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HP · Wide-Format Plotter
HP DesignJet Z9+
44" color graphics & photo printer
- ModelZ9+
- Prints44" wide
- Score72/100
Authorized HP dealerGenuine hardware & ink
1-year warranty includedExtendable to 5 years
Free shippingContinental U.S.
Plotter specialistsAEC experts, not just sellers
Analyst take
- A five-printhead, dual-black color machine aimed at renderings and presentation work, not high-volume monochrome CAD.
- Prints up to 44 inches wide at 2400 x 1200 DPI using the HP 746 ink set.
- HP's 8.7 m²/h normal-quality figure is a rated ceiling; color-heavy plots run slower with drying and roll changes.
Not sure if the Z9+ is right for you?
Compare key specs and an AI analyst read-out against similar models.
- Wide-format reach Prints up to 44" wide on rolls and sheets.
- Fine detail 2400 x 1200 DPI maximum resolution for crisp line work.
- Ink platform Cyan, Photo black, Matte black, Magenta, Yellow.
- Connectivity Ethernet for shared team printing.
- Verified specs 4 specs checked against the manufacturer datasheet.
- Analyst score Scores 72/100 in our class-relative rating.
Overview
A photo-grade 44-inch wide-format built for AEC work where color has to be convincing
The HP DesignJet Z9+ is a 44-inch aqueous inkjet built around a five-printhead system running cyan, magenta, yellow, photo black and matte black at up to 2400 x 1200 dpi. Where the eye notices it is in the last five percent of a saturated color — the deep shadow in a rendered atrium, the smooth cyan-to-slate transition across a GIS floodplain map, skin tones on a competition board that hold rather than turning waxy. It reproduces those gradients cleanly on the media we would put it on.
- High-fidelity client presentations and 3D architectural renderings
- GIS and civil maps with complex color gradients
- Photography-grade competition and design boards
- Firms already standardized on PostScript, PDF 1.7 and HP-GL/2 workflows
HP rates it at 8.7 m²/hr in normal quality and 4.5 m²/hr at best quality, and positions the Z-series for graphics rather than high-volume line work. That framing deserves respect. If your daily reality is monochrome bid sets and permit packages, a dedicated CAD line printer will render line work more economically. Within this family, the HP DesignJet Z6200 60-in steps up to a wider single roll for oversized boards; the HP DesignJet Z5200 47-in is the leaner sibling when color range matters less. Note too that HP has begun transitioning the Z9+ toward a newer Plus Edition, so confirm current availability and support terms with your dealer.
- 44″Max print width
- 769 ft²/hRated speed
- 9Ink channels
- 2,400 dpiMax resolution
- 12 moIncluded warranty
Spec Analysis
overall
overall
At a glance
- Print width
- Up to 44 in (custom media to 44 x 66 in)
- Print technology
- Aqueous inkjet, 5 printheads
- Ink set
- Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Photo Black, Matte Black (HP 746 inks / HP 746 printhead)
- Max resolution
- 2400 x 1200 dpi
- Rated speed
- HP rates 8.7 m²/hr normal, 4.5 m²/hr best quality
- Page description languages
- PostScript 3, PDF 1.7, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL, CALS G4
- Connectivity
- Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45), USB Type-A, Wi-Fi Direct, HP ePrint
- Sustainability
- ENERGY STAR certified, EPEAT registered, 30% post-consumer recycled plastic
Ideal for: color-critical AEC output — renderings, GIS maps, presentation and competition boards on a 44-in aqueous platform with PostScript/PDF support. Not the tool for: high-volume monochrome bid sets, permit packages and everyday line work, where a dedicated CAD line printer is more economical.
Features
What sets it apart
Swipe to explore →
Expert analysis
What you should know
Key takeaways
- A five-printhead, dual-black color machine aimed at renderings and presentation work, not high-volume monochrome CAD.
- Prints up to 44 inches wide at 2400 x 1200 DPI using the HP 746 ink set.
- HP's 8.7 m²/h normal-quality figure is a rated ceiling; color-heavy plots run slower with drying and roll changes.
- Single-roll with included stand and bin; no onboard scanner or copier — pair the HP SD Pro 44-in Scanner if you need capture.
- HP dynamic security restricts the printer to HP-chip cartridges, which affects third-party ink strategies.
- The original Z9+ is transitioning behind a June 2026 Plus Edition but has not reached end of service life.
The difference between a plotter and a color instrument shows up where photographs live — in the last five percent of a saturated red on a competition board, in the tonal ramp of a GIS elevation map, in a rendering where the sky has to move from cyan to warm without banding. The HP DesignJet Z9+ 44-in PostScript Printer is built for that last five percent. It is a five-printhead, dual-black inkjet that carries both photo black and matte black, and it reproduces color at up to 2400 x 1200 DPI on rolls up to 44 inches wide.
