Stepping up from HP 970 to HP 2515 -- Ink Costs & Photo Quality

[Ray Price]

I'm intrigued by the new HP 2515 having built in Networking and supposedly
improved photo printing over my 970.

Does anyone have a feel for:

1. Is the photo printing significantly better than the 970? I thought both
the 970 and the 2515 have Photo RET III. Althought the 2515 evidently also
supports RET IV with a photo cartridge.

2. Difference in cost per page or print life of the 2515? The 2515
cartridges seem to be signficantly smaller than the 970 cartridges. The
cost doesn't seem to be as high for the 2515 carts, but if I have to replace
them twice as often, then I'm not really saving anything.

3. Does the 2515 gracefully handle fast user switching for the scanner? My
visioneer constantly locks up when I switch user IDs and I have to reboot
before I can access the printer.

Any other feedback on the 2515/2415 would be appreciated.


Thanks.

Ray.

 

[xNokia3390x]

1. Is the photo printing significantly better than the 970? I thought both
the 970 and the 2515 have Photo RET III. Althought the 2515 evidently also
supports RET IV with a photo cartridge.

I have a PhotoREt III printer (DeskJet 930c) and PhotoREt IV (Photosmart
7350). Photo printing is significantly better on the Photosmart in either
mode.

2. Difference in cost per page or print life of the 2515? The 2515
cartridges seem to be signficantly smaller than the 970 cartridges. The
cost doesn't seem to be as high for the 2515 carts, but if I have to replace
them twice as often, then I'm not really saving anything.

I use my Photosmart 7350 strictly for photos. Ink consumption doesn't seem
particularly high -- I've been running on the original 56/57/58 cartridges.
The color is running out just now, about eleven months since I purchased the
printer. I've printed at least 40 4x6's and a couple 8x10's -- and also a
few documents with pictures. I use a combination of all the cartridges.
Color is at about 15%, photo at 45% and black at 50%.