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HP PageWide XL 4600
PageWide production printer
- ModelRS312A
- Score44/100
Authorized HP dealerGenuine hardware & ink
Manufacturer warrantyExtension plans available
Free shippingContinental U.S.
Plotter specialistsAEC experts, not just sellers
Analyst take
- Single-pass PageWide printing clears the first D-size sheet fast and holds a steady rate for long collated runs.
- Integrated color scanning at 1200 x 1200 DPI and color copying make it a true MFP for as-builts and legacy sheets.
- A 500 GB drive and 8 GB RAM spool and reprint large PDF plan sets without choking.
Not sure if the RS312A is right for you?
Compare key specs and an AI analyst read-out against similar models.
Overview
Built for the work
HP PageWide XL 4600, Inkjet, HP-GL/2, 8 x HP 841 PageWide XL, Color copying, Color scanning, 1200 x 1200 DPI
Spec Analysis
overall
overall
Expert analysis
What you should know
Key takeaways
- Single-pass PageWide printing clears the first D-size sheet fast and holds a steady rate for long collated runs.
- Integrated color scanning at 1200 x 1200 DPI and color copying make it a true MFP for as-builts and legacy sheets.
- A 500 GB drive and 8 GB RAM spool and reprint large PDF plan sets without choking.
- Optional HP F60 folder with tab applicator and high-capacity stacker deliver folded, tabbed, stacked sets automatically.
- At 77.2" wide and 948 lbs, it only makes sense at genuine production volume — low-volume shops should look at single-roll Canon plotters.
- It is HP-GL/2 native with four 400-ml HP 843C ink cartridges — verify your RIP and supply plan before buying.
It’s 4:45 on a bid day. Somebody needs a 90-sheet plan set collated, in order, in the tray, ready to hand off. That’s the job the HP PageWide XL 4600 was built for. Not one pretty rendering. A wall of D-size drawings, over and over, without an operator babysitting the roll.
This is single-pass PageWide inkjet — a fixed printhead the full width of the page, no back-and-forth carriage. That’s a different animal from the Canon plotters most AEC shops know. The question isn’t whether it prints. It’s whether your volume justifies a machine this size sitting in your print room.
8 x HP 841 PageWide XLPrint headsstationary full-width array — no scanning carriage
500 GBInternal storageHDD for job spooling and reprints
7874" (200 m)Max roll lengthlong unattended runs before a reload
1200 x 1200 DPIScan resolutionintegrated color CIS scanner
What it actually does well
Speed you don’t have to think about. Single-pass means the first sheet clears fast and the rest follow at a steady clip — the machine isn’t dragging a head across every line. For a firm pushing hundreds of D-size sheets a week, that’s the whole point. The top stacker catches output so nobody stands there peeling sheets off a ramp.
It’s a full MFP. Color scanning at 1200 x 1200 DPI, color copying, scan to email, FTP or USB. So your as-built markups and legacy sheets go through the same box that prints the new set. The 8″ touchscreen runs the show, and 8 GB of RAM with a 500 GB drive means big PDF plan sets spool and reprint without choking.
Finishing is where it earns its keep. Bolt on an HP F60 Folder with Tab Applicator or the HP PageWide XL High-capacity Stacker and a permit set comes out folded, tabbed and stacked. That’s minutes saved per set, every set.
Where it's the wrong tool
Named the failure mode first: buying too much machine. This thing is 77.2″ wide and 948 lbs. It draws 400 W typical. If you’re a two-person studio printing a dozen sheets a week, it will sit idle and cost you floor space you don’t have. The economics only work at volume.
It runs HP 843C PageWide XL inks in four 400-ml cartridges and the HP 841 printheads — that’s a supply chain to manage, not a cheap cartridge you grab off a shelf. And note: this is HP-GL/2 native, no PostScript listed, so check your RIP and driver path before you commit.
Lower volume? Look at the single-roll Canon plotters — a Canon iPF770 36-in gives you scan-and-print in a smaller box, and the Canon iPF760 36-in drops the scanner if you don’t need it. Want to size finishing to your workflow instead, staying in-family, compare the 4600 against the HP F60 folder setup or see the whole class ranking.
The read
The 4600 is a production machine for a production problem. If your print room turns out big collated plan sets on deadline, day after day, the single-pass speed and integrated scan-copy-fold workflow pay for themselves in minutes saved and late nights avoided. Bottom line: high volume justifies it — anything less and you’re heating a room with a 948-lb space heater.
