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HP DesignJet T1600dr
color graphics & photo printer
- Model3EK12D#B19
- Score79/100
Authorized HP dealerGenuine hardware & ink
2-year warranty includedExtendable to 5 years
Free shippingContinental U.S.
Plotter specialistsAEC experts, not just sellers
Analyst take
- Dual-roll design lets the printer switch media widths automatically within a single mixed-size plan set.
- Six inks including a dedicated gray plus both photo and matte black give neutral linework and reliable coordination-drawing color.
- Prints at 2400 x 1200 DPI across bond, coated, heavy, satin, glossy and photo media.
Not sure if the 3EK12D#B19 is right for you?
Compare key specs and an AI analyst read-out against similar models.
- Fine detail 2400 x 1200 DPI maximum resolution for crisp line work.
- Ink platform Cyan, Photo black, Matte black, Magenta, Yellow, Gray.
- Analyst score Scores 79/100 in our class-relative rating.
Overview
Built for the work
HP DESIGNJET T1600DR – 36IN, 2400 x 1200 DPI, PostScript 3, PDF 1.7, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL, CALS G4, Cyan, Photo black, Matte black, Magenta, Yellow, Gray, 2400 x 1200 DPI, Coated paper, Semi-glossy paper, Glossy paper, Bond paper, Photo paper, Matte paper, Heavy paper,…, A0, A1, A2, A3, A4
- 1,211 ft²/hRated speed
- 6Ink channels
- 2,400 dpiMax resolution
- 24 moIncluded warranty
Spec Analysis
overall
overall
Expert analysis
What you should know
Key takeaways
- Dual-roll design lets the printer switch media widths automatically within a single mixed-size plan set.
- Six inks including a dedicated gray plus both photo and matte black give neutral linework and reliable coordination-drawing color.
- Prints at 2400 x 1200 DPI across bond, coated, heavy, satin, glossy and photo media.
- Handles PostScript 3, PDF 1.7, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL and CALS G4 without a separate translation step.
- Ships with HP Security Manager, HP Web Jetadmin and HP Dynamic Security for fleet control and cartridge policy.
- Maxes out at 36 inches — full E1/oversized work needs the 44-inch T1700dr instead.
The HP DesignJet T1600dr is a 36-inch, six-ink production plotter built for the part of AEC work that never lets up: bid sets, permit sets, coordination drawings and the color-coded overlays that pile up on a busy Thursday afternoon. What sets this variant apart in its own family is the pair of letters at the end — dr, for dual roll — which is the difference between babysitting a roll change and letting the machine decide for itself.
Where color enters the picture, it does so quietly and correctly. Six inks — cyan, magenta, yellow, gray, plus both photo black and matte black — give you the neutral gray axis that keeps a hatched section from drifting warm, and the cyan edge on a utility linetype stays honest rather than turning to slate.
36"Print widthD- and E-size roll media
Cyan, Photo black, Matte black, Magenta, Yellow, GrayInkssix-channel, dual blacks
2400 x 1200 DPIResolutionfine-line and small-text territory
spindle(s)[6]Media rollsdual-roll unattended switching
What the dual roll actually buys you
Dual-roll operation is the whole reason to choose this model over the single-roll HP DesignJet T1600 36-in. Load two media widths — say a bond roll for check sets and a coated roll for the presentation sheets — and the printer selects the right one per page. For a mixed plan set where a title sheet, a dozen D-size plans and a handful of E-size civil drawings arrive in a single PDF, that automation removes the most common cause of a stalled queue: an operator who wandered off between roll changes.
It handles a broad media diet — bond, coated, heavy, satin, glossy and photo among them — and speaks the languages AEC production actually sends it: PostScript 3, PDF 1.7, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL and CALS G4. If your files come straight out of AutoCAD or Bluebeam, they land here without a translation layer.
Security, accounting and the IT conversation
This is the block print-room and IT staff will care about. The T1600dr ships with HP Security Manager and HP Web Jetadmin for fleet management and policy enforcement, and it carries HP Dynamic Security — worth flagging, because that policy governs which cartridges the printer will accept and belongs in your consumables conversation up front. For chargeback and departmental accounting, the bundled HP Click app and optional HP SmartStream give print rooms a submission-and-tracking path that suits project-based billing.
Submission is flexible without being fussy: Wi-Fi Direct, direct printing and HP ePrint cover the mobile and walk-up cases, while the HP Click Driver for Windows 11 keeps everyday desktop plotting predictable.
Estimate plot times for your own run lengths.
One set: – · Weekly plotting time: –
Computed from the manufacturer's rated 1,211 ft²/h. Real-world mixed sets run slower — treat this as a best case for comparing machines, not a promise.
