Finding the ideal business printer requires navigating a complex lineup of model numbers, feature variations, and paper sizes. HP’s OfficeJet Pro series remains a gold standard for home offices and small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) seeking low running costs, reliable mobile printing, and professional output quality.
This comprehensive comparison evaluates 10 key models across three core categories:
- Wide-Format All-in-Ones: HP OfficeJet Pro 7720, 7730, 7740
- Single-Function Office Printers: HP OfficeJet Pro 8210, 8216
- Standard Desktop All-in-Ones: HP OfficeJet Pro 8710, 8720, 8730, 8740, 8745
Direct Answer Summary: Which HP OfficeJet Pro Should You Choose?
- Best for Wide-Format (A3/11×17) Printing & Scanning: HP OfficeJet Pro 7740Offers dual paper trays (500-sheet capacity) and true tabloid-sized flatbed scanning.
- Best High-Volume Office Workhorse: HP OfficeJet Pro 8740 / 8745Includes dual trays, single-pass duplex scanning, PCL/PostScript language support, and full enterprise management tools.
- Best Value Desktop All-in-One: HP OfficeJet Pro 8710Delivers fast print speeds (22 ppm) and low cost-per-page for budget-conscious SOHO environments.
- Best Print-Only Productivity Device: HP OfficeJet Pro 8216Provides a standard 500-sheet dual-tray capacity specifically designed for high-volume document output without scanner clutter.
Detailed Category Breakdown
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ HP OfficeJet Pro Lineup │
└───────────────────────┬───────────────────────┘
│
┌──────────────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │ │
┌───────▼──────────────┐ ┌─────────▼────────────┐ ┌───────────▼────────────┐
│ Wide-Format (A3) │ │ Single-Function │ │ Letter/Legal All-in-One│
│ - OJ Pro 7720 │ │ - OJ Pro 8210 │ │ - OJ Pro 8710 │
│ - OJ Pro 7730 │ │ - OJ Pro 8216 │ │ - OJ Pro 8720 │
│ - OJ Pro 7740 │ └──────────────────────┘ │ - OJ Pro 8730 │
└──────────────────────┘ │ - OJ Pro 8740 / 8745 │
└────────────────────────┘
Category 1: Wide-Format (A3 / 11×17) Printers
Wide-format printers are essential for marketing teams, architects, and designers who need to produce large-format posters, spread sheets, and ledger documents in-house.
HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 HP OfficeJet Pro 7730 HP OfficeJet Pro 7740
┌──────────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────────┐
│ Single 250-Sheet Tray│ │ Dual 250-Sheet Trays │ │ Dual 250-Sheet Trays │
│ Legal-Size Flatbed │ ──► │ Legal-Size Flatbed │ ──► │ Tabloid A3 Flatbed │
│ 2.6" Touchscreen │ │ 2.6" Touchscreen │ │ 2.6" Touchscreen │
└──────────────────────┘ └──────────────────────┘ └──────────────────────┘
1. HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 Wide Format All-in-One
- Key Specs: 22 ppm Black / 18 ppm Color, single 250-sheet paper tray, legal-size glass scanner flatbed, 2.6-inch color touchscreen.
- Pros: Lower entry price for A3 wide-format printing; compact footprint relative to paper size capability.
- Cons: Single tray forces manual swapping when changing paper sizes; flatbed scanner is limited to legal-size (8.5×14 in).
- Best For: Budget-minded users who print on A3 paper occasionally but rarely scan large-format originals.
2. HP OfficeJet Pro 7730 Wide Format All-in-One
- Key Specs: 22 ppm Black / 18 ppm Color, dual 250-sheet paper trays (500 sheets total), legal-size scanner glass, 35-sheet ADF.
- Pros: Dual trays allow simultaneous loading of letter/legal and tabloid (11×17) paper; high total input capacity.
- Cons: Flatbed scanner glass still cannot accommodate full A3/tabloid originals.
- Best For: Workgroups that frequently switch between letter-size and wide-format printing.
3. HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 Wide Format All-in-One
- Key Specs: 22 ppm Black / 18 ppm Color, dual 250-sheet paper trays (500 sheets total), A3/Tabloid-sized flatbed scanner glass, single-pass duplexing ADF.
- Pros: True wide-format versatility with large scanning area; dual paper drawers; single-pass double-sided scanning.
- Cons: Takes up significant physical desktop space; heavier build.
