Printer Review: HP Color LaserJet Pro M452dw Printer

Posted by Rob Errera on 04/04/2022

The HP M452dw Overview — The HP Color LaserJet Pro M452dw printer has held up well since its introduction eight years ago, despite less-than-stellar customer service from HP.

Good — Beefy, hard working color laser printer ideal for small- to medium-size offices.
Bad — Expensive replacement cartridges, some build and connectivity complaints, poor customer service.

Note: This printer model has been discontinued.

Meet The HP M452dw

HP introduced the M452dw in 2015 as a hard working color laser printer for small- to medium-size offices. Priced around $500, the M452dw was an affordable solution for businesses looking for quality color prints.

The M452dw is beefy, measuring 11.6 by 16.2 by 18.5 inches, and it weighs nearly 42 pounds. The M452dw offers a 250-sheet main paper tray, a 50-sheet multipurpose tray. You can add an additional 550-sheet paper tray for $150.

The M452dw comes with a duplexer for two-sided printing. This explains the “d” in the M452dw’s name. The “w” is for wireless networking. The M452dw supports mobile printing and connects to computer networks via Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

Speed & Quality

The measure of any printer is the quality of its prints, and the M452dw scored well in print quality. PC Magazine found the M452dw delivered better-than-expected color photos, but tiny text fonts didn’t print as clearly as other printer models.

Print speed is one of the M452dw's best points. HP claims the M452dw can reach top print speeds of 28 pages-per-minute.

The HP 410 toners used by the HP M452dw employ an interesting cartridge design. No need to pull off the protective safety tape. Just install the cartridge and the first time you hit print the cartridge will automatically remove the tape and store it inside the cartridge.

The HP 410 toners use Jetintelligent technology, which HP claims delivers more vibrant colors and more prints per cartridge. HP rates the standard 410A black toner cartridge yield at a 2,300 pages, while the high-capacity 410X black cartridge yields approximately 6,500 pages.

The standard HP 410 color toner provides approximately 2,300 pages, and the high-capacity cartridges yield up to 5,000 pages.

Furthermore, for the best results and peak performance, make sure to use genuine HP printer cartridges. The use of compatible or remanufactured toners often results in a decline in print quality.

What Users Say About The HP M452dw

Though PC Mag praised this machine’s print speed, several Amazon users found the M452dw sluggish, especially when printing color. The HP Laserjet Pro M452dw scores a 3.7/5.0 among Amazon reviewers, with 181 positive reviews to 96 critical ones.

The most common complaint was problems with wireless connectivity and driver failure. Nobody had anything good to say about HP’s customer support.

“Beware and be warned,” reviewer Leon Cooper writes. “HP customer service rates ‘0’ on a scale of 1-10, where ‘10’ is tops.”

John Sparrow notes the HP M452dw “will only work on a 2.4ghz networks. If you are using a single band router that optimizes your signal, you are out of luck. HP specs don't tell you this, and I only found out after 5 hours of pretty horrible troubleshooting with HP.

Neveda Geezer had problems with the printer’s touchscreen and fuser unit, noting that the M452dw’s build quality was disappointing. “It would seem that HP's reliability has taken a nose dive in the last couple of years,” Geezer writes.

Jacques Fu criticizes the M452dw’s “buggy, garbage firmware,” while jwlg claimed his M452dw died two months after its one year warranty ended. “Been using HP printers since 1983. This one was the most expensive and worst supported.”

The HP M452dw Specs

General

Printer Type: Workgroup printer - laser - color
Manufacturer: HP

Connectivity

Wireless Ready: Yes
Mobile Printing Capability: Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print 2.0, HP ePrint, Mopria Print Service, wireless direct printing

Power Device

Type: power supply
Nominal Voltage: AC 110 V
Frequency Required: 60 Hz
Power Consumption Operational: l570 Watt
Power Consumption Stand by: 17.6 Watt
Power Consumption Sleep: 2.4 Watt
Form Factor: internal

