How HP measures inkjet page yields

Because we want you to make 'apples to apples' comparisons, HP began work with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to develop an industry standard test to measure inkjet cartridge page yields, a test we expect will be ratified and published before the end of the year. The test will consist of printing a standard set of five pages, continuously, until the ink cartridge reaches its end of life. This continuous type of testing is less time-consuming and less costly to perform than other testing methods, which makes it broadly applicable across manufacturers and, therefore, a good starting point for page yield comparisons. However, page yields based on continuous testing may not reflect what you will experience in everyday use, so it's important that page yield is just one of many factors you consider when choosing an inkjet printer.

Page yield is affected by things such as the type of content you print, how you determine an ink cartridge's end of life and how much time passes between print jobs. Industry experts estimate that a typical inkjet printer user prints a few pages at a time and that hours, and sometimes days, pass between print jobs. With this kind of start/stop printing, inkjet printers use some ink to keep the print nozzles clear and ink flowing smoothly, and the amount can vary from one printer and manufacturer to another. For typical users, HP printing systems are engineered to minimise the ink consumed during routine maintenance operations. For more on HP's printing efficiency, please click here.