HP Deskjet 2543 All-in-One Printer Review

Are you looking for a compact and inexpensive printer for the home environment? Then the HP DeskJet 2543 can be great to opt for. This entry-level printer is specially engineered to make your everyday printing tasks easier. It boasts a variety of features for enjoyable printing experience. As with other inkjet printers, it manages to deliver great output quality.

From the appearance, the DeskJet 2543 looks modern and stylish. This is a great advantage if you want to make a new statement to the home office or any given space. I believe this printer is able to serve well for families with low printing volume. If you are interested in making a purchase, get to know more about this machine!

Compact, Trapezoid Design

The DeskJet 2543 is a modern printer with a stunning look. It adopts a trapezoid shape with round edges that add a futuristic accent, moreover it combines a white body and black accent on its top. I really enjoy seeing this printer as it looks clean, sleek and stylish. Measuring 6.2 inches high by 16.7 inches wide by 12.1 inches deep, this printer features a compact build that does not consume a lot of space.

In addition to stylish design, the DeskJet 2543 is a lightweight printer as it weighs only 7.94 pounds. You can easily move it here and there if needed. It is also safe enough to let the device snuggle on a table shelf. Despite its inexpensive price, this machine does not look flimsy. Instead, it seems robust with sturdy plastic material.

This printing machine features an input tray that expands from the back of the body. The top of this device looks clean as it does not offer auto document feeder. Instead, you can find a scanner bed and control panel on the left side. The control panel features a 7-segment LCD display which shows wireless connection and printer status.

HP Deskjet 2543 Specs and More

HP’s DeskJet 2543 is built as a multifunction printer, so you can rely on this device to print, copy, and scan. Each functionality does not offer excellent performance as I expected before. But it is always important to know the specs before making a purchase. Check this out.

1. Printing specs

As with other inkjet printers manufactured by HP, this DeskJet 2543 features HP thermal inkjet technology to deliver great output quality. Moreover, it supports up to 4800 x 1200 printing resolution to reduce graininess and offer better details. Meanwhile, printing resolution for mono is rather low at 600 x 600 dpi. These printing specs are not excellent but it is good enough for the price that you pay.

It’s the same case with copy and scan functionality. This printer supports up to 600 x 300 copy resolutions both for color and mono. Unfortunately, HP rates maximum copies at 9 pages, which is lower than I expected. Moving to scan functionality, it comes with 1200 x 1200 optical resolution with CIS scan element for clear and nice scanned documents.

2. Media handling

This entry-level color printer features a standard paper tray with limited capacity. It has a 60-sheet input tray capacity with a 25-sheet output tray capacity. The total of 85 paper capacity is not good enough for a printer at this price. But it may be acceptable for occasional printing or low-volume printing that does not require a lot of paper sheets.

The DeskJet 2543 can handle media sizes that range from 4 x 6 inches up to legal. It also supports a number of media types, such as envelopes, photo paper, plain paper, labels, and greeting cards. HP rates the monthly duty cycle at 1,000 pages, while the recommended monthly volume is 400 pages. This rate, however, is relatively high for home environments but is adequate for home-based offices.

3. Print speed

The DeskJet 2543 has an average print speed as HP rates this printer at 20 pages per minute. This is not disappointing though some printers at a similar price have faster speed. When I tried to print black and white draft, this printer managed to deliver up to 20 pages per minute. But the speed reduced to 16 pages per minute for the color draft.

This speed significantly dropped to 7 pages per minute when I printed black and white ISO documents. The lowest performance is shown for color ISO printing that gave me 4 pages per minute. Overall, HP DeskJet 2543 is not the fastest print speed but it is adequate for everyday printing tasks such as homework or college paper.

How about copying speed? I did not notice a significant difference in this functionality. It can copy up to 4.5 pages per minute for monochrome A4 paper and 3 pages per minute for color A4 paper, which is not that special.

Typical Print Quality

For entry-level printers, the DeskJet 2543 does not offer standout print quality. Much like other inkjet printers, it prints quite well both for texts and photos. I saw legible text without misshaped characters so I think this machine is suitable for home use. However, it needs more effort to deal with small fonts.