Printer

Print Speed: Up to 27 ppm (black and color)
Built-in Devices: 3 inch LCD touch screen
Preview Screen Size: 3"
Connectivity Technology: Wired
Interface: USB 2.0, Gigabit LAN, Wi-Fi(n), USB host, NFC
AirPrint Enabled: Yes
Image Enhancement Technology: HP ImageREt 3600
Automatic Duplexing: Yes
PostScript Support: Standard
Language Simulation: PCL 5C, PCL 6, PCLm, PDF, PWG, PostScript 3, URF
Fonts Included: 84 x TrueType
Printer Features: Instant-on Technology, PANTONE calibrated
Media Handling: 250-sheet input tray, 50-sheet multipurpose tray
Type: Workgroup printer
Min H-Document Size: 3 in
Min V-Document Size: 5 in
Max H-Document Size: 8.5 in
Max V-Document Size: 14 in
Media Type: Bond paper, envelopes, glossy paper, labels, photo paper, plain paper, postcards, preprinted paper, punched paper, recycled paper
Media Sizes: 3 in x 5 in, 3.95 in x 5.83 in, 7.24 in x 10.24 in, 7.68 in x 10.63 in, 7.75 in x 10.75 in, A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in), A5 (5.83 in x 8.25 in), A6 (4.13 in x 5.83 in), Executive (7.25 in x 10.5 in), JIS B5 (7.17 in x 10.12 in), JIS B6 (5.04 x 7.17 in), Legal (8.5 in x 14 in), Letter A Size (8.5 in x 11 in), Oficio (8.5 in x 13.5 in)
Min Media Weight: 60 g/m²
Max Media Weight: 200 g/m²
Envelope Sizes: International B5 (6.93 in x 9.83 in), International C5 (6.38 in x 9 in), International DL (4.33 in x 8.66 in), Monarch (3.87 in x 7.5 in), US No 10 (4.1 in x 9.5 in)
Total Media Capacity: 300 sheets

Chassis

Preview Screen Size (metric): 7.6 cm

Miscellaneous

Microsoft Certifications: Compatible with Windows 7
Consumables Included: 1 x toner cartridge (black), 1 x toner cartridge (cyan), 1 x toner cartridge (magenta), 1 x toner cartridge (yellow)
Color Category: Black, gray

Processor

Processor: 1.2 GHz
Clock Speed: 1.2 GHz

Power

Frequency Required: 60 Hz
Power Consumption Sleep: 2.4 Watt
Power Consumption Operational: 570 Watt

Networking

Networking: Print server
Remote Management Protocol: HTTP, HTTPS, SLP, SNMP 1, SNMP 2, SNMP 3
Security Protocols & Features: 802.1x, Apple Bonjour, SSL, TKIP, TLS, WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPS, Wi-Fi Direct

RAM

Installed Size: 256 MB
Max Supported Size: 128 MB

Environmental Standards

Blue Angel: Yes
ENERGY STAR: Yes

Printing

Max Resolution B/W: 38400 x 600 dpi
Max Resolution Color: 38400 x 600 dpi
Max Printing Speed B/W (ppm): 28 ppm
Max Printing Speed Color (ppm: )28 ppm
Automatic Duplexing: Yes

Media Handling

Min Media Size (Custom): 3 in x 5 in
Max Media Size (Custom): 8.5 in x 14 in
Media Weight: 60 g/m² - 200 g/m²
Max Media Capacity: 850 sheets
Output Trays Capacity: 150 sheets
Media Type: Envelopes, labels, plain paper, photo paper, bond paper, recycled paper, punched paper, preprinted paper, postcards, glossy paper
Envelope Sizes: US No 10 (4.1 in x 9.5 in), International DL (4.33 in x 8.66 in), International C5 (6.38 in x 9 in), International B5 (6.93 in x 9.83 in), Monarch (3.87 in x 7.5 in)
Total Media Capacity: 300 sheets
Media Sizes: Letter A Size (8.5 in x 11 in), Legal (8.5 in x 14 in), Executive (7.25 in x 10.5 in), A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in), A5 (5.83 in x 8.25 in), A6 (4.13 in x 5.83 in), 3.95 in x 5.9 in, 3.95 in x 5.83 in, JIS B5 (7.17 in x 10.12 in), 7.75 in x 10.75 in, 3 in x 5 in, Oficio (8.5 in x 13.5 in), JIS B6 (5.04 x 7.17 in), 7.68 in x 10.63 in, 7.24 in x 10.24 in

