HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw  Printer Review

Reviewed Jan 10, 2024 at 11:45am
Writing modified Dec 17, 2024 at 09:18am
Tested using Methodology v1.2 
HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw

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Family 
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Small/Home Office 
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Student 
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Black & White 
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Photo 
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Color Quality 
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Document Quality 
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Scanner 

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The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw is an all-in-one color laser printer designed for home or small offices. It uses HP's 210A toner cartridges and is compatible with the HP 210X high-yield cartridges. Its connectivity options include USB, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet, and it can also print directly off a USB flash drive. It has a 4.3" touch-sensitive color display, an 8.5" x 11" flatbed scanner, and an automatic document feeder with single-pass duplex scanning.

This printer is part of the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301-4303 printer series, which contains a few variants with slightly different features; you can see them in the Differences Between Sizes and Variants section.

Our Verdict

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Family 

The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw is good for family use. It produces very sharp documents, but like most laser printers, it isn't ideal for photo printing, as printed pictures look flat and lacking in detail. It has many connectivity options, making it easy for every household member to access. Plus, it yields a large number of prints, so you don't need to replace the cartridges often. Replacement toner is on the expensive side, though, so color printing can still get quite costly if you print a lot. Also, it has a few software bugs that may make it frustrating to use. The scanner produces nice scans and can quickly process multi-page and double-sided documents through its automatic feeder.

Pros
  • Produces sharp documents.
  • Feature-rich scanner with ADF and single-pass duplex scanning.
  • High page yield.
  • Wide array of connectivity options.
Cons
  • Not ideal for photo printing due to narrow color gamut and printing pattern.
  • Some software issues causing errors.
  • Color printing can get expensive if you print a lot.
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Small/Home Office 

The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw is an excellent printer for small or home offices. It produces incredibly sharp documents, prints quickly at up to 35 pages per minute, and doesn't require much maintenance. It has many connectivity options, including Ethernet, and its ADF-equipped scanner can quickly process multi-page and double-sided documents. However, it has a few software issues that make it frustrating to use.

Pros
  • Produces sharp documents.
  • Fast print speeds.
  • Feature-rich scanner with ADF and single-pass duplex scanning.
  • High page yield.
  • Wide array of connectivity options.
Cons
  • Some software issues causing errors.
  • Color printing can get expensive if you print a lot.
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Student 

The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw is great for students. It produces amazingly sharp documents, prints very quickly at up to 35 pages per minute, and yields a large number of prints. Thanks to its numerous connectivity options, you can easily connect to the printer via various devices to print out your assignments and papers. Its ADF-equipped scanner can quickly process multi-page and double-sided documents, but it lacks extendable lid hinges, making it hard to close the lid over thicker items like textbooks. Although it has a high page yield, the toner cartridges are expensive, so color printing can get pretty costly if you print a lot. It also has some software bugs that can make it frustrating to use.

Pros
  • Produces sharp documents.
  • Fast print speeds.
  • Feature-rich scanner with ADF and single-pass duplex scanning.
  • High page yield.
  • Wide array of connectivity options.
Cons
  • Some software issues causing errors.
  • Color printing can get expensive if you print a lot.
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Black & White 

The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw is excellent for printing black-and-white documents. It produces high-quality documents and prints quickly at up to 35 pages per minute. It also yields a large number of prints, so you won't have to replace the cartridge often. Unfortunately, it suffers from a few software bugs that may make it frustrating to use. The scanner has an automatic feeder with single-pass duplex scanning, allowing you to process multi-page and double-sided documents quickly.

Pros
  • Produces sharp documents.
  • Fast print speeds.
  • Feature-rich scanner with ADF and single-pass duplex scanning.
  • High page yield.
Cons
  • Some software issues causing errors.
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Photo 

The HP 4301fdw is bad for photo printing. Printed pictures look awful because this model prints at a low resolution and can only produce a narrow range of colors. Also, like most laser printers, the printing pattern is very visible, causing further loss of detail. It yields a large number of color prints, but since the toner cartridges are quite expensive, it can get very costly if you print a lot.

