ThinkJet
| Company type | Product line |
|---|---|
| Industry | Printing technology |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Hewlett-Packard |
| Products | Inkjet printers |
| Parent | Hewlett-Packard |
DeskJet represents a line of inkjet printers produced by Hewlett-Packard. This range spans from compact home-use devices to large-scale industrial printers, with the biggest units typically sold under the DesignJet brand. For Macintosh users, the counterpart was known as Deskwriter, positioned against Apple's StyleWriter, while the multifunction variant carries the OfficeJet name.
History
HP's foray into inkjet printing began in 1984 with the HP ThinkJet, marking the commercial debut of inkjet technology. It delivered approximately 192 × 96 dpi resolution and printed at a rate of 150 characters per second (cps), notable for its quiet operation. Until 1992, the ThinkJet was HP's most compact printer and introduced the "Jet" suffix, later adopted by models such as QuietJet, DeskJet, LaserJet, and OfficeJet. The ThinkJet series comprised five variants:
| Model | Interface | Power source | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP 2225A | HP-IB | AC power | 7.4 lb (3.4 kg) |
| HP 2225B | HP-IL | DC battery | 5.5 lb (2.5 kg) |
| HP 2225C | Parallel port | AC power | 6.8 lb (3.1 kg) |
| HP 2225D | RS-232C | AC power | 4.6 lb (2.1 kg) |
| HP 2225P | Parallel port | DC battery | 7.8 lb (3.5 kg) |
In 1986, HP released the QuietJet (HP 2227A), which improved both speed and print quality, alongside the wide-format QuietJet Plus (HP 2228A).
The first DeskJet model equipped with an integrated cut sheet feeder appeared in 1988, capable of printing at 2 pages per minute (ppm) with a resolution of 300 dpi. This was followed by the DeskJet Plus in 1989, which added landscape printing functionality. The DeskJet 500, introduced in 1990, enhanced speed to 3 ppm. That same year saw the launch of the Macintosh-compatible DeskWriter based on the DeskJet 500 platform.
HP pioneered full-color inkjet printing with PaintJet in 1987, leading to the DeskJet 500C in 1991—the company's first color printer at 300 dpi—featuring interchangeable black or CMY cartridges and requiring four minutes per color page. The DeskJet 550C (1992) introduced dual-cartridge color printing with genuine black ink, succeeded by the DeskJet 560C (1994), which incorporated HP ColorSmart technology for improved color accuracy.
The portable printer category began with the DeskJet Portable in 1992, offering speeds of 3 ppm for mobile users. This line evolved through models such as the DeskJet 310 (1993), DeskJet 320 (1994), DeskJet 340 (1995), culminating in the faster DeskJet 350/350CBi released in 2000.
Black-and-white inkjet printers continued with models like the DeskJet 510 (1992) and DeskJet 520 (1994), the latter introducing resolution enhancement technology (REt). The DeskJet 520 was HP's final monochrome-only inkjet device before being replaced by the single-pen DeskJet 540, which provided optional color capability and featured a redesigned industrial aesthetic.
Higher-performance models began with the DeskJet 1200C in 1993, delivering print speeds of up to 6 ppm black-and-white and 1 ppm color. The successor, DeskJet 1600C (1995), increased output to as much as 9 ppm black-and-white and 4 ppm color, with network connectivity added on the DeskJet 1600CN variant released in 1996.
In May of 1995, HP unveiled the DeskJet and Deskwriter 660C models featuring dual black and tricolor cartridges capable of producing up to 600 ×600 dpi at speeds of up to 4 ppm black-and-white and up to1.5 ppm color. Later that year in September, the DeskJet 850C/855C series introduced Color Resolution Enhancement technology (C-Ret), boosting performance to as high as6 ppm black-and-white and2 ppm color.
The PaintJet XL300 and DeskJet1600 series were succeeded by A3-capable models: the1000C/1100C/1120C line debuted in1998, followed by the1220C in2000 offering print speeds up to12 ppm black-and-white and10 ppm color.
In2004, HP launched "Vivera" ink alongside the DeskJet6540, elevating print speeds to30 ppm black-and-white and20 ppm color.
The first all-in-one printers under the DeskJet label appeared with the F380 model in2006, combining printing, scanning, and copying functions while utilizing Vivera ink technology to achieve up to20 ppm black-and-white and14 ppm color output.
Currently available HP DeskJets include various series such as1000/2000/3000/4000—where1000 series typically comprise print-only devices;2000/3000/4000 series incorporate scanning features; and4000 series add automatic document feeders alongside flatbed scanning capabilities. Other complementary product lines from HP include ENVY, OfficeJet(Pro), Smart Tank, and LaserJets.
As of2021, HP continues production of ink cartridges compatible with original ThinkJet2225 series printers due to their interoperability with certain newer industrial machines.