System Requirements

OS Required: Android, Apple MacOS X 10.10, Apple iOS, BOSS GNU/Linux 3.0, BOSS GNU/Linux 5.0, Debian Linux 6.0.x, Debian Linux 7.x, Linux Mint 13, Linux Mint 14, Linux Mint 15, Linux Mint 16, Linux Mint 17, Microsoft Windows 7 / 8 (32/64 bits), Microsoft Windows Vista (32/64 bits), Microsoft Windows XP (32/64 bits) SP3, Red Hat Fedora 17, Red Hat Fedora 18, Red Hat Fedora 19, Red Hat Fedora 20, UNIX, Ubuntu 10.04, Ubuntu 11.10, Ubuntu 12.04, Ubuntu 12.10, Ubuntu 13.04, Ubuntu 13.10, Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 14.10, Windows 10 (32/64 bits), Windows 8.1 (32/64 bits), openSUSE 12.2, openSUSE 12.3, openSUSE 13.1

Duty Cycle

Monthly Duty Cycle (max): 50000 pages
Recommended Monthly Volume: 750 - 4000 pages

Environmental Parameters

Sound Emission (Idle): 34 dBA
Sound Emission (Operating): 49 dBA
Min Operating Temperature: 59 °F
Max Operating Temperature: 86 °F
Humidity Range Operating: 10 - 80%

Document & Media Handling

Media Type Class: envelopes, other, photo paper, plain paper
Media Size Class: A4/Legal

Header

Brand: HP
Product Line: HP Color LaserJet Pro
Model: M452dw
Localization: English, French, Spanish
Country Kits: Canada, Latin America (excluding Argentina, Brazil, Chile), Mexico, United States
Packaged Quantity: 1
Compatibility: Android, Apple iOS, Mac, PC, Unix

Interface Required

Connector Type: 4 pin USB Type A, RJ-45
Type: Gigabit LAN, USB 2.0, USB host
Total Qty: 1, 2

Office Machine

Type: printer
Functions: printer
Monthly Duty Cycle Range (Printer Class): 50,000 - 99,999 pages
Monthly Duty Cycle (max): 50000 pages
Recommended Monthly Volume: 750 - 4000 pages
Printing Technology: laser
Printing Output Type: color

Dimensions & Weight

Width: 16.2 in
Depth: 18.5 in
Height: 11.6 in
Weight: 41.67 lbs

Dimensions & Weight (Shipping)

Weight (Shipping)48.72 lbs

Printing System

Photo Printing Capability: Yes

Consumables Included

Product Name: HP 410A
Color: black, cyan, magenta, yellow
Included Qty: 1
Coverage: ISO/IEC 19752

Printer Output

Max Speed: 24 ipm, 25 ipm, 27 ppm, 28 ppm
Media Size: A4 (8.25 in x 11.7 in), Letter A Size (8.5 in x 11 in)
Output Quality: B/W (ISO/IEC 24734), B/W duplex (ISO/IEC 24734), color (ISO/IEC 24734), color duplex (ISO/IEC 24734)

Software

Type: Drivers & Utilities

Printer Media

Media Load Type: automatic
Media Feeder Qty: 1
Media Feeder Max Format: Legal (8.5 in x 14 in)
Min Media Weight: 60 g/m²
Max Media Weight: 200 g/m²
Media Feeder Capacity: 250 sheets, 50 sheets

PC Connectivity

Interface: Gigabit LAN, NFC, USB 2.0, USB host, Wi-Fi(n)
AirPrint Enabled: Yes

Printer Fonts

Font Included Type: TrueType
Fonts Included Qty: 84

Service & Support

Type: 1 year warranty

Service & Support Details

Type: limited warranty
Full Contract Period: 1 year

System Requirements Details

Operating System: MacOS X 10.7 or later, Windows XP
Processor Speed: 233 Hz
Min RAM Size: 512 MB
Min Hard Drive Space: 1 GB, 400 MB

Rob Errera

Rob Errera is an award-winning journalist embedded in the world of printers and printing supplies. Rob has nearly two decades of experience writing about cutting edge technology, business trends, and the ever-evolving industry of printing.