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HP DesignJet 500ps Plus
24" technical / CAD plotter
- Model500ps Plus
- Prints24" wide
Authorized HP dealerGenuine hardware & ink
Manufacturer warrantyExtension plans available
Free shippingContinental U.S.
Plotter specialistsAEC experts, not just sellers
Analyst take
- 24-inch single-roll aqueous plotter aimed at low-volume in-house line work.
- Built-in PostScript interpreter suits older RIP and publishing workflows.
- Runs on HP 10 black and HP 11 color cartridges; line-work ink use is modest.
Not sure if the 500ps Plus is right for you?
Compare key specs and an AI analyst read-out against similar models.
Overview
Built for the work
HP DesignJet 500ps Plus 24-in Printer
Expert analysis
What you should know
Key takeaways
- 24-inch single-roll aqueous plotter aimed at low-volume in-house line work.
- Built-in PostScript interpreter suits older RIP and publishing workflows.
- Runs on HP 10 black and HP 11 color cartridges; line-work ink use is modest.
- Single roll means a manual reload in the middle of large or mixed-size sets.
- Older head architecture — sustained speed trails current 24-inch machines.
- Better as a maintained survivor than a new purchase; current Canon 24-inch models or a wider MFP are the replacement paths.
It’s 4:30 p.m. Someone from the civil group needs three D-size sheets for a permit run, and they need them clean enough that the reviewer doesn’t kick the set back over a fuzzy leader line. That’s the job the HP DesignJet 500ps Plus does. A 24-inch, single-roll plotter that lives in a small studio or an engineering bullpen and turns CAD files into paper without ceremony.
This is an older architecture. It belongs to the installed base far more than the showroom now. If you’re reading this, you probably already own one, inherited one, or are keeping one alive because it still prints a legible drawing. Fair enough. Let’s talk about what it actually does and where its limits start to bite.
What it is, plainly
The 500ps Plus is a 24-inch-wide aqueous inkjet plotter with a built-in PostScript interpreter — the “ps” in the name. That matters if your workflow leans on PostScript RIP output or if you’re driving it from an older publishing chain. Single roll. No second roll to switch to when the first runs out mid-set. That’s the first thing to know before a deadline.
It runs on the HP 10 black and HP 11 color cartridge family, with related HP 82 supplies in the mix depending on how yours is configured. Line-drawing consumption is modest. Push it into large color coverage — GIS maps, rendered site plans, presentation boards — and the ink clock speeds up considerably.
24-inPrint widthSingle roll, C/D-size territory
HP 10Black inkLine-work workhorse
HP 11Color inkCyan/magenta/yellow set
psLanguageBuilt-in PostScript interpreter
Where it holds up
For monochrome line work on bond, this class of DesignJet still does honest work. Fine lines stay readable, small callout text survives, and dimensional consistency is good enough for a permit or bid set. That’s the bread and butter — and for a two- or three-person studio pushing a handful of prints a day, it’s often enough.
- Small architecture or design studios printing check sets and the occasional presentation sheet.
- Engineering offices that need a reliable in-house D-size plotter and don’t want to walk files to a reprographer.
- Anyone running a PostScript-based workflow that expects a native interpreter at the printer.
- Firms with matte or coated media on hand — it feeds standard rolls like the HP Matte Film without drama.
Where it stops being the right tool
Name the failure mode first: single-roll. When you’re assembling a mixed-size set at 4:45 and the roll runs out, you’re loading paper by hand instead of leaving. That’s the daily friction. Speed is the second issue — this is an older head architecture, and sustained throughput trails the current 24-inch field badly.
If you’re replacing it and want to stay in a comparable single-user 24-inch slot, the current cross-brand options are worth a look: the Canon GP-200 24-in and Canon iPF600 24-in cover the same footprint with newer heads, and the side-by-side shows the throughput gap clearly. Need a scanner, a second roll, and set collation for real plan-set production? Step up to something like the HP DesignJet T918 36-in — wider, roll-fed, MFP-capable, though it’s now discontinued itself. Check the full 24-inch class ranking before you commit.
The read
The 500ps Plus earned its keep. For a small shop printing legible line work off a PostScript chain, it still does the one thing that matters: puts a clean D-size on paper before you leave. But it’s an older, single-roll, slower machine, and every year the case for replacement gets stronger. If it’s running and your volume is light, keep the HP 10 and HP 11 stocked and don’t fix what isn’t broken. If you’re print-limited on deadlines, or you need a scanner and unattended set production, look at the current 24-inch Canon single-roll machines or step up in width. Bottom line: a fine survivor for low-volume line work, but not the machine you buy new today.
Spec analysis
How the specs grade
Overall performance
—Not enough data for an overall score
Individual dimensions are shown where the specs support them.
Category leaders best technical / CAD plotters, by dimension
Verified specifications
The specs that decide it
| Maximum print width | 24 in |
|---|
Specifications
Full technical detail
Max print width24"
Use caseCAD / Technical
Everything that fits the HP DesignJet 500ps Plus
The full supplies hub lists every cartridge, printhead, roll and accessory verified against the manufacturer's own documentation for this machine.
