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HP DesignJet XT870
24" color graphics & photo printer
- ModelXT870
- Prints24" wide
- Score65/100
Authorized HP dealerGenuine hardware & ink
1-year warranty includedExtension plans available
Free shippingContinental U.S.
Plotter specialistsAEC experts, not just sellers
Analyst take
- A 24-inch, four-color (CMYK with matte black) wide-format printer rated by HP at 120 A1 prints per hour.
- Prints at up to 2400 x 1200 dpi and handles PDF, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL and CALS G4 natively.
- Auto sheet feeder takes up to 12 x 18-inch sheets; manual feed extends to 24 x 66 inches for long profiles.
Not sure if the XT870 is right for you?
Compare key specs and an AI analyst read-out against similar models.
- Wide-format reach Prints up to 24" wide on rolls and sheets.
- Fine detail 2400 x 1200 DPI maximum resolution for crisp line work.
- Productivity Rated at 21 sec/page on A1/D, 120 A1/D prints/hour.
- Ink platform Cyan, Matte black, Magenta, Yellow.
- Verified specs 6 specs checked against the manufacturer datasheet.
- Analyst score Scores 65/100 in our class-relative rating.
Overview
A compact 24-inch color plotter built for everyday plan-set work
The HP DesignJet XT870 is a four-ink, 24-inch wide-format printer aimed at the daily reality of AEC document work: bid sets, permit drawings, redlines and the occasional color coordination sheet. It uses cyan, matte black, magenta and yellow inks at up to 2400 x 1200 dpi, which is enough to keep fine linework crisp and small callout text legible on ordinary bond. HP rates it at 120 A1 prints per hour in Fast/Economode, roughly 21 seconds per A1 — a rated throughput figure, so treat it as a ceiling rather than a promise once processing, drying and mixed-size jobs enter the picture.
Where color matters, four inks tell an honest story. This is a line-and-fill machine: solid CAD colors, GIS fills and coordination overlays reproduce cleanly, but it is not built for the last five percent of a saturated photographic red. The cyan of a utility layer holds; a glossy rendering is not its job.
- Small to mid-sized studios printing daily monochrome and color plan sets
- Civil and MEP teams needing legible fine lines on bond
- Offices with limited floor space — its footprint suits a working room
- PDF, HP-GL/2 and TIFF workflows straight from Bluebeam or CAD
It is less appropriate if you need an integrated scanner or wider media. A 36-inch MFP such as the HP DesignJet T918 36-in covers that ground.
- 24″Max print width
- 808 ft²/hRated speed (burst)
- 4Ink channels
- 2,400 dpiMax resolution
- 12 moIncluded warranty
Spec Analysis
overall
overall
Where it performs best
Connections
100
Size / Fit
95
Print Quality
80
Class best is 81. How we grade →
At a glance
- Print width
- 24 in (manual feed to 24" x 66")
- Inks
- 4-color: cyan, matte black, magenta, yellow (HP 739 printhead)
- Max resolution
- 2400 x 1200 dpi
- Rated speed (HP)
- 120 A1 pph / 21 s per A1 (Fast+Economode)
- Languages
- PDF, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL, CALS G4, URF
- Memory
- 1024 MB
- Footprint (W x D x H)
- 43.3 x 27.2 x 36.8 in; 84.9 lbs
- Certification
- ENERGY STAR; 2.5 W sleep, 0.2 W off
Ideal for: small-to-mid AEC offices producing daily color and monochrome plan sets in a tight footprint. Not the tool for: teams needing an onboard scanner, 36-inch media or photographic color fidelity.
Features
What sets it apart
Swipe to explore →
Expert analysis
What you should know
Key takeaways
- A 24-inch, four-color (CMYK with matte black) wide-format printer rated by HP at 120 A1 prints per hour.
- Prints at up to 2400 x 1200 dpi and handles PDF, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL and CALS G4 natively.
- Auto sheet feeder takes up to 12 x 18-inch sheets; manual feed extends to 24 x 66 inches for long profiles.
- At 43.3 inches wide and 84.9 pounds on its stand, it fits a studio corner rather than a dedicated print room.
- No integrated scanner and a single roll — offices needing MFP scan/copy or 36-inch width should look wider.
- ENERGY STAR certified, with 2.5 W sleep and 0.2 W off-state draw.
The HP DesignJet XT870 is a 24-inch, four-color wide-format printer built for the day-to-day rhythm of an architecture or engineering office: bond-paper plan sets in the morning, a coordination drawing or two in color, the occasional presentation board before a client walks in. It uses cyan, matte black, magenta and yellow inks at a stated 2400 x 1200 dpi, and it fits — physically and operationally — where a smaller practice actually lives.
What the eye notices first on a decent bond is that the black holds its edge. Line work stays crisp, and the matte black keeps text legible down to the sizes that make or break a redlined detail. Color is present and useful for coordination overlays, though this is a business-class four-ink device, not a photographic proofer — worth saying plainly before anyone expects the last five percent of a saturated render to survive.