- Best For: Offices needing complete A3 print, scan, copy, and fax capabilities.
Category 2: Single-Function Printers (Print-Only)
For environments with dedicated document scanner stations, single-function printers eliminate extra scanner hardware to optimize space and reliability.
4. HP OfficeJet Pro 8210
- Key Specs: 22 ppm Black / 18 ppm Color, 250-sheet input tray, 2.0-inch mono display, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB.
- Pros: Affordable purchase price; fast first-page-out times; low ongoing ink costs via HP 952/955 series cartridges.
- Cons: No scanning, copying, or faxing functionality; basic display interface.
- Best For: Dedicated document printing in reception areas or secondary office stations.
5. HP OfficeJet Pro 8216
- Key Specs: Identical engine to the 8210 with 22 ppm Black / 18 ppm Color, includes standard second 250-sheet paper cassette (500 sheets total).
- Pros: High paper capacity minimizes intervention; ideal for multi-page print runs; sharp text and graphics quality.
- Cons: Larger vertical height than the single-tray 8210.
- Best For: High-volume print environments requiring continuous output without reloading media.
Category 3: Standard Desktop All-in-Ones (Letter / Legal)
This core line features HP’s Print Forward Design on higher-end models, offering forward-facing output trays and fast, laser-like paper movement.
Model Speed (Blk/Clr) ADF Type Paper Trays Special Feature
─────── ─────────────── ───────────── ──────────── ─────────────────────────
8710 22 / 18 ppm Standard 2-pass 1x 250-Sheet 2.65" Touchscreen
8720 24 / 20 ppm Single-Pass 1x 250-Sheet Print Forward Design
8730 24 / 20 ppm Single-Pass 1x 250-Sheet PCL/PostScript Emulation
8740 24 / 20 ppm Single-Pass 2x 250-Sheet Dual Trays Included
8745 24 / 20 ppm Single-Pass 2x 250-Sheet Commercial Enterprise Variant
6. HP OfficeJet Pro 8710
- Key Specs: 22 ppm Black / 18 ppm Color, 250-sheet tray, 50-sheet ADF, 2.65-inch color touchscreen.
- Pros: High performance-to-cost ratio; compact desktop profile; reliable automatic double-sided printing.
- Cons: Slower ADF scanning compared to higher 8700-series tier models; traditional output tray mechanism.
- Best For: Standard home offices and small business setups looking for an economical all-in-one.
7. HP OfficeJet Pro 8720
- Key Specs: 24 ppm Black / 20 ppm Color, 250-sheet tray, Print Forward Design, 4.3-inch color touchscreen, single-pass two-sided scanning, NFC touch-to-print.
- Pros: Ultra-fast duplex printing and scanning; innovative paper output system keeps pages face-down and contained.
- Cons: Distinctive design requires deeper desk depth.
- Best For: Mid-size office environments prioritizing print speed and confidential document output.
8. HP OfficeJet Pro 8730
- Key Specs: 24 ppm Black / 20 ppm Color, Print Forward Design, 4.3-inch touchscreen, PCL 6, PCL 5c, and PostScript 3 driver support, enterprise fleet management capabilities.
- Pros: Integrates seamlessly into corporate IT infrastructure; handles complex PDF rendering faster than standard GDI printers.
- Cons: Higher initial investment costs.
- Best For: Corporate environments managed under IT fleet software like HP Web Jetadmin.
9. HP OfficeJet Pro 8740
- Key Specs: 24 ppm Black / 20 ppm Color, includes dual 250-sheet paper trays (500 sheets total), PCL/PostScript languages, Print Forward Design, single-pass duplex ADF.
- Pros: Out-of-the-box 500-sheet capacity combined with enterprise software compatibility and fast scan hardware.
- Cons: Top-tier pricing within the desktop series line.
- Best For: Busy departments with high monthly print volumes and strict driver requirements.
10. HP OfficeJet Pro 8745
- Key Specs: Identical performance and physical specifications to the 8740 (24/20 ppm, dual trays, PCL/PostScript), distributed through specific commercial and retail channels.
- Pros: High-capacity media support straight out of the box; complete enterprise administration suite.
- Cons: Channel availability varies by region.
- Best For: Enterprise procurement programs and commercial office buyers.