That focus matters, because most AEC wide-format work is not that. Most of it is line work — bid sets, permit drawings, redlines — and for pure black-and-white throughput this is more machine than the job needs. The Z9+ earns its place when the drawing has to be beautiful, not just legible.
44"Print widthrolls to full ISO A0
2400 x 1200 DPIColor resolution
8.7 m²/hSpeed, normal qualityHP-rated, not sustained throughput
5Printheadsdual matte + photo black
Where the color actually earns it
The Z9+ runs the HP 746 ink set through five printheads across cyan, magenta, yellow, matte black and photo black. In practice, the two blacks are the tell: photo black for glossy and photo media, matte black for coated and bond, which keeps neutrals genuinely neutral instead of drifting bronze under gallery lights. On coated stock, deep teatime shadows in a night rendering hold their separation rather than collapsing into a single muddy tone.
HP rates the printer for photo-quality output up to 2.5 times faster without losing quality — that is a manufacturer claim, and it describes best-quality mode against an earlier generation, not a universal throughput figure. What I can say plainly is that the color architecture here is aimed at fidelity, and the PostScript 3 and PDF 1.7 processing means complex presentation files rasterize predictably rather than surprising you at the roll.
Handling, workflow and the room it lives in
It is a single-roll machine on its included stand and media bin, feeding stock up to 0.031″ (0.8 mm) thick through a 44-inch spindle, with a 3-in core adapter in the box. There is one HDD, 4096 MB of memory, Gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi Direct — note there is no full Wi-Fi and, importantly, no scanner or copier on board. If you need capture, the HP SD Pro 44-in Scanner is the companion piece.
For a print room, the software story is the quiet strength: HP Click for drag-and-drop submission, HP Web Jetadmin for fleet management, optional HP SmartStream for preflight, and HP SmartTracker for job accounting and chargeback. IT teams will also weigh HP dynamic security, which ties the printer to HP-chip cartridges — a real consideration if your supply chain relies on third-party ink.
If your work is mostly monochrome CAD volume, a lower-cost line-work machine such as the HP Z5400 44-in is the more sensible tool. If you need to run unattended across a shift, a dual-roll or production body in the same family — the HP Z6600 44-in — changes the math. And worth knowing: the original Z9+ has entered a transition phase, superseded by a Plus Edition HP launched in June 2026, though it has not reached end of service life.
Estimate a run against HP's rated speeds. Pad it for color-heavy pages and roll changes — the rated figure is a ceiling, not a promise.
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.
Compare and cross-shop
The read
The Z9+ is a specialty choice, and that is meant as praise. Buy it when your firm regularly produces high-fidelity client presentations, competition boards, or GIS maps with complex gradients, and when the difference between a good render and a convincing one wins work. For everyday permit-and-bid line work it is more color capability than the job requires — a T-series or a line-work Z-series body is the cleaner economic fit there. Weigh two practical points before signing: HP dynamic security ties you to HP inks, and the model is in transition behind a newer Plus Edition, so confirm your dealer’s parts-and-service commitment. Judged as what it is — a color instrument that happens to be 44 inches wide — it holds up.
Spec analysis
How the specs grade
Overall performance
within color graphics & photo printers · 10 compared
Class best 79 — Epson SureColor T7770DR
100% spec coverage
- This printer
- Epson SureColor T7770DR
Category leaders best color graphics & photo printers, by dimension
Verified specifications
The specs that decide it
| Print width | 44 in (1118 mm max print size 1118 x 1676 mm) |
|---|---|
| Maximum resolution | 1200 dpi |
| Print speed (normal / best) | 8.7 m²/h / 4.5 m²/h |
| Ink cartridges / printheads | 9 cartridges, 5 printheads |
| Internal memory / storage | 4096 MB / 500 GB |
| Connectivity | Dual Gigabit Ethernet (1000Base-T), SuperSpeed USB 3.0 |
| Page description languages | PostScript 3, PDF 1.7, HP-GL/2, TIFF, JPEG, HP-RTL, CALS G4 |
| Touchscreen | 15.6 in (396 mm) touchscreen |
| Media types | Coated paper, Bond paper, Photo paper, Banner (roll + sheet) |
| Dimensions / weight | 70.9 x 27.4 x 39.3 in; 207.2 lbs (94 kg) |
Specifications
Full technical detail
Print technologyInkjet
Max resolution2400 x 1200 DPI
Max print width44"
ColorColor
ConnectivityEthernet (Gigabit LAN), USB
Use casePhoto / Fine Art
Printing