24-inPrint widthRoll and manual feed
120 pphPrint speed (A1, normal)HP-rated, Fast+Economode: 21 s/A1
2400 x 1200 DPIMax resolution
Cyan, Matte black, Magenta, YellowInk setFour cartridges
Where it earns its footprint
At 43.3 inches wide and 84.9 pounds on its stand, the XT870 asks for a corner rather than a print room. That matters for a studio without dedicated reprographics space. It carries 1024 MB of memory and speaks the languages an AEC workflow expects — PDF, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL and CALS G4 — so it drops into AutoCAD, Revit and Bluebeam submissions without a translation layer fight.
HP rates it at 120 A1 prints per hour, or 21 seconds per A1 in Fast plus Economode. Treat that as the ceiling, not the cruise. First-page-out time, roll behavior and the auto sheet feeder — which handles up to 12 x 18-inch cut sheets — govern how a real mixed plan set flows. The manual feed extends to 24 x 66 inches for long sections and site profiles.
The workflow it genuinely fits
This is a printer for teams that print steadily but not industrially, and who want submission to be uneventful. The bundled HP Click and companion apps cover Windows, Mac, Android and iOS submission, which suits a small office where the person hitting print is often the person who drew the sheet.
- Small architecture or design studios producing bid, permit and redline sets in-house.
- Civil, structural or MEP practices needing crisp line work and legible small text on bond.
- Surveyors and GCs running long-format profiles and site plans up to 24 x 66 inches manually.
- Offices wanting a quiet, ENERGY STAR-certified unit that lives beside a desk, not in a separate room.
Estimate a full plan set from HP's 120 A1 pph rating — then discount for first-page-out and roll changes, because a real set never runs at the datasheet ceiling.
One set: – · Weekly plotting time: –
Computed from the manufacturer's rated 808 ft²/h (a per-page burst rating). 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
The XT870 is a single-roll, 24-inch device. If your work regularly spills to full ANSI D or E sheets, or you need scan-and-copy at the plotter, this is the wrong size class — a wider MFP such as the discontinued but still-common HP DesignJet T918 36-in, with its integrated scanner, is what those departments actually bought. High-volume engineering rooms will also look at faster six-color Canon machines; it’s worth a side-by-side against the Canon GP-2000 24-in or a direct comparison with the Canon GP-2600S before committing. For pure four-color economy at this width, the Canon GP-200 24-in is the obvious cross-shop.
Keep reading
The read
For a small-to-mid practice that prints bond plan sets daily, wants legible line work and dependable submission from any device, and can live within 24 inches and one roll, the XT870 is a sensible, quiet, office-friendly fit. The trade-off is scope: no scanner, no second roll, and a four-ink business color set that serves coordination overlays well but won’t stand in for a photographic proofer. Match it to how wide your sheets actually get and how often color fidelity — not just color presence — decides the job.
Spec analysis
How the specs grade
Overall performance
within color graphics & photo printers · 8 compared
Class best 81 — Epson SureColor T3770DR
100% spec coverage
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- Epson SureColor T3770DR
Category leaders best color graphics & photo printers, by dimension
Verified specifications
The specs that decide it
| Print width | 24-in |
|---|---|
| Maximum resolution | Up to 2400 x 1200 optimized dpi |
| Print speed | 21 sec/page on A1/D, 120 A1/D prints/hourmanufacturer-verified |
| Number of print cartridges | 4 (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Matte black)manufacturer-verified |
| Ink cartridge capacity | 130 and 300 ml Original HP Ink cartridgesmanufacturer-verified |
| Internal memory | 1024 MB |
| Connectivity | Gigabit Ethernet (1000Base-T); Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/nmanufacturer-verified |
| Roll handling | Max roll diameter 5.1 in (130 mm); max length 300 ft; 2-in coremanufacturer-verified |
| Page description languages | PDF, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL, CALS G4, URF |
| Dimensions / weight | 43.3" W x 27.2" D x 36.8" H; 84.9 lbs |
manufacturer-verified = checked against the manufacturer’s official datasheet, not aggregator data. Everything else is standards-body / catalog data we consider reliable.
