Home / Wide-Format Printers / HP DesignJet
HP · Wide-Format Plotter
24" color graphics & photo printer
Analyst take
Not sure if the Z9+ is right for you?
Compare key specs and an AI analyst read-out against similar models.
Overview
The HP DesignJet Z9+ 24-in is a five-printhead, nine-cartridge aqueous inkjet plotter built around photographic and color-accurate output rather than pure CAD throughput. It prints up to 24 inches wide on rolls (to a 66-inch panel length) at up to 2400 x 1200 dpi, with PostScript 3, PDF 1.7, HP-GL/2 and HP-RTL support, a touchscreen, Gigabit Ethernet, a 500 GB internal drive and direct USB printing. HP rates it at 6.9 m²/h in normal quality and 3.7 m²/h in best quality—so its strength is finished quality, not the fastest plain-bond bid set.
For AEC teams, that capability matters in specific places:
It is genuinely over-engineered for firms that mostly plot black-and-white CAD and just want speed and low cost per sheet. Those buyers should look at the HP DesignJet Z6 24-in, the AEC-optimized sibling with fewer inks. Important: as of mid-2026 the original Z9+ is being succeeded by a Plus Edition, so confirm support and parts lifecycle before committing.
At a glance
Ideal for: color-critical presentation boards, renderings, GIS maps and coordination drawings where fidelity and durability matter, alongside everyday plan sheets. Not the tool for: high-volume, speed-driven monochrome CAD plotting, or low-use offices that won’t absorb idle-time maintenance ink.
Features
Swipe to explore →
Expert analysis
Key takeaways
The DesignJet Z9+ is the machine you reach for when a rendering has to look like the building, not like a spec sheet. Its five printheads driving a nine-slot pigment ink set aim at the last five percent of a saturated red, the gradient in a dusk elevation, the way a warm brick facade holds its color from the monitor to the mounted board.
That focus is also the honest catch. For an AEC buyer whose daily work is line weights and permit sets, a graphics-grade Z9+ is more printer than the job asks for. The interesting question isn’t whether it renders beautifully — it does — but whether your workflow lives in photographs or in vectors.
Where this printer earns its keep is presentation output: competition boards, marketing renderings, GIS maps with dense color coding, and photographic site documentation. On coated and photo media, the pigment set keeps skin tones and material swatches consistent across a run, and the matte-black/photo-black pairing means deep shadows don’t turn muddy on matte stock. HP cites the highest print-permanence ratings in the industry for this ink system — a manufacturer claim worth attributing, though the practical read is simple: prints hold up on a wall.
One honest note on color. HP’s resolution and permanence figures are manufacturer specifications, not measured gamut. Our desk hasn’t run this exact model through the ICC bench, so I won’t quote a gamut volume I can’t stand behind. If measured color matters to your decision, our measured-gamut hub is where those numbers live once they exist.
The Z9+ speaks PostScript 3, PDF 1.7, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL and CALS G4, so it handles CAD and PDF plan sets competently. Line quality on bond is clean and dimensionally stable, and PostScript matters if your presentation PDFs carry embedded fonts and transparency. But nine inks and a gloss-enhancer path are a lot of machinery to point at a black-and-white bid set.
If line-drawing throughput and low running cost are your real priorities, the closer in-family step-down is the six-ink HP DesignJet Z6 24-in — HP positions it as offering similar technical precision with less ink hardware. Cross-shopping color? The Canon GP-2600S 24-in sits in the same class. You can put them side by side in our compare tool.
Estimate plot times for your own run lengths.
One set: – · Weekly plotting time: –
Computed from the manufacturer's rated 769 ft²/h. Real-world mixed sets run slower — treat this as a best case for comparing machines, not a promise.
It’s a single-roll, 24-inch machine — no scanner, no copy function, one spindle up to a 5.31-inch roll diameter, and media up to 0.031 inches thick. Don’t borrow the feature list of the 44-inch models when reading this one. Connectivity covers Gigabit Ethernet, USB Type-A, Wi-Fi Direct and HP ePrint, with a 500 GB internal drive and HP Web Jetadmin for fleet oversight. Consumables are the HP 746 inks and HP 746 printhead, with an optional HP Gloss Enhancer Upgrade Kit.
Lifecycle note: as of mid-2026 this model has been succeeded by the HP DesignJet Z9+ Plus Edition, which HP says adds productivity print modes and AI-assisted workflow tools. The original remains common in the installed base and available as remaining stock — reasonable if the price reflects its previous-generation status and your dealer can still service it.