Pros
  • High page yield.
Cons
  • Not ideal for photo printing due to narrow color gamut and printing pattern.
  • Some software issues causing errors.
  • Color printing can get expensive if you print a lot.
  • Hard to find compatible glossy photo paper.
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Color Quality 

Pros
  • High page yield.
Cons
  • Some software issues causing errors.
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Document Quality 

Pros
  • High page yield.
Cons
  • Some software issues causing errors.
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Scanner 

Pros
  • High page yield.
Cons
  • Some software issues causing errors.
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Speed 

Pros
  • High page yield.
Cons
  • Some software issues causing errors.
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Recurring Costs 

Pros
  • High page yield.
Cons
  • Some software issues causing errors.
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    Small/Home Office
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    Photo

  • Performance Usages

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    Color Quality
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    Document Quality
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    Scanner
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    Speed
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    Recurring Costs
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Dec 17, 2024: 

      Added mention of the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301fdw as an alternative with lower recurring costs in the Cost-Per-Print box.

    2.  Updated May 03, 2024: Added mention of the Lexmark MC3462i as an alternative with better build quality in the Build Quality section.
    3.  Updated Jan 10, 2024: Review published.
    4.  Updated Dec 19, 2023: Early access published.

    Check Price

    White/BlueColor LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw
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    White/BlueColor LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdn
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    White/BlueColor LaserJet Pro MFP 4301dw
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    White/BlueColor LaserJet Pro MFP 4302fdw
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    White/BlueColor LaserJet Pro MFP 4302dw
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    White/BlueColor LaserJet Pro MFP 4302fdn
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    White/BlueColor LaserJet Pro MFP 4303dw
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    White/BlueColor LaserJet Pro MFP 4303fdn
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    White/BlueColor LaserJet Pro MFP 4303fdw
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    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    We tested the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw printer. It's part of the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301-4303 printer series, which contains a few variants with slightly different features; you can see them in the table below.

    Model Wi-Fi Single-Pass/Manual Duplex Scanning Fax Region of Sale
    4301dw Y Manual N America/Oceania
    4301fdn N Automatic Single-Pass Y America/Oceania
    4301fdw Y Automatic Single-Pass Y America/Oceania
    4302dw Y Manual N Europe
    4302fdn N Automatic Single-Pass Y Europe
    4302fdw Y Automatic Single-Pass Y Europe
    4303dw Y Manual N Asia/Africa
    4303fdn N Automatic Single-Pass Y Asia/Africa
    4303fdw Y Automatic Single-Pass Y Asia/Africa

    You can see our unit's label here.

    Popular Printer Comparisons

    The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw is an excellent small office printer with tons of features, outstanding print quality, and fast printing speeds. However, its software issues and lack of documentation make it less user-friendly than other similar printers.

    For more options, check out our recommendations for the best laser printers, the best office printers, and the best printers for small business.

    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301fdw

    Track

    The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3301fdw and the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw are excellent, feature-rich, all-in-one laser printers from HP. The 4301fdw is the better choice if you have an exceptionally large print load. It can push up to 35 black or color pages per minute, and it has multiple input trays capable of holding 550 sheets of plain paper in total. The 4301fdw also produces more detailed scans, as the image processing on the 3301fdw tends to cull fine details and background elements. On the other hand, the 3301fdw is the better choice for those trying to keep costs down, as it incurs lower recurring costs and tends to be cheaper upfront. It also offers fantastic performance, pushing a respectable 26 pages per minute.

    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw

    Track

    The HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw and the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M479fdw are both high-end color laser printers with near-identical features. The 4301fdw prints faster at up to 25 pages per minute; however, the M479fdw yields more prints, resulting in a lower cost-per-print.

    Brother MFC-L8905CDW [MFC-L8895CDW, MFC-L8900CDW]

    Track

    The Brother MFC-L8905CDW is better than the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw for most uses. The Brother yields more prints, so you won't have to spend as much on toner. It has a scanner with adjustable lid hinges, and its optical character recognition is built-in, meaning you don't need a third-party app to use it. It also processes sheets faster through the ADF and produces higher-quality scans. On the other hand, the HP prints faster.

    Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw/MF751Cdw

    Track

    The Canon Color imageCLASS MF753Cdw/MF751Cdw and the HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw are both high-end color laser printers with near-identical features. The real differences come down to the usage. If your workload involves a lot of scanning, go with the Canon. Its scanner produces higher-quality scans and has extendable lid hinges to accommodate thicker items like textbooks and magazines; however, its ADF processes sheets more slowly than the HP. By contrast, the HP is better if you have very high print loads. It takes less time to warm up and prints faster than the Canon.

