Sprocket Studio is an easy-to-use, compact photo printer that can fit in your bag. It’s the perfect companion for your smartphone to print photos on the go. Connect wirelessly via Bluetooth and use the free Sprocket app to edit and share photos from anywhere.
It’s a huge improvement compared to the 2nd Edition Studio, and while it’s not that compact, it’s a printer that has a sleek design, a good price, and a consistent performance.
Let’s jump into the review of the HP Sprocket Studio.
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Dimensions
6.65 x 10.75 x 2.68
Print Technology
Dye Sublimation
Portable Battery
Optional (sold separately)
Our Rating
Features
The Sprocket Studio is the largest printer in HP’s lineup of Sprocket photo printers. The new, third-gen Studio is an upgraded version of the 2nd-gen was released in 2018. The printer is a small, square device that easily fits in your hand or a bag. It’s very lightweight and has a sleek design.
The HP Sprocket Studio prints photos at 300 DPI with an edge-to-edge print. The Studio supports Bluetooth 5.0, which makes it easy to connect wirelessly to your smartphone. While that is a great thing, we are a bit disappointed that the new Sprocket Studio doesn’t have Wi-Fi connectivity. But, since it’s engineered specifically for Bluetooth connection and to be used by the Sprocket app (works great with both iOS and Android phones) that connection truly works seamlessly.
Once you have the printer connected to your smartphone, you can use the app to edit and share photos from anywhere. You can also print directly from social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.
The HP Sprocket Studio’s downside regarding its portability is that it needs a power supply to get it working. That power supply is quite bulky, but if you plan to put the Sprocket on a desk, that shouldn’t be a big problem. However, those who plan to take it on trips can purchase an optional battery, which should give you somewhere around 80 prints.
Design
Now, the third-generation Sprocket Studio is a big step up compared to the 2nd Edition Sprocket. While the 2nd Edition Sprocket enabled you to print 2 x 3 in photos, the bigger Sprocket Studio is made for 4 x 6 photo printing.
The older Sprocket was a more portable printer that was much smaller in size and much more portable than the Sprocket Studio. Well, the new Sprocket Studio is a much more quality printer than the previously mentioned 2nd Edition, so the bigger size is justified.
Its size is 2.68 x 6.6 x 10.7 in, which is a good size if you put it in your home office and it weighs just short of one kilogram, or 2 lbs.
All of the printers from the Sprocket line have a similar design concept behind them. That is minimalism, simplicity, and clean design.
It’s designed to be easy to use, and it does that masterfully. There is only one button on the Sprocket Studio, and that is the power button. On the front, you can see one LED light, which tells you when the printer is turned on. The color of that LED light is configurable, and it changes to red once it runs into some problems. It can blink slowly, fast, or be still, in order which issue you have. When it’s ready for a firmware update you will see alternating colors.
When you want to print something, just press the button once. The LED light will turn blue and start blinking, which means it’s turning on, calibrating, and getting ready for your prints.
On the back, you have the power source where you can connect your AC power adapter. Now, the power bank which we mentioned can also be purchased with a printer, or afterward. The nice thing about the power bank is that it has a USB port that can also charge your smartphone. And, the best thing about it is that you can get up to 80 prints on a single charge.
The front has a small door that can open up. It’s hiding the compartment for your paper pack. You get 10 sheets of glossy paper included with the printer to get you going.
The paper tray on the Studio takes some time to get used to because it really sticks out from the overall design of the Sprocket line of printers. To put the paper in, you just have to open the tray, put it in, close the tray and you are good to go.
Print Quality and Speed
The Sprocket Studio is engineered as the printer with the best print quality of all the printers in the Sprocket lineup. The older and more compact 2nd Edition Sprocket has quite an inconsistent print quality, but that is not the case with the Studio.
The color accuracy on the prints that the Studio produced is quite good and the Studio has a much more consistent performance than the 2nd Edition. Another thing that you notice on the Studio’s printed photos are the details. While in some darker areas of the photo they can be missing, it’s in the lighter areas that the Studio truly shines.
Overall, we were quite pleased by the output quality of the Sprocket Studio and it’s no surprise that this printer is featured in our list of the best 4×6 photo printers.
Now, moving to the printing speed. These types of printers aren’t designed for speed, and you can see that with the Sprocket Studio. While it sure won’t be a problem for many people, the speed could definitely be better, especially when you compare it to some competitors.
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Conclusion
While this printer has its downsides, the positives are quite superior. With a sleek design, good print quality and it’s ease of use, HP Sprocket Studio is highly recommended if you are looking for a new 4×6 photo printer.
Its price is quite affordable, and though it can be higher if you opt-out for a version with a battery pack, it still provides great value, especially when you consider its relatively low printing costs.
