What is the HP Photosmart 7520?
HP’s range of Photosmart printers is aimed at the home user who wants to print photos as well as plain paper documents. The Photosmart 7520 has an eye on the home office, too, with built-in fax and an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF).
HP Photosmart 7520 - Design and Features
HP printers look like few others, with a consciously multi-layer look to their slabby styling, but the design remains contemporary and if anything aids the usability of the machine.
The low-profile, 25-sheet ADF has a flip-over cover, which then becomes a feed tray. Below this, to the left, is a large, 109mm touchscreen, looking like a smartphone laid on its side. The screen is bright and clear, showing apps and icons for the printer’s main functions.
The touch screen is responsive and, though not multi-touch, is adequate for all the functions needed in the printer. Menu scroll bars are a little thin and fiddly, though.
There are two paper trays: a 125-sheet plain paper one, which is loaded by lifting and removing the 20-sheet photo tray set into its lid. The photo tray is engaged automatically when photos are printed and can take photo blanks up to 18 x 13cm. At least, it can take HP 10 x 13cm blanks, which are actually 7 x 5in. True 18 x 13cm paper is a tight fit and some brands might not feed.
HP Photosmart 7520 - Connections and Cartridges
In the extended lip around the bottom of the case are a dual-format SD and MemoryStick card slot and one for USB drives. The USB socket doesn’t support PictBridge, which is a shame for anybody with a PictBridge camera.
At the back is a USB socket for a PC and two phone sockets for phone line and extension handset. Most customers will probably choose wireless connection, though, as this gives access to ePrint, HP’s remote printing technology, and AirPrint, for Mac and iOS owners. There’s Wireless Direct Printing, too.
There are five ink cartridges, which slide into view when you hinge up the scanner section of the machine. These include a second photo black, as well as the oversize pigmented black for text print.