Specifications
Full technical detail
Max resolution2400 x 1200 DPI
Max print width24"
ColorColor
Use caseCAD / Technical
Printing
| Color | Yes |
|---|---|
| Printing colors | Cyan, Matte black, Magenta, Yellow |
| Resolution color | 2400 x 1200 DPI |
| Maximum resolution | 2400 x 1200 DPI |
| Number of print cartridges | 4 |
| Page description languages | PDF, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL, CALS G4, URF |
Performance
| HP segment | Business |
|---|---|
| Certification | Compliant with Class B requirements, including: USA (FCC rules), Canada (ICES), EU (RED Directive), Australia (ACMA), New Zealand (RSM), China (CCC), Japan (VCCI); Korea (KCC) |
| Internal memory | 1024 MB |
| Country of origin | China, Thailand |
Paper handling
| Custom media sizes | Auto sheet feeder: 210 x 279 to 305 x 457 mm; Manual feed: 210 x 279 to 609 x 1676 mm |
|---|---|
| Paper tray media types | Coated paper, Plain paper, Bond paper, Photo paper, Matte paper, Banner, Heavy paper, Satin paper |
| ISO A-series sizes (A0…A9) | A1, A2, A3, A4 |
Technical details
| Box contents | HP DesignJet XT870 Printer, printhead, introductory ink cartridges, printer stand, spindle, guide, warranty flyer, power cord |
|---|
Weight & dimensions
| Depth | 27.2" (690 mm) |
|---|---|
| Width | 43.3" (1100 mm) |
| Height | 36.8" (935 mm) |
| Weight | 84.9 lbs (38.5 kg) |
Power
| AC input voltage | 100 – 240 V |
|---|---|
| AC input frequency | 50/60 Hz |
| Power consumption (off) | 0.2 W |
| Power consumption (sleep) | 2.5 W |
Operational conditions
| Operating altitude | 0 – 118110.2" (0 – 3000 m) |
|---|---|
| Storage temperature (T-T) | -25 – 55 °C |
| Operating temperature (T-T) | 5 – 40 °C |
Other features
| UNSPSC-code | 43212110 |
|---|---|
| Electromagnetic compatibility | Compliant with Class B requirements, including: USA (FCC rules), Canada (ICES), EU (RED Directive), Australia (ACMA), New Zealand (RSM), China (CCC), Japan (VCCI); Korea (KCC) |
Packaging data
| Package depth | 22.4" (570 mm) |
|---|---|
| Package width | 51.6" (1310 mm) |
| Package height | 25.2" (640 mm) |
| Package weight | 106.9 lbs (48.5 kg) |
| Bundled software | HP Click Driver for Windows 11, HP Click App for Windows and Mac, HP App for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, PartnerLink |
Sustainability
| Sustainability certificates | ENERGY STAR |
|---|
Carbon footprint
| Total carbon footprint (kg of CO2e) | 1120 |
|---|---|
| Carbon emissions, logistics (kg of CO2e) | 51 |
| Carbon emissions, end-of-life (kg of CO2e) | 126 |
| Carbon emissions, manufacturing (kg of CO2e) | 745 |
| Total carbon emissions, w/o use phase (kg of CO2e) | 199 |
Brand-specific features
| HP GTIN (EAN/UPC) | 881767182266. 199251089374 |
|---|---|
| HP GTIN (EAN/UPC) with options | (ACJ) 881767182266; (B1K) 199251089374 |
Everything that fits the HP DesignJet XT870
The full supplies hub lists every cartridge, printhead, roll and accessory verified against the manufacturer's own documentation for this machine.
8 ink cartridges · 3 accessories
HP DesignJet XT870 ink and paper →Supplies
Compatible ink, printheads & media
Genuine consumables that fit the HP DesignJet XT870 24-in Printer — only the cartridges, printheads and media compatible with this model.
Ink Cartridges 8
HP 738M 300-ml Black Ink Cartridge print head Thermal inkjet
HP 738M 300-ml Cyan Ink Cartridge print head Thermal inkjet
HP 738M 300-ml Magenta Ink Cartridge print head Thermal inkjet
HP 738M 300-ml Yellow Ink Cartridge print head Thermal inkjet
HP 738M 130-ml Black Ink Cartridge print head Thermal inkjet
HP 738M 130-ml Cyan Ink Cartridge print head Thermal inkjet
HP 738M 130-ml Magenta Ink Cartridge print head Thermal inkjet
HP 738M 130-ml Yellow Ink Cartridge print head Thermal inkjet
Questions
Straight answers
What ink and printhead does the XT870 use?
It runs a four-cartridge set (cyan, matte black, magenta, yellow) — the HP 498Q0A, HP 676M9A/676N0A/676N1A and HP A24VLA/A24VMA/A24VNA/A24VPA families — with the HP 739 printhead. It ships with a printhead and introductory cartridges.
What sizes can it print?
Up to 24 inches wide. The auto sheet feeder handles cut sheets up to 12 x 18 inches, and the manual feed accepts media up to 24 x 66 inches for long sections and site profiles. Supported ISO sizes include A1, A2, A3 and A4.
How fast is it, realistically?
HP rates it at 120 A1 prints per hour, or 21 seconds per A1 in Fast plus Economode. That’s the ceiling; real mixed plan sets run slower once you account for first-page-out time, roll behavior and drying.
Does it have a scanner or copy function?
No. The XT870 is a printer only. Firms needing integrated scan-and-copy at the machine looked at a wider MFP such as the discontinued HP DesignJet T918 36-in, which is still common in the installed base.
Will it fit in a normal office?
Yes — it’s 43.3 inches wide, 27.2 inches deep and 36.8 inches tall on its stand, weighing 84.9 pounds. It’s ENERGY STAR certified and draws just 2.5 W in sleep, so it suits a working corner rather than a separate print room.
How does it compare to Canon's 24-inch machines?
It’s worth cross-shopping against current Canon 24-inch units like the Canon GP-200 24-in for four-color economy, or the higher-throughput Canon GP-2000 24-in and Canon GP-2600S 24-in if your volume runs heavier.
Resources
Brochures, datasheets & video
Documents
Video
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