaserJet Pro M255dw is a color laser printer to meet your needs for high-quality office printing. Unlike the AIO printers, the machine only supports print functionality. It combines laser technology with ImageRET 3600 resolution technology that provides stunning details and vivid color. The printer supports up to 600 x 600 dpi, which is acceptable for office documents.

HP rates the M255dw at 40,000 pages for monthly duty cycle with recommended monthly volume up to 2,500 pages. This printing volume fits small to medium office’s printing capacity, though it might be rather low for a heavy-duty printer.

Acceptable Print Speed

Laser printers are reliable to keep up with a fast work pace, thanks to rapid print speed that helps cut your work time. This was what I expected from the M255dw until I found this printer was not as powerful as I thought. The machine is rated up to 22 pages per minute for both black and color pages, which is below average for laser printers. Additionally, it can produce up to 12 pages per minute for duplex printing.

The fastest performance was shown when I printed mono on A5 paper on landscape position. It produced up to 38 pages per minute and the speed significantly dropped to 21 pages per minute for ISO printing both color and black. When I changed the position into a portrait, the speed decreased to 5 pages per minute. I came to a conclusion that the M255dw is not a fast printer though it may be acceptable.

Double Tray, Limited Capacity

The Color LaserJet Pro M255dw has two input trays. The first tray can hold one sheet of all media types while the second tray can hold up to 250 sheets. This paper capacity does not really impress me, though some users may find it is sufficient to handle their everyday office printing. A 100-sheet output tray capacity is equipped to keep output documents well-handled.

When it comes to media sizes, this device supports a wide array of printing media such as A4, envelopes, and custom. Dozens of media types can also be easily handled by this printer, including glossy paper, photo paper, pre-punched paper, labels, cardstock, and transparencies.

HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw Output Quality

The HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw promises high-quality output, which is more than adequate to make your office document look convincing and professional. This laser printer can easily handle book reports, invoices, and other business documents without giving you a headache. How did it work for black and color printing?

When I printed a black document, the entry-level laser printer gave an impressive and sharp black text for high legibility. I saw well-shaped characters and the small fonts are quite readable. Streaking and banding were hardly visible for graphics, so I believe this output quality is what you need to handle business documents.

Thanks to HP ImageRET 3600, an innovative technology that helps control color for crisp, accurate and precise color combinations. As I printed photos, this machine delivered smooth, vivid, and bright colors. In addition, I really enjoyed color gradients that changed smoothly for a perfect photo printing and creative project.

More Consumable Capacity with Four Toner Cartridges

The office laserjet printer uses four toner cartridges for each color (CMYK). The four individual cartridges provide more capacity for consumables, allowing the printer to yield more pages than standard ones. Surely, it directs to lower print cost per page to cut your office spending.

The M255dw uses HP 206A LaserJet toner cartridge that boasts a higher yield. Standard 206A Black cartridge yields up to 1350 pages, while Color cartridges (composite) can print up to 1250 pages. HP also provides a 206X cartridge with higher yields for much lower running costs. The 206X makes up to 3150 yields for black and up to 2450 yield for color.

Make sure your printer is ready all the time by monitoring the ink levels regularly. Trust me, it won’t be nice to find an empty toner cartridge while you are on a tight deadline. Thankfully, HP offers easy access to check ink levels through the printer’s control panel. From the homes screen, select Supplies. The screen will display estimated remaining toner levels so you can prepare for a new replacement if required.

Lots of Connectivity and Software Options

The M255dw is a wireless printer that allows you to build a seamless connection to many other devices including PC, computer, smartphone, tablet, and others. The standard connectivity consists of Hi-Speed USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi. It also supports Wi-Fi Direct that allows direct printing from your smartphone or tablet.

Get the best out of your printer through mobile printing. You can explore this printer’s capability through Apple AirPrint, Mopria, and Mobile Apps. HP ePrint is also supported to get engaging printing experience. When it comes to software availability, the box does not include a software CD so you need to download it from HP’s official website.

Thankfully, the manufacturer provides dozens of downloadable software including HP Smart which is the recommended printer driver. HP JetAdvantage Security Manager is also available to improve the printer’s security.

HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw Pros and Cons

The Color LaserJet Pro M255dw is a combination of stylish design and capable functionality. This laser printer is designed to meet your demand for high-quality office printers with a low running cost. Having that said, the device does not come with perfection. I could find some positive and negative sides as listed below.

HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw Pros

• Compact and robust build

The HP M255dw has a compact design that makes it a great space-saver. The printer boasts robust construction that ensures its performance. Unlike most printers with ADF, the top of the device looks much simpler. The manufacturer ditches the bulky feeder and plants it inside the body. This is a good-looking printer for professional use.

• Trusted output quality

As a laser printer, the M255dw offers trusted print results. It produces crisp and sharp black text as well as vibrant photos and graphics to make your business document more convincing. This is a dependable office printer to support your workgroups. Thankfully, it offers a generous recommended volume and duty cycle to meet your demand for medium-duty printers.

• High yield consumables

Another thing you’ll like about this printer is the high yield consumables. Thanks to the toner cartridge that provides a huge consumable capacity for more yield. The more pages it can print, the lower operation cost to pay. The M255dw is a great printer for every growing business with a tight monthly budget as well as thrifty workgroups.

HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw Cons

• Below-average speed

The fact that HP rates this printer at 22 pages per minute makes it less attractive. The print speed is below average for laser printers. It makes you wait a little longer to produce one page, which means it can slow down your work pace. If you want to use this printer, time management will be crucial.

• Low paper tray capacity

This entry-level laser printer has a 250-sheet paper tray capacity. This may be acceptable for a home office or small workgroups. But if you plan to expand the business, I’m afraid the printer cannot handle the printing task. When your printing volume is getting higher, a relatively low capacity requires you to reload the paper after a few hours.

Final Verdict

The HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw is a great printer model for small businesses. The entry-level laser printer boasts a lot of features, allowing you to print at convenience. Not only does it offer a stylish and compact design, but it also produces reliable print results to handle your office document.

If you are looking for an affordable office printer with inexpensive operation costs, the M255dw is an ideal choice. Excellent output quality makes its low print speed forgivable.