11 ink cartridges · 4 printheads · 39 paper & media items · 5 accessories
HP DesignJet 500ps Plus ink and paper →Supplies
Compatible ink, printheads & media
Genuine consumables that fit the HP DesignJet 500ps Plus 24-in Printer — only the cartridges, printheads and media compatible with this model.
Ink Cartridges 11
HP 10 Black Ink Cartridge (C4844AE)
HP Cartucho de tinta magenta 10 ink cartridge
HP 1xx/5xx 24-in Stand and Bin Q1246B Black Printer Multimedia cart
Greenman H10B Black Ink Cartridge
HP 82 69-ml Yellow Ink Cartridge
HP 82 69-ml Magenta Ink Cartridge
HP 82 69-ml Cyan Ink Cartridge
HP 82 28-ml Magenta Ink Cartridge print head Thermal inkjet
HP 82 28-ml Cyan Ink Cartridge print head Thermal inkjet
HP 82 28-ml Yellow Ink Cartridge print head Thermal inkjet
HP 10 Black Original Ink CartridgePrintheads 4
Paper & Media 39
Representative image11 Mil Water-Resistant Synthetic BannerRepresentative image5 Mil Water-Resistant Self-Adh Vinyl (3" AC)Representative image6 Mil Water-Resistant Self-Adhesive PolypropyleneRepresentative image46LB Inkjet Coated Matte Paper (747)Representative image6.5mil Matte Coated Paper w/ PSA (746PSA)Representative image36LB Inkjet Coated Matte Paper (746)Representative image24LB Inkjet Coated Matte Paper (745)Representative image20LB High Brite Inkjet Bond Paper (740)Representative image20LB Inkjet Bond Paper (Tinted) (732)Representative image24LB Inkjet Bond Paper (731)Representative image20LB Inkjet Bond Paper (730)Representative image24LB Inkjet Coated Matte Paper Economy (714)
HP C6033A photo paper High-gloss
HP C3869A plotter paper
HP Q1420A photo paper Brown, White
HP Matte Film 610 mm x 38.1 m (24 in x 125 ft)
HP C6035A large format media 45.7 m
HP Clear Film 174 gsm-610 mm x 22.9 m (24 in x 75 ft)
HP Q1961A large format media
HP Q1962A large format media
HP Q1967A printing paper A3+ (330×483 mm) Matte 100 sheets White
HP Q1968A large format media 30.5 m Matte
HP Q6579A photo paper Brown, White
HP Q6596A large format media Matte
HP Q1442A large format media 45.7 m
HP Q1445A printing paper Matte
HP Q7897A large format media 45.7 m
HP Matte Proofing 458 mm x 30.5 m (18 in x 100 ft) printing paper
HP Q8664A printing paper High-gloss 1 sheets White
HP Q8662A printing paper A3+ (330×483 mm) High-gloss 50 sheets White
HP Q8663A large format media 30.5 m High-gloss
HP Premium Semi-gloss Proofing Paper-50 sht/A3+/330 mm x 483 mm (13 x 19 in)
HP CG463A large format media 30.5 m Semi-gloss
HP CG462A printing paper Semi-gloss White
HP Vivid White Glossy Polyester Film
HP Cockle-free Heavyweight Coated Paper-610 mm x 30.5 m (24 in x 100 ft)
HP Cockle-free Coated Paper-610 mm x 45.7 m (24 in x 150 ft)
HP Canvas Paper 180 g/m²-610 mm x 10.7 m (24 in x 35 ft)
HP Self-adhesive Indoor Paper-610 mm x 22.9 m (24 in x 75 ft)
Questions
Straight answers
Is the DesignJet 500ps Plus still a machine I should buy new?
It’s an older design that lives mostly in the installed base. If yours runs and your volume is light, keep it going. For a new purchase, current 24-inch machines like the Canon GP-200 24-in or Canon iPF600 24-in are the sensible direction.
What inks does it use?
It runs the HP 10 black cartridge and the HP 11 color set, with related HP 82 supplies depending on configuration. Line-drawing consumption is modest; heavy color coverage burns through ink much faster.
Can it handle full plan-set production?
For light D-size runs, yes. But it’s single-roll, so a large or mixed-size set means a manual reload mid-job, and it has no scanner or built-in set collation. For that, step up to a roll-fed MFP such as the HP DesignJet T918 36-in.
Does the PostScript interpreter matter for AEC work?
It matters if your output chain expects native PostScript at the printer — some older publishing and RIP workflows do. Most modern CAD and PDF submission uses HP-GL/2 or PDF, where the PostScript feature is less critical.
What media can it take?
Standard 24-inch rolls of bond, coated, matte and film — including HP Matte Film and the coated and glossy families in the HP media lineup. Bond covers everyday check and permit sets.
What's the biggest limitation on a deadline?
The single roll. When it runs out during a set, you’re loading paper by hand instead of walking out the door. If deadline reloads are a regular headache, a dual-roll or wider machine solves it.
Ready to put the HP DesignJet 500ps Plus to work?
Configuration, media and a quote tailored to your workflow — from AEC plotter specialists.