| 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) | 4.5 m²/h |
| Print speed (normal quality) | 8.7 m²/h |
Performance
| 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 |
Paper handling
| Roll paper | Yes |
|---|---|
| Media thickness | 0.8 mm |
| Custom media sizes | 210 x 279 to 1118 x 1676 mm |
| Maximum print size | 1118 x 1676 |
| Paper tray media types | Coated paper, Bond paper, Photo paper, Banner |
| ISO A-series sizes (A0…A9) | A0, A1, A2, A3, A4 |
Ports & interfaces
| 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 |
| Ethernet LAN data rates | 10,100,1000 Mbit/s |
| Mobile printing technologies | HP ePrint |
Technical details
| Box contents | HP DesignJet Z9+ PostScript Printer, printheads, introductory ink cartridges, printer stand and media bin, spindle, 3-in core adapter, quick reference guide, setup poster, power cord |
|---|
Weight & dimensions
| Depth | 27.4" (695 mm) |
|---|---|
| Width | 70.9" (1802 mm) |
| Height | 39.3" (998 mm) |
| Weight | 207.2 lbs (94 kg) |
Power
| 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 |
Operational conditions
| Storage temperature (T-T) | -25 – 55 °C |
|---|---|
| Operating temperature (T-T) | 5 – 40 °C |
| Operating relative humidity (H-H) | 20 – 80% |
Other features
| Touchscreen | Yes |
|---|---|
| UNSPSC-code | 43212104 |
| Minimum system requirements | f |
| 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
| Copying | No |
|---|
Scanning
| Scanning | No |
|---|
Packaging data
| Package depth | 30.2" (766 mm) |
|---|---|
| Package width | 76.8" (1950 mm) |
| Package height | 28.3" (718 mm) |
| Package weight | 286.6 lbs (130 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
| 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 |
Carbon footprint
| Total carbon footprint (kg of CO2e) | 820 |
|---|---|
| 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) | 13 |
System requirements
| Mac operating systems supported | Yes |
|---|---|
| Windows operating systems supported | Yes |
Brand-specific features
| HP ePrint | Yes |
|---|---|
| HP Web Jetadmin | Yes |
| HP GTIN (EAN/UPC) | 194441079944. 192018667716 |
| HP dynamic security | Yes |
| HP GTIN (EAN/UPC) with options | (ABA) 194441079944; (B1K) 192018667716 |
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
Compatible ink, printheads & media
Genuine consumables that fit the HP DesignJet Z9+ 44-in PostScript Printer — only the cartridges, printheads and media compatible with this model.
Ink Cartridges 11
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 747 300-ml Gloss Enhancer Ink Cartridge
HP 777 Maintenance CartridgePrintheads 2
Paper & Media 12
HP Production Adhesive Vinyl, 3-in Core
Representative imageHP 4-mil Double Matte Film, 3-in CoreRepresentative imageHP Bright White Inkjet Paper, 4-packRepresentative imageHP Bright White Inkjet Paper, 2-packRepresentative imageHP 20-lb Bond with ColorPRO TechnologyRepresentative imageMagic 9mil Universal Matte Coated PP Film (PPM7)Representative imageMagic Firenze 170gsm Coated Matte Paper (Firenze170)Representative imageMagic 98gsm/26# Coated Matte Paper (DMPG98)Representative image20LB Inkjet Vellum (772)Representative image18LB Inkjet Bond Paper (Translucent) (750)Representative image6.5mil Matte Coated Paper w/ PSA (746PSA)Representative image24LB Inkjet Coated Matte Paper Economy (714)Accessories 4
Questions
Straight answers
Is the Z9+ a good fit for standard black-and-white bid and permit sets?
It can print them, but it is more color machine than pure line work needs. For high-volume monochrome CAD, a line-work model such as the HP Z5400 44-in is generally the more cost-effective tool.
Does it scan or copy?
No. It is a printer only. If you need wide-format capture, HP offers the HP SD Pro 44-in Scanner as a companion.
What inks and printheads does it use?
It runs the HP 746 ink set across five printheads, including separate matte black and photo black, plus the HP 746 printhead. An HP Gloss Enhancer Upgrade Kit is also available.
Can I use third-party ink cartridges?
The printer uses HP dynamic security, which restricts it to cartridges with HP chips. Firms that rely on third-party or refilled ink should factor that in before purchase.
How do print speeds translate to real jobs?
HP rates it at 8.7 m²/h in normal quality and 4.5 m²/h in best quality. Treat these as ceilings; color-heavy presentation work, drying and roll changes reduce actual sustained throughput.
Is this the current model?
The original Z9+ has entered a transition phase and is being superseded by a Plus Edition HP launched in June 2026. It has not reached official end of service life, but confirm your dealer’s parts and service coverage.
Ready to put the HP DesignJet Z9+ to work?
Configuration, media and a quote tailored to your workflow — from AEC plotter specialists.