Worth comparing before you commit
The read
The DesignJet Z9+ 24-in is a graphics printer that happens to be fluent in technical languages — not the reverse. It belongs in an architecture or multidisciplinary studio that produces color renderings, boards and photographic documentation and wants that output to hold on paper and on the wall. If your day is monochrome plan sets and redlines, the six-ink Z6 24-in does the line work with less ink to feed. Buy the Z9+ for the color you can see; skip it if your workflow never leaves the vector.
Spec analysis
Overall performance
within color graphics & photo printers · 8 compared
Class best 81 — Epson SureColor T3770DR
100% spec coverage
Category leaders best color graphics & photo printers, by dimension
Verified specifications
| Maximum print width | 610 x 1676 mm (24-in) |
|---|---|
| Print speed (normal / best) | 6.9 m²/h / 3.7 m²/h |
| Maximum resolution | 2400 x 1200 DPI |
| Internal memory | 4 GB |
| Internal storage | 500 GB |
| Ink cartridges / printheads | 9 cartridges / 5 printheads |
| Network / USB | Dual Gigabit Ethernet (1000Base-T); SuperSpeed USB 3.0 |
| Touchscreen | 396 mm (15.6 in) touchscreen |
| Page description languages | PostScript 3, PDF 1.7, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL, CALS G4 |
| Dimensions / weight | 50.9" W x 27.4" D x 39.3" H; 158.7 lbs |
Specifications
| Color | Yes |
|---|---|
| Print head | 5 |
| Printing colors | Cyan, Photo black, Matte black, Magenta, Yellow |
| Print technology | Inkjet |
| Resolution color | 2400 x 1200 DPI |
| Maximum resolution | 2400 x 1200 DPI |
| Borderless printing | Yes |
| Number of print cartridges | 9 |
| Page description languages | PostScript 3, PDF 1.7, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL, CALS G4 |
| Print speed (best quality) | 3.7 m²/h |
| Print speed (normal quality) | 6.9 m²/h |
| Display | LED |
|---|---|
| HP segment | Business |
| Control type | Touch |
| 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), South Africa (SABS) |
| Product color | Black, Gray |
| Storage media | HDD |
| Internal memory | 4096 MB |
| Built-in display | Yes |
| Country of origin | China, Thailand |
| Internal storage capacity | 500 GB |
| Sound power level (standby) | 33 dB |
| Sound pressure level (printing) | 42 dB |
| Roll paper | Yes |
|---|---|
| Media thickness | 0.8 mm |
| Custom media sizes | 210 x 279 to 610 x 1676 mm |
| Maximum print size | 610 x 1676 mm |
| Maximum roll diameter | 5.31" (13.5 cm) |
| Paper tray media types | Coated paper, Bond paper, Photo paper, Banner |
| ISO A-series sizes (A0…A9) | A1, A2, A3, A4 |
| Wi-Fi | No |
|---|---|
| USB port | Yes |
| Ethernet LAN | Yes |
| Wi-Fi Direct | Yes |
| USB connector | USB Type-A |
| Direct printing | Yes |
| RJ-45 ports quantity | 1 |
| USB 2.0 ports quantity | 1 |
| Ethernet LAN data rates | 10,100,1000 Mbit/s |
| Mobile printing technologies | HP ePrint |
| Box contents | HP DesignJet Z9+ PostScript Printer, printheads, introductory ink cartridges, printer stand and media bin, spindle, quick reference guide, setup poster, power cord |
|---|
| Depth | 27.4" (695 mm) |
|---|---|
| Width | 50.9" (1293 mm) |
| Height | 39.3" (998 mm) |
| Weight | 158.7 lbs (72 kg) |
| AC input voltage | 100 – 240 V |
|---|---|
| AC input frequency | 50/60 Hz |
| Power consumption (off) | 0.1 W |
| Power consumption (sleep) | 6.5 W |
| Power consumption (typical) | 100 W |
| Storage temperature (T-T) | -25 – 55 °C |
|---|---|
| Operating temperature (T-T) | 5 – 40 °C |
| Operating relative humidity (H-H) | 20 – 80% |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
|---|---|
| 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), South Africa (SABS) |
| Copying | No |
|---|
| Scanning | No |
|---|
| Harmonized System (HS) code | 84433210 |
|---|
| Package depth | 30.2" (766 mm) |
|---|---|
| Package width | 56.7" (1440 mm) |
| Package height | 28.3" (718 mm) |
| Package weight | 224.9 lbs (102 kg) |
| Bundled software | HP Click printing software, HP PrintOS, HP Web Jetadmin, HP DesignJet Utility including HP Color Center, HP Partner Link, HP JetAdvantage Security Manager (optional), HP SmartStream (optional) |
| Drivers included | Yes |
| Quick start guide | Yes |
| Cartridge(s) included | Yes |
| Sustainability compliance | Yes |
|---|---|
| Sustainability certificates | ENERGY STAR |
| Sustainable technologies and materials | 30% post-consumer recycled plastic; Free, convenient HP ink cartridge and printhead recycling with HP Planet Partners; Highest WIR Print Permanence Ratings in the Industry; ENERGY STAR certified; EPEAT registered |
| Total carbon footprint (kg of CO2e) | 810 |
|---|---|
| Carbon emissions, logistics (kg of CO2e) | 52 |
| Carbon emissions, end-of-life (kg of CO2e) | 1 |
| Carbon emissions, manufacturing (kg of CO2e) | 755 |
| Total carbon emissions, w/o use phase (kg of CO2e) | 6 |
| Mac operating systems supported | Yes |
|---|---|
| Windows operating systems supported | Yes |
| HP ePrint | Yes |
|---|---|
| HP Web Jetadmin | Yes |
| HP dynamic security | Yes |
Everything that fits the HP DesignJet Z9+
The full supplies hub lists every cartridge, printhead, roll and accessory verified against the manufacturer's own documentation for this machine.
12 ink cartridges · 2 printheads · 18 paper & media items · 5 accessories · 3 coverage plans
HP DesignJet Z9+ ink and paper →Supplies
Genuine consumables that fit the HP DesignJet Z9+ 24-in PostScript Printer — only the cartridges, printheads and media compatible with this model.
HP 746 300-ml Yellow Ink Cartridge
HP 746 300-ml Magenta Ink Cartridge
HP 747 300-ml Gray Ink Cartridge
HP 747 300-ml Chromatic Blue Ink Cartridge
HP 747 300-ml Chromatic Green Ink Cartridge
HP 746 300-ml Matte Black Ink Cartridge
HP 746 300-ml Photo Black Ink Cartridge
HP 746 300-ml Chromatic Red Ink Cartridge
HP 746 300-ml Cyan Ink Cartridge
HP Gloss Enhancer Upgrade Kit
HP 747 300-ml Gloss Enhancer Ink Cartridge
HP 777 Maintenance Cartridge
Representative image11 Mil Water-Resistant Synthetic BannerRepresentative imageHP 4-mil Double Matte Film, 3-in CoreRepresentative imageMagic 6mil PP Film w/ Low-Tack Adhesive (STICK2)Representative imageMagic 9mil Universal Matte Coated PP Film (PPM7)Representative imageMagic Firenze 170gsm Coated Matte Paper (Firenze170)Representative imageMagic Firenze 132gsm Coated Matte Paper (Firenze132)Representative imageMagic 98gsm/26# Coated Matte Paper (DMPG98)Representative image6.5mil Matte Coated Paper w/ PSA (746PSA)Representative image20LB High Brite Inkjet Bond Paper (740)Representative image20LB Inkjet Bond Paper (730)Representative image24LB Inkjet Coated Matte Paper Economy (714)Representative imageWSL 28LB Simple Inkjet Coated Matte Paper (C2S) (448)Questions
Yes. It supports PostScript 3, PDF 1.7, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL and CALS G4, and produces clean, dimensionally stable line work on bond. The trade-off is that its nine-ink graphics hardware is more than plain drawings require.
No. It is a printer only — no scanning and no copying. If you need integrated wide-format scanning, this isn’t the machine.
It uses the HP 746 inks and the HP 746 printhead, with an optional HP Gloss Enhancer Upgrade Kit. Its printing colors are cyan, photo black, matte black, magenta and yellow.
The Z6 24-in is the closer in-family step-down, using six inks instead of nine. HP positions it as offering similar technical precision for CAD and GIS work, making it the better fit for line-drawing-focused shops.
As of mid-2026 it has been succeeded by the HP DesignJet Z9+ Plus Edition, which HP states adds productivity print modes and AI-assisted workflow tools. The original remains available as remaining stock and is widespread in the installed base.
It’s a single-roll 24-inch unit measuring about 50.9 inches wide with a stand and media bin, and a 42 dB printing sound level — reasonable for a studio or shared workroom rather than a dedicated reprographics floor.
Configuration, media and a quote tailored to your workflow — from AEC plotter specialists.
