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Author: Steve D
Rating: 5
Review: Firstly, lets get the elephant out of the room : This printer DOES NOT come with any cartridges, so you need to buy some when you order it, otherwise you can't print anything at all ! It does state clearly on the Amazon web page "PHOTO PAPER NOT INCLUDED", although all other printers I have ever purchased have included at least a few sample sheets. A few reviewers haven't realised this and left some strange comments because of it ! Right, with that out of the way, lets carry on. You do need to charge the printer for around 1 hour before use, to make sure it is fully charged. I found that the QuickStart Guide to be virtually useless as all it tells you what things are but not how to properly use them, a bit pointless really. In the world of small printers there are 2 types : Zink (= Zero Ink) and Dye-Sub (= Dye Sublimation) and of the two Dye-Sub will give you the best results, although it will be slower per print, as it uses what is called the "4-Pass System", which means that 4 different layers are 'laid' on the paper, namely : yellow, magenta, cyan, then a final protective film. The downside is that the cartridges which contain both the paper and the 'film' containing the colours and protective film are quite bulky and also more expensive than just paper on its own such as in the Zink system but the quality of the print is superior of course. The printer itself is only available in white and measures ?8 x 15 x 2.7cms and weighs in at 260g. It produces a print in about 50 seconds, it is that long because after each pass, it draws the paper back into the printer for the next film to be applied, and that is that takes the time. You can peel the back off the prints if you so wish and stick them to a clean, dry, smooth surface but please do make 100% sure it IS clean, dry and smooth or they won't stick at all well. It is very easy to load the cartridge into the printer, flip the side open and put it in, it will only go in one way, so you can't put in in the wrong way. You do need to download the "Hi-Print mobile app" onto your phone and there are versions for both Android and iOS. The app is easy to use and enables you to select the shot you want to print and even modify and edit the print it to your liking before you commit it to paper. Conclusion : This is not meant to be a full-size professional dye-sub printer, I have one of those and it costs a LOT more than this one and isn't that portable either - this is a fun but good quality small printer that produces prints 2"x3", at a very reasonable price, although it isn't cheap at around 78p per print (as of 13 November 2022). If you are looking for either superior quality or larger prints there are other options around but I think a few reviewers have had too high expectations from a printer at this size and price. Personally, I LOVE it and it does a great job for what is it, and it is easy to carry around in a pocket or small bag, as they say "horses for courses" - it is just great fun in my book and up to now I have produced 82 prints all perfect. I have no hesitation in giving this printer 5 stars ! I hope this review has been of sone use to you.
