PRINTING. The HP Envy 4520 prints using inkjet technology, which sprays liquid ink onto the paper from a moving head. Text printing is not a strong point, with noticeably fuzzy edges on letters. Text printing was reasonably fast, 9.1 pages per minute, costing 7.8 cents per page. It prints color graphics well enough for most purposes, such as school reports, at 1.8 pages per minute, costing 31.9 cents per page. It prints Very Good photos on glossy paper that most people would be happy with. It has auto-duplex printing to print both on sides of the page, with no loss of quality. The multi-color ink cartridge must be replaced when a single color runs out. The capacity of the main paper tray is 100 sheets, a typical size.
SCANNING and COPYING. Scanning performance was Very Good, fine for general-purpose scanning. It can scan or copy an area up to 11.7 x 8.5 inches (letter size). Copying performance was Excellent, producing copies very close to the original.
CONTROLS and DISPLAY. The printer has a 2.3-inch (diagonal size) monochrome display screen and a touchscreen.
CONNECTIVITY and NETWORKING. You can connect directly to a PC with a USB cable, or to your network router wirelessly with WiFi. Apple AirPrint is built in, to print wirelessly from Apple devices via your local network. You can also install HP's app on your smart phone or tablet, as another option for printing over your WiFi network. You can also print an email remotely by forwarding it directly to this printer.
COST OF OWNERSHIP AND INK. When this section was last updated, the printer's purchase price was about $110, typical for an all-in-one inkjet printer. Printing uses up ink. Over time, as you print, the costs add up. This printer uses 2 cartridges. The HP ink cartridges used in testing were the 63XL BK and 63XL TRI-COLOR. At the time, their prices were $32 and $34 respectively. We estimate the ink cartridges to last a short time — around 3 months — following a typical printing schedule. After 2 years of typical use, we estimate the total cost to be $452, typical for an inkjet. The estimated yearly cost is $171, also typical for this printer type. So the 3-, 4- and 5-year estimates are $623, $794 and $965 respectively.
PRINTER FIRMWARE. Firmware is software that exists inside the printer. All models are evaluated using the latest firmware version available at the time of testing. The firmware version of the HP Envy 4520 was CFP1FN1515AR.
SOFTWARE. The collection of software accompanying the printer may include: the printer driver, printer applications, electronic user manual, (and for all-in-ones:) scanning, faxing, and OCR apps. These get installed on your personal computer. All models are evaluated with a Windows 10 PC using the latest version of printer driver and printer support apps available at the time of testing. The software version was 17.59.0.4199.
ABOUT THE INK CARTRIDGES, SOFTWARE AND FIRMWARE. Our test results are valid only for the HP-brand ink cartridges, and the software and firmware versions indicated. If your printer's software or firmware differ from the ones shown you either have an older or a newer version of these. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the printer's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware updates are downloadable directly to your printer via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable). You can check your printer's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware by either (1) running the HP printer-update app installed on the PC, or (2) accessing the "Settings" section of the printer menu and navigating to the firmware update option. Consult the user manual or HP's website for further guidance. Try searching online.