Where it isn't the right tool
If your work runs wider than 36 inches — full E1 civil sheets or oversized survey plots — step up in the family to the 44-inch HP DesignJet T1700dr 44-in, which keeps the dual-roll convenience at a larger width. If you never change media mid-run and want to spend less on the same engine, the single-roll T1600 36-in is the honest step down. And if your queue is mostly monochrome check prints with only occasional color, the dual-black six-ink set here may be more capability than you’ll use. Worth a side-by-side against the Canon camp too — you can line it up against the Canon GP-300 36-in before you commit.
Keep reading
The read
The T1600dr earns its place in a room that produces mixed-size, mixed-media plan sets on a regular cadence and wants the printer — not a person — to manage roll changes. The six-ink set with dual blacks and a dedicated gray gives you clean, neutral linework and dependable color on coordination drawings, at a resolution that keeps fine lines and small text legible. If you don’t need dual roll, the single-roll T1600 is the sensible economy; if you need more than 36 inches, look to the 44-inch T1700dr. For everyone squarely in the middle — a mid-sized multidisciplinary practice or a busy in-house print room — this is a well-matched, unglamorous workhorse.
Where it sits in the field: see the head-to-head against the HP DesignJet T1600 36-in or the full class leaderboard.
Spec analysis
How the specs grade
Overall performance
within color graphics & photo printers
100% spec coverage
- This printer
Verified specifications
The specs that decide it
| Maximum resolution | 2400 x 1200 DPI |
|---|---|
| Printing colors | Cyan, Photo black, Matte black, Magenta, Yellow, Gray |
| Number of print cartridges | 6 |
| Page description languages | PostScript 3, PDF 1.7, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL, CALS G4 |
Specifications
Full technical detail
Max resolution2400 x 1200 DPI
ColorColor
Use caseCAD / Technical
Printing
| Color | Yes |
|---|---|
| Printing colors | Cyan, Photo black, Matte black, Magenta, Yellow, Gray |
| Resolution color | 2400 x 1200 DPI |
| Maximum resolution | 2400 x 1200 DPI |
| Number of print cartridges | 6 |
| Page description languages | PostScript 3, PDF 1.7, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL, CALS G4 |
Performance
| HP segment | Business |
|---|---|
| Certification | Compliant with Class A requirements, including: USA (FCC rules), Canada (ICES), EU (EMC Directive), Australia (ACMA), New Zealand (RSM), China (CCC), Japan (VCCI), Korea (KCC) |
Paper handling
| Custom media sizes | 210 x 279 to 914 x 1219 mm |
|---|---|
| Paper tray media types | Coated paper, Semi-glossy paper, Glossy paper, Bond paper, Photo paper, Matte paper, Heavy paper, Satin paper |
| ISO A-series sizes (A0…A9) | A0, A1, A2, A3, A4 |
Ports & interfaces
| Wi-Fi Direct | Yes |
|---|---|
| Direct printing | Yes |
| Mobile printing technologies | HP ePrint |
Technical details
| Box contents | HP DesignJet T1600 Printer, printer stand and media bin, spindle(s)[6], printheads, introductory ink cartridges, user guide, power cords |
|---|
Weight & dimensions
| Depth | 29.9" (760 mm) |
|---|---|
| Width | 54.7" (1390 mm) |
| Height | 42.5" (1080 mm) |
| Weight | 187.4 lbs (85 kg) |
Power
| AC input frequency | 50/60 Hz |
|---|---|
| Power consumption (off) | 0.3 W |
| Power consumption (sleep) | 10 W |
Operational conditions
| Storage temperature (T-T) | -25 – 55 °C |
|---|---|
| Operating temperature (T-T) | 5 – 35 °C |
| Operating relative humidity (H-H) | 20 – 80% |
Other features
| UNSPSC-code | 43212104 |
|---|---|
| Electromagnetic compatibility | Compliant with Class A requirements, including: USA (FCC rules), Canada (ICES), EU (EMC Directive), Australia (ACMA), New Zealand (RSM), China (CCC), Japan (VCCI), Korea (KCC) |
Packaging data
| Package depth | 30.2" (767 mm) |
|---|---|
| Package width | 58.1" (1477 mm) |
| Package height | 31.5" (800 mm) |
| Package weight | 257.9 lbs (117 kg) |
| Bundled software | HP Click App, HP App, HP Web Jetadmin, HP Security Manager, HP Click Driver for Windows 11, HP Build Workspace, HP SmartStream (optional) |
Sustainability
| Sustainability certificates | ENERGY STAR |
|---|
Brand-specific features
| HP dynamic security | Yes |
|---|
Everything that fits the HP DesignJet T1600dr
The full supplies hub lists every cartridge, printhead, roll and accessory verified against the manufacturer's own documentation for this machine.