When I tried with graphics, I noticed streaking and banding on gradient fills. It also happens in other inkjet printers so I don’t expect much on this aspect. Again and again, photo print is not the specialty of this printer. But if you want to print family photos for scrapbooks or collections, this printer will be sufficient.

Expensive Print Cost

The DeskJet 2543 inkjet uses two standard cartridges that consist of 1 black cartridge and 1 tri-color cartridge (CMY). It supports 336 nozzle configuration for black and 612 nozzle configuration for color, allowing the printer to deliver nice print results.

When it comes to ink choice, this printer uses HP 61 ink cartridges both for black and color. The black cartridge yields up to 190 pages while the color one yields up to 165 pages. This consumable does not offer fantastic value but HP provides high yield cartridge replacement that offers more yields for the lower running cost.

How about the print cost for standard consumables? I have mentioned many times that running cost makes most inkjet printers less attractive. The DeskJet 2543 holds this tradition as it rates at 8 cents per black page and 10 cents per color page. According to HP’s math, the cost is getting higher when you print in high-volume. But the value will be fine for occasional printing.

Minimum Connectivity and Software

This wireless printer does not offer myriad connectivity. It comes with a standard interface that includes USB 2.0 to build a reliable connection with your PC. It also features Wi-Fi(n) that lets you connect the printer to other compatible devices such as tablets and smartphones. This capability gives easier control of this machine.

The DeskJet 2543 also supports a few mobile printing capabilities. It is limited to HP ePrint, Apple AirPrint and wireless direct printing, so you don’t have much to expect from this printer. And yet, the ability to print remotely can be a great feature to enjoy at home.

HP Deskjet 2543 Pros and Cons

Do you find it’s hard to make a decision? The fact that the DeskJet 2543 is designed for the home environment, it does not have much to expect. It offers good output quality but it has drawbacks here and there. To make this clearer, check the following plus and minus of the printer.

HP Deskjet 2543 Pros

• Low-budget printer

Most family printers are available at affordable prices, thus you can do everyday printing tasks without spending a lot of money. The DeskJet 2543 is among low-budget printers that offer print, copy, and scan functionalities. This is more than enough to print children’s homework, college paper, or your PPT presentation.

• Attractive design and lightweight

If you are after a printer with aesthetic touch, the DeskJet 2543 is worth the thought. This machine is constructed with a stylish and sleek design, thanks to the trapezoid shape and round edge that makes it more attractive. In addition, this printer is compact and lightweight so it can easily snuggle into a corner of your room.

• Average output quality

This printer’s output quality is not excellent but it is good enough for home use. The average quality allows you to get legible text and clear photos, which is adequate for everyday printing tasks. You can print family photos or other creative projects for fun. You may find streaking and banding but it’s still acceptable.

HP Deskjet 2543 Cons

• Lacks of duplexing

In a condition that you are searching for a printer with duplex functionality, the DeskJet 2543 is surely not for you. This printer is not equipped with an auto document feeder, so it does not support auto-duplexing. If you need to print 2-sided pages, your only option is to flip the pages manually.

• Limited connectivity

Do you want to improve printing experience with myriad connectivity? I recommend you to find another printer as the DeskJet 2543 does not have much to offer. The connectivity is limited to USB and Wi-Fi. For mobile connectivity, you can depend only on Apple AirPrint and HP ePrint. What else? Nothing.

• High running cost

This HP printer is like a typical inkjet which take a lot of money for running costs. Although HP offers high yield cartridge replacement, it does not give a significant cut to the print cost. If you use it for occasional printing tasks, this cost is not going to empty your purse. But if you have to handle a lot of documents, the DeskJet 2543 is surely not a good option.

• Small display

A large control panel section does not come with a large LCD display. I found that it’s rather hard to check on the display status, especially on sitting position. I had to stand up to see the small display clearly. Not to mention it is a monochrome instead of color display.

Bottom Line

The HP DeskJet 2543 is a multifunction inkjet printer for low-volume printing. This color printer offers a small yet compact design as well as lightweight to fit nicely into your room corner. If you are looking for a family printer for everyday printing tasks, this machine can serve well.

However, this machine has a few drawbacks such as high running cost and no duplexing functionality. Supposing that you have a tight budget or need a printer with duplex capability, finding another printer such as Canon PIXMA TS6320 is much recommended.