Technical Specifications Comparison Table
| Model | Functions | Max Paper Size | Print Speed (Bk/Clr) | Total Input Capacity | ADF Scan Type | Printer Languages |
| OJ Pro 7720 | Print, Scan, Copy, Fax | A3 / Tabloid | 22 / 18 ppm | 250 Sheets | Reversing ADF | HP PCL 3 GUI |
| OJ Pro 7730 | Print, Scan, Copy, Fax | A3 / Tabloid | 22 / 18 ppm | 500 Sheets (2 Trays) | Reversing ADF | HP PCL 3 GUI |
| OJ Pro 7740 | Print, Scan, Copy, Fax | A3 / Tabloid | 22 / 18 ppm | 500 Sheets (2 Trays) | Single-Pass Duplex | HP PCL 3 GUI / PCL3 Enhanced |
| OJ Pro 8210 | Print Only | Legal (8.5 x 14) | 22 / 18 ppm | 250 Sheets | N/A | HP PCL 3 GUI |
| OJ Pro 8216 | Print Only | Legal (8.5 x 14) | 22 / 18 ppm | 500 Sheets (2 Trays) | N/A | HP PCL 3 GUI |
| OJ Pro 8710 | Print, Scan, Copy, Fax | Legal (8.5 x 14) | 22 / 18 ppm | 250 Sheets | Reversing ADF | HP PCL 3 GUI |
| OJ Pro 8720 | Print, Scan, Copy, Fax | Legal (8.5 x 14) | 24 / 20 ppm | 250 Sheets | Single-Pass Duplex | HP PCL 3 GUI |
| OJ Pro 8730 | Print, Scan, Copy, Fax | Legal (8.5 x 14) | 24 / 20 ppm | 250 Sheets | Single-Pass Duplex | PCL 6, PCL 5c, PostScript 3 |
| OJ Pro 8740 | Print, Scan, Copy, Fax | Legal (8.5 x 14) | 24 / 20 ppm | 500 Sheets (2 Trays) | Single-Pass Duplex | PCL 6, PCL 5c, PostScript 3 |
| OJ Pro 8745 | Print, Scan, Copy, Fax | Legal (8.5 x 14) | 24 / 20 ppm | 500 Sheets (2 Trays) | Single-Pass Duplex | PCL 6, PCL 5c, PostScript 3 |
Key Buyer Considerations
1. Single-Pass Duplex vs. Reversing ADF
- Reversing ADF (7720, 7730, 8710): The printer pulls a two-sided document through the scanner, mechanically flips the page, and feeds it through again. This process takes longer and increases mechanical wear.
- Single-Pass Duplex (7740, 8720, 8730, 8740, 8745): Equipped with dual CIS scanning elements that read both sides of a page simultaneously. This cuts scan times in half and prevents paper jams.
2. Printer Page Languages (PCL vs. GDI)
- Standard Models (PCL 3 GUI): Rely on the host computer’s CPU to render print jobs. Perfect for typical office documents, Word files, and spreadsheets.
- Enterprise Models (8730, 8740, 8745): Feature built-in hardware rendering for PCL 6 and PostScript Level 3 emulation. These allow seamless integration into managed IT networks, Linux/Unix environments, and graphic design software pipelines.
3. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) & Ink Supplies
All models highlighted utilize high-yield thermal inkjet technology, delivering a cost-per-page (CPP) that competes favorably with entry-level laser printers:
- High-Yield Supplies: Utilizing XL and XXL cartridge options (such as the HP 955XL/959XL or HP 952XL/956XL series depending on region) significantly reduces page costs.
- Document Durability: HP pigment-based inks deliver water, smear, and highlighter-resistant prints suitable for archival business records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 and 7740?
The primary differences lie in paper capacity, scanning capabilities, and size. The HP 7740 features two 250-sheet paper trays (500 sheets total) and a full A3/tabloid-sized scanner flatbed with single-pass duplex scanning. The HP 7720 includes a single 250-sheet tray, a standard legal-sized flatbed scanner, and a reversing ADF.
Can the HP OfficeJet Pro 8720 scan 11×17 tabloid paper?
No. The HP OfficeJet Pro 8720 is limited to Legal size (8.5 x 14 inches) for scanning, copying, and printing. If you need wide-format (11×17 / A3) capabilities, select a model from the 7700 series, such as the HP 7740.
Do HP 8210 and HP 8710 use the same ink cartridges?
Yes, depending on your geographic region, both model series share the same ink cartridge platform (e.g., HP 952/953/954/955 series cartridges), allowing organizations to standardize their inventory across single-function and multi-function devices.