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    Test Results

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    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    0.0
    Build Quality
    TypeLockedAll-In-One

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    Dimensions
    HeightLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    WidthLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    DepthLockedLock" (Lock cm)
    Height When In Use
    LockedLock" (Lock cm)
    Width When In Use
    LockedLock" (Lock cm)
    Depth When In Use
    LockedLock" (Lock cm)
    Weight
    LockedLock lbs (Lock kg)
    0.0
    Expected Maintenance
    Ink Related Maintenance
    LockedLocked
    Drum Unit
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Display Screen
    Display ScreenLockedLocked
    Display Screen Size
    LockedLock" (Lock cm)
    TouchscreenLockedLocked

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    0.0
    Cartridge
    TechnologyLockedLaser
    SuperTank
    LockedNo
    Photo Cartridge
    LockedLocked
    ColorLockedYes
    Number Of Color Cartridges
    LockedLock
    Black Cartridge Model
    LockedLocked
    Tested Black Page Yield
    LockedLock prints
    Estimated Black Page Yield
    LockedLock prints
    Color Cartridge Model
    LockedLocked
    Tested Color Page Yield
    LockedLock prints
    Estimated Color Page Yield
    LockedLock prints
    Third Party Cartridge
    LockedLocked
    Ink Type
    LockedLocked
    High Yield Cartridge
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Scanner Features
    Scanner
    LockedLocked
    ADF Capacity
    LockedLock pages
    Scan Speed
    LockedLock PPM
    Duplex Scanning
    LockedLocked
    Max Flatbed Scan Size
    LockedLocked
    Max ADF Scan Size
    LockedLocked
    Flatbed Hinge Adjustability
    LockedLock" (Lock mm)
    Fax
    LockedLocked
    Copy
    LockedLocked
    OCR Included
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Scan Quality
    Max Scan Resolution
    LockedLock DPI
    Max Scan Color Depth
    LockedLockBit

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    In The Box

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    Battery
    Advertised Battery Life
    LockedN/A
    Tested Charging Time
    LockedN/A

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    Document
    0.0
    Black & White Documents
    Color Ink Needed For Black & White
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Color Documents

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    0.0
    Cost-Per-Print
    Black Cartridge Price
    LockedLock US$
    Color Cartridge Price
    LockedLock US$
    Black-Only Printing Cost
    LockedLock US$/print
    Color Printing Cost
    LockedLock US$/print
    Photo Printing Cost
    LockedLock US$/print
    Ink Subscription
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Printing Speed
    SAMPLE
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    for videos & test results

    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301fdw Printing Speed Video Sample
    Black Only Text Document
    LockedLock PPM
    Color Document
    LockedLock PPM
    Photo Printing Time
    LockedLock s
    Single Page Out Time (Black Only)
    LockedLock s
    Duplex Printing
    LockedLocked
    Input Tray Capacity
    LockedLock pages

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    Document Printing Sizes
    Letter (8.5" x 11")LockedLocked
    Legal (8.5" x 14")LockedLocked
    Tabloid (11" x 17")LockedLocked
    A6 (105mm x 148mm)LockedLocked
    A5 (148mm x 210mm)LockedLocked
    A4 (210mm x 297mm)LockedLocked
    Max Paper Weight
    LockedLock g/m²

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    Photo
    0.0
    Color Gamut

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    0.0
    Color Accuracy
    Average Color dE
    LockedLock

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    0.0
    Small Details
    Max Print Resolution (DPI)
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Photo Printing Sizes
    Glossy Paper (4" x 6")LockedLocked
    Glossy Paper (5" x 7")LockedLocked
    Glossy Paper (8" x 10")LockedLocked
    Glossy Paper (8.5" x 11")LockedLocked
    Glossy Paper (13" x 19")LockedLocked
    Borderless Printing
    LockedLocked

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    Mobile App And Connectivity
    0.0
    Connectivity
    Ethernet
    LockedLocked
    USB Input To Computer
    LockedLocked
    Wireless
    LockedYes
    Bluetooth
    LockedLocked
    Wi-Fi via Router
    LockedLocked
    Wi-Fi Direct
    LockedLocked
    External Storage Support
    LockedLocked
    Apple AirPrint
    LockedLocked
    Mopria Print Service
    LockedLocked

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    0.0
    Mobile App
    Mobile AppLockedLocked
    App NameLockedLocked
    iOSLockedLocked
    AndroidLockedLocked
    Photo (JPEG, PNG)
    LockedLocked
    PDF
    LockedLocked
    Microsoft Office Files
    LockedLocked
    Text Files (TXT)
    LockedLocked
    Webpages (HTML)
    LockedLocked

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    OS Compatibility
    WindowsLockedLocked
    macOSLockedLocked
    Chrome OSLockedLocked

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