12 ink cartridges · 19 paper & media items · 3 accessories · 12 coverage plans
HP DesignJet T1600dr ink and paper →Supplies
Compatible ink, printheads & media
Genuine consumables that fit the HP DesignJet T1600dr – 36-in — only the cartridges, printheads and media compatible with this model.
Ink Cartridges 12
HP 730 130-ml Cyan Ink Cartridge
HP 730 130-ml Magenta Ink Cartridge
HP 730 130-ml Yellow Ink Cartridge
HP 730 130-ml Matte Black Ink Cartridge
HP 730 130-ml Gray Ink Cartridge
HP 730 130-ml Photo Black Ink Cartridge
HP 730 300-ml Cyan Ink Cartridge
HP 730 300-ml Magenta Ink Cartridge
HP 730 300-ml Yellow Ink Cartridge
HP 730 300-ml Matte Black Ink Cartridge
HP 730 300-ml Gray Ink Cartridge
HP 730 300-ml Photo Black Ink CartridgePaper & Media 12
Representative image16 Mil WR Opaque Scrim Vinyl (3″ AC)Representative image15 Mil Water-Resistant Econo Scrim VinylRepresentative image11 Mil Water-Resistant Synthetic BannerRepresentative image180gsm Solvent Satin PE PaperRepresentative image230gsm Special Matte Photo PaperRepresentative image200gsm Special Matte Photo PaperRepresentative image350g Vivid Matte Poly/Cotton CanvasRepresentative image380g Premium Matte Poly/Cotton CanvasRepresentative image10 Mil Water-resistant Blockout Display FilmRepresentative image5 Mil Water-Resistant Self-Adh Vinyl (3" AC)Representative image6 Mil Water-Resistant Self-Adhesive PolypropyleneRepresentative imageWSL 28LB Simple Inkjet Coated Matte Paper (C2S) (448)
Coverage & Support Plans 12
HP 1 year Post Warranty NBD Onsite HW Support w/Defective Media Retention for T1600 2 roll
Hp 3 Year Next Business Day Onsite Hardware Support W/Dmr For T1600 1 (UC6M2E)Hp 3 Year Next Business Day Onsite Hardware Support W/Dmr For T1600 2 (UC6N0E)Hp 3 Year Next Business Day Onsite Hw Support W/Defective Media Retention For De (UB8T2E)
Hp 4 Year Next Business Day Onsite Hardware Support W/Dmr For T1600 1 (UC6M3E)Hp 4 Year Next Business Day Onsite Hardware Support W/Dmr For T1600 2 (UC6N1E)HP 4 year Next Business Day Onsite HW Support w/Defective Media Retention for T1600 2 roll
Hp 5 Year Next Business Day Onsite Hardware Support W/Dmr For T1600 1 (UC6M4E)Hp 5 Year Next Business Day Onsite Hardware Support W/Dmr For T1600 2 (UC6N2E)HP 5 year Next Business Day Onsite HW Support w/Defective Media Retention for T1600 2 roll
HP Preventive Maintenance Hardware Support (U1XV4E)
HP Network Installation Service for High-end and MidrangeQuestions
Straight answers
What does the 'dr' in T1600dr mean, and is it worth it over the plain T1600?
It stands for dual roll — the printer holds two media rolls and switches between them automatically per page. It’s worth it if you regularly run mixed-size or mixed-media plan sets; if you don’t, the single-roll HP DesignJet T1600 36-in covers the same engine for less.
How wide can it print?
Up to 36 inches, with custom media sizes from 210 x 279 mm up to 36″ x 48″ and ISO A-series from A0 through A4. For anything wider, step up to the 44-inch HP DesignJet T1700dr 44-in.
What file types and languages does it accept?
PostScript 3, PDF 1.7, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL and CALS G4 — covering standard CAD, PDF and construction-document output directly.
What should IT know before deploying it?
It includes HP Security Manager and HP Web Jetadmin for fleet management, supports Wi-Fi Direct, direct printing and HP ePrint, and carries HP Dynamic Security — a cartridge-acceptance policy worth confirming in your consumables plan.
Does it print color well enough for presentation and coordination work?
Yes — its six-ink set (cyan, magenta, yellow, gray, plus photo and matte black) with 2400 x 1200 DPI resolution handles color-coded coordination drawings and presentation sheets, and supports glossy, satin and photo media alongside bond and coated stocks.
How many rolls and spindles come with it?
It ships with six spindles and includes the printer stand, media bin, printheads, introductory ink cartridges and power cords in the box.
Ready to put the HP DesignJet T1600dr to work?
Configuration, media and a quote tailored to your workflow — from AEC plotter specialists.