Spec analysis
How the specs grade
Overall performance
within PageWide production printers
70% spec coverage
- This printer
Verified specifications
The specs that decide it
| Print technology | Inkjet |
|---|---|
| Number of print cartridges | 4 |
| Page description languages | HP-GL/2 |
| Maximum roll diameter | 6.97" (17.7 cm) |
| Scanning | Color scanning |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Ethernet | No |
| Sound level (printing) | 58 dB |
| Power consumption | 400 W |
Specifications
Full technical detail
Print technologyInkjet
ConnectivityUSB
Use caseGIS / Mapping
Printing
| Color | Yes |
|---|---|
| Print head | 8 x HP 841 PageWide XL |
| Print technology | Inkjet |
| Number of print cartridges | 4 |
| Page description languages | HP-GL/2 |
Performance
| Control type | Touch |
|---|---|
| RAM capacity | 8 GB |
| Certification | EPEAT Silver, CE |
| Product color | Black, White |
| Storage media | HDD |
| Built-in display | Yes |
| Display diagonal | 8" |
| Built-in processor | Yes |
| Internal storage capacity | 500 GB |
| Sound power level (standby) | 35 dB |
| Sound pressure level (printing) | 58 dB |
Paper handling
| Stacker | Yes |
|---|---|
| Roll paper | Yes |
| Stacker type | Top Stacker |
| Maximum roll length | 7874" (200 m) |
| Maximum roll diameter | 6.97" (17.7 cm) |
| Paper tray media types | Bond paper, Matte paper, Recycled paper |
Ports & interfaces
| Wi-Fi | No |
|---|---|
| USB port | Yes |
| Ethernet LAN | No |
| USB connector | USB Type-A |
| USB 2.0 ports quantity | 1 |
Weight & dimensions
| Depth | 34" (864 mm) |
|---|---|
| Width | 77.2" (1960 mm) |
| Height | 51.3" (1303 mm) |
| Weight | 948 lbs (430 kg) |
Power
| Power consumption (standby) | 108.4 W |
|---|---|
| Power consumption (typical) | 400 W |
| Power consumption (PowerSave) | 1 W |
Operational conditions
| Operating temperature (T-T) | 5 – 40 °C |
|---|
Other features
| Touchscreen | Yes |
|---|---|
| Powersave acoustic emission | 16 dB |
Copying
| Copying | Color copying |
|---|
Scanning
| Scan to | E-mail, FTP, USB |
|---|---|
| Scanning | Color scanning |
| Scan technology | CIS |
| Scan speed (black) | 10 ips |
| Scan speed (color) | 3 ips |
| Maximum media thickness | 0.0157" (0.4 mm) |
| Optical scanning resolution | 1200 x 1200 DPI |
Packaging data
| Package depth | 42" (1068 mm) |
|---|---|
| Package width | 85.8" (2180 mm) |
| Package height | 69.4" (1764 mm) |
| Package weight | 1203.7 lbs (546 kg) |
Sustainability
| Sustainability certificates | ENERGY STAR |
|---|
Brand-specific features
| HP Web Jetadmin | Yes |
|---|---|
| HP PageWide Technology | Yes |
| HP Embedded Web Server (EWS) | Yes |
Everything that fits the HP PageWide XL 4600
The full supplies hub lists every cartridge, printhead, roll and accessory verified against the manufacturer's own documentation for this machine.
7 ink cartridges · 1 printhead · 2 paper & media items · 2 accessories
HP PageWide XL 4600 ink and paper →Supplies
Compatible ink, printheads & media
Genuine consumables that fit the HP PageWide XL 4600 — only the cartridges, printheads and media compatible with this model.
Ink Cartridges 7
Questions
Straight answers
Is the HP 4600 a printer or a full multifunction device?
It’s a full MFP. It includes a color CIS scanner at 1200 x 1200 DPI, does color copying, and scans to email, FTP or USB.
What inks and printheads does it use?
Four 400-ml HP 843C PageWide XL ink cartridges — black, cyan, magenta and yellow — feeding the HP 841 PageWide XL printheads.
Can it fold and stack finished sets automatically?
Yes, with accessories. It supports the HP PageWide XL High-capacity Stacker and folders including the HP F60 Folder with Tab Applicator for folded, tabbed output.
How is this different from a Canon plotter like the iPF770?
The [[product:54409637|Canon iPF770 36-in]] uses a scanning inkjet carriage in a smaller footprint suited to lower volume. The 4600 uses a stationary full-width PageWide head for faster sustained throughput on high-volume runs.
What page description language does it use?
HP-GL/2 is the listed page description language. If your workflow relies on native PostScript, confirm your RIP and driver path before purchase.
How long can it run unattended?
It handles rolls up to 7874″ (200 m) long, so it can push long runs before needing a reload, and the top stacker catches finished output.
Ready to put the HP PageWide XL 4600 to work?
Configuration, media and a quote tailored to your workflow — from AEC plotter specialists.