⚡ COLOR LASER: Instant Prints, Sharp Text, No Drying – BUT ₹5.46/Page Cost!
Save ₹2,703 (5% OFF) • 1 Year Warranty • Laser Technology!
HP Color Laser MFP 178nw Printer
Entry Color Laser | Instant On | Sharp Text | 19ppm | WiFi+LAN | Compact
COLOR LASER Tech – Instant Prints – Sharp Text – NO Drying – BUT ₹5.46/Page – 150 Sheets
⚡ LASER Technology – Different from Inkjet/Tank!
• LASER Tech: Uses toner powder (NOT liquid ink!)
• Instant Prints: No warm-up, instant on, print immediately!
• Sharp Text: Laser-sharp text, perfect for documents!
• No Drying: Prints instantly dry, no smudging!
• Toner Lasts: Toner doesn’t dry out like inkjet!
• BUT Expensive: ₹5.46/page black (vs ₹0.10 on tanks!)
• 19ppm Black: Decent speed (vs 11ppm Tank 530)
• 4ppm Color: VERY SLOW color (vs 5ppm Tank 530!)
• NO ADF: Flatbed scanner only (unlike others!)
• Warranty: 1 Year Limited Hardware Warranty
₹43,999
₹46,702
SAVE ₹2,703 (5% OFF!)
+ INCLUDES: Setup Toner (700 black, 500 CMY pages) + USB Cable!
*₹25,309 MORE than Tank 530 | ₹23,600 MORE than Tank 750!
In Stock • 1 Year Warranty • GST Billing Available (Call 1800-108-4747)
Technology
LASER
Cost/Page
₹5.46
Speed
19ppm
HP Color Laser MFP 178nw Overview
LASER Features
- ⚡ LASER: Toner tech!
- 🚀 Instant: No drying!
- 📄 Sharp: Perfect text!
- ⏱️ 19ppm: Decent speed!
- 💰 ₹5.46: Expensive!
- 📶 WiFi: Wireless!
- ❌ NO ADF: Flatbed only!
In The Box
- 📦 HP Color Laser 178nw Printer
- ⚫ HP 119A Black Toner (700 pages)
- 🔵 HP 119A Cyan Toner (500 pages)
- 🔴 HP 119A Magenta Toner (500 pages)
- 🟡 HP 119A Yellow Toner (500 pages)
- 🎛️ HP 120A Imaging Drum (pre-installed)
- 🔌 Power Cord
- 📀 USB Cable (Included!)
- 📄 Setup Guides & Documentation
Why Laser?
- • Instant: No drying!
- • Sharp: Perfect text!
- • Reliable: Toner lasts!
- • Professional: Office quality!
- • Fast: 19ppm black!
- • BUT: ₹5.46/page expensive!
⚡ LASER Technology – Different from Inkjet/Tank!
Instant Prints – No Drying!
LASER uses toner powder fused with heat – prints are instantly dry, no smudging, ready immediately. Unlike inkjet where ink needs time to dry (smears if touched!), laser prints are perfect instantly!
Sharp Text – Laser Quality!
Laser produces razor-sharp text – perfect for documents, contracts, reports. Text edges are crisp and precise. Inkjet can be slightly fuzzy, but laser text is always professional quality!
Toner Lasts – No Drying Out!
Toner powder doesn’t dry out like inkjet cartridges. Print occasionally? Laser is perfect – toner stays fresh for years. Inkjet cartridges dry out after months of non-use!
LASER Technology – How It’s Different from Inkjet
⚡ Toner Powder vs Liquid Ink – Completely Different!
The 178nw uses LASER technology with toner powder (NOT liquid ink!) – this is fundamentally different from inkjet/tank printers. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right printer!
⚡ How LASER Works (178nw)
- • 1. Laser Beam: Creates static charge on drum
- • 2. Toner Powder: Sticks to charged areas
- • 3. Transfer: Toner transferred to paper
- • 4. Fuser Heat: 200°C heat melts toner onto paper
- • 5. Instant Dry: No drying time needed!
- • Result: Sharp, permanent, smudge-proof prints
- • Advantage: Professional quality, instant prints
- • Toner Lasts: Powder doesn’t dry out like ink
💧 How INKJET Works (Tank/OfficeJet)
- • 1. Liquid Ink: Stored in cartridges/tanks
- • 2. Print Head: Sprays microscopic ink droplets
- • 3. Paper Absorption: Paper absorbs liquid ink
- • 4. Drying Time: Needs 5-30 seconds to dry
- • 5. Can Smudge: If touched before drying
- • Result: Good quality, but slower process
- • Disadvantage: Ink dries out if unused
- • BUT Cheaper: ₹0.10/page vs ₹5.46 laser!
💡 When to Choose LASER (178nw): Choose laser if you print infrequently (monthly), need instant dry prints, want razor-sharp text, print mostly documents (not photos), don’t mind ₹5.46/page cost. Laser excels at: professional documents, forms, contracts, business correspondence, occasional printing. The toner won’t dry out between uses, and prints are instantly perfect. However, laser is TERRIBLE for photos (poor color accuracy, can’t print borderless) and 54× more expensive per page than tanks!
₹5.46/Page Cost – 54× More Expensive Than Tanks!
💰 HIGH Toner Costs – Major Disadvantage!
At ₹5.46 per page (black) and ₹25.64 per page (color), the 178nw has the HIGHEST printing costs among ALL printers reviewed! This is laser’s biggest weakness compared to tank printers!
| Printer Model | Cost Per Black Page | Cost Per Color Page | 10,000 Pages Total Cost | vs Laser 178nw |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laser 178nw | ₹5.46 | ₹25.64 | ₹1,41,820 | BASELINE |
| 8120 (HP 925) | ₹4.56 | ₹9.15 | ₹62,850 | Save ₹78,970! |
| 9720 (HP 938) | ₹2.84 | ₹8.75 | ₹52,950 | Save ₹88,870! |
| Tank 530 | ₹0.10 | ₹0.27 | ₹1,850 | Save ₹1,39,970! |
| Tank 750 | ₹0.10 | ₹0.27 | ₹1,850 | Save ₹1,39,970! |
🧮 Toner Cost Breakdown
HP 119A Toner Prices:
Black: ₹5,462 / 1000 pages
CMY: ₹5,983 each / 700 pages
₹5.46 black, ₹8.55 per color!
💸 Annual Cost (500 pages/month)
6000 pages/year printing:
Laser 178nw: ₹32,760/year
Tank 530: ₹1,110/year
₹31,650/year MORE expensive!
⚖️ Break-Even Analysis
When does laser pay off?
Laser ₹43,999 + Toner costs
Tank ₹18,690 + Ink costs
Laser NEVER cheaper than tanks!
💡 Cost Reality Check: A typical user printing 500 pages/month (6000/year) spends ₹32,760/year on laser toner vs ₹1,110/year on Tank 530 ink – that’s ₹31,650 MORE per year! Over 3 years, laser costs ₹98,280 vs ₹3,330 for tanks – a difference of ₹94,950! The laser’s ₹5.46/page cost is its BIGGEST weakness. Unless you print under 100 pages/month and need instant-dry laser quality, tank printers are FAR more economical!
LASER vs TANK – Which Technology to Choose?
⚡ Laser 178nw vs Tank 530/750 – Complete Technology Comparison
This is the most important decision – LASER (178nw) vs TANK (530/750). They use completely different technologies with different strengths/weaknesses!
| Feature | LASER 178nw (₹43,999) | TANK 530 (₹18,690) | TANK 750 (₹20,399) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology | LASER (Toner powder) | Inkjet (Refillable tanks) | Inkjet (Refillable tanks) |
| Print Drying | INSTANT (no drying!) | 5-30 seconds drying time | 5-30 seconds drying time |
| Text Quality | RAZOR SHARP (best!) | Good (slightly less sharp) | Good (slightly less sharp) |
| Ink/Toner Lifespan | YEARS (doesn’t dry!) | Can dry out if unused 6+ months | Can dry out if unused 6+ months |
| Cost Per Page Black | ₹5.46 (EXPENSIVE!) | ₹0.10 (54× cheaper!) | ₹0.10 (54× cheaper!) |
| Cost Per Page Color | ₹25.64 (VERY EXPENSIVE!) | ₹0.27 (95× cheaper!) | ₹0.27 (95× cheaper!) |
| Print Speed Black | 19 ppm (faster!) | 11 ppm (slower) | 23 ppm (fastest!) |
| Print Speed Color | 4 ppm (SLOWEST!) | 5 ppm | 23 ppm (MUCH faster!) |
| Photo Quality | Poor (NOT for photos!) | Good (photo capable) | Good (photo capable) |
| ADF Scanner | NO (flatbed only!) | YES (35-sheet, 1-sided) | YES (35-sheet, 2-sided!) |
| Auto Duplex | Manual only | Manual only | Automatic! |
| Paper Capacity | 150 sheets input | 100 sheets input | 250 sheets input |
| Price | ₹43,999 (expensive!) | ₹18,690 (cheapest!) | ₹20,399 |
| Best For | Occasional docs, instant dry | Budget, low-cost printing | High-volume, best value! |
💡 Technology Choice Guide: Choose LASER (178nw) if you print under 200 pages/month, mostly documents, need instant-dry prints, print infrequently (monthly), need toner that won’t dry out, don’t mind ₹5.46/page cost. Choose TANK (530/750) if you print 300+ pages/month, need low ₹0.10/page cost, print regularly, want to save ₹30K+/year, print photos, don’t mind 5-30 sec drying time. For MOST users, Tank 750 at ₹20,399 is the best choice – 54× cheaper per page, 2-sided ADF, auto duplex, faster color speed!
19ppm Black Speed – Decent, But 4ppm Color VERY Slow!
⚡ Mixed Speed – Fast Black, SLOW Color!
At 19 ppm black and 4 ppm color, the 178nw has decent black speed but TERRIBLE color speed – slower than even the cheap Tank 530 (5ppm color)!
| Document Size | Laser 178nw | Tank 750 (23ppm) | 9130 (25ppm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Pages (Black) | 32 seconds | 26 seconds | 24 seconds (fastest!) |
| 10 Pages (Color) | 2 min 30 sec (SLOWEST!) | 26 seconds (9× faster!) | 30 seconds |
| 100 Pages (Black) | 5 min 16 sec | 4 min 20 sec | 4 min (fastest!) |
| 100 Pages (Color) | 25 min (TERRIBLE!) | 4 min 20 sec (5.8× faster!) | 5 min |
| 500 Pages (Recommended Max) | 26 min 19 sec (black) | 21 min 44 sec | 20 min (fastest!) |
💡 Speed Reality: The 178nw’s 19 ppm black is decent (though 21% slower than Tank 750’s 23ppm), but the 4 ppm color is TERRIBLE – 5.8× slower than Tank 750! Printing 100 color pages takes 25 minutes on laser vs 4.3 minutes on Tank 750. If you print mostly black documents, laser speed is acceptable. If you print color (marketing materials, photos, reports), the laser is painfully slow. For color printing, Tank 750 is FAR superior!
178nw vs Tank vs OfficeJet – Key Comparison Table
💰 ₹43,999 (178nw) vs ₹18,690 (Tank 530) vs ₹20,399 (Tank 750) vs ₹20,399 (8120)
| Feature | Color Laser 178nw | Tank 530 | Tank 750 | OfficeJet 8120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Print Technology | Color Laser (toner) | Ink Tank (inkjet) | Ink Tank (inkjet) | Cartridge (inkjet) |
| Cost/Page Black | ₹5.46 | ₹0.10 | ₹0.10 | ₹4.56 |
| Cost/Page Color | ₹25.64 | ₹0.27 | ₹0.27 | ₹9.15 |
| Speed Black | 19 ppm | 11 ppm | 23 ppm | 20 ppm |
| Speed Color | 4 ppm | 5 ppm | 23 ppm | 10 ppm |
| Paper Input | 150 sheets | 100 sheets | 250 sheets | 225 sheets |
| ADF | NO | Yes (1-sided) | Yes (2-sided) | Yes (1-sided) |
| Auto Duplex | Manual | Manual | Auto | Auto |
| Photo Printing | Poor | Good | Good | Average |
💡 If you need lowest running cost, tank wins. If you only print a few pages/month, need instant-dry sharp text, or toner longevity matters, Laser 178nw is justified[web:59][web:60][web:65].
Who Should Buy HP Color Laser 178nw?
⚡ Occasional Home Office
For low monthly page counts AND instant print needs
- • Print a few pages at a time, frequently idle
- • Need instant prints ready for signing
- • Don’t want to worry about ink drying up
- • Little color, mostly text
🏆 Professionals
Needing consistent, razor-sharp doc quality
- • Legal, consulting, audit, contracts
- • Letters, forms, IDs, reports
- • No photo requirements
📉 Businesses with Tiny Color Volume
Less than 200 pages color per month
- • Print color charts, branding, logos rarely
- • Reliable over months of non-use
❌ NOT for: High-volume users, photo printing, bulk office color jobs, anyone with a tight consumable budget.
Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- ✓ Laser tech: sharp, clean text[web:60]
- ✓ Instant-dry, no smudge, always ready[web:60]
- ✓ Toner won’t dry or clog
- ✓ No ink mess; powder is predictable
- ✓ Compact for a color laser model
- ✓ WiFi, Ethernet, USB connectivity
❌ Cons
- ✗ Running cost is 50–95× tanks!
- ✗ Only 4 ppm color, slowest for color jobs
- ✗ No ADF or auto duplex
- ✗ Startup toners yield only 500-700 prints
- ✗ Not suitable for photo or borderless prints
- ✗ Cost of replacing all toners + drum is very high
Final Verdict
⚡ Buy ONLY for Low-Use, High-Sharpness Document Needs!
✅ Best For:
- • Low monthly print volumes, occasional but crucial docs
- • Users fed up with dried ink/tank clogs
- • Contracts, IDs, forms – instant office print
⚠️ Not Recommended For:
- • Photo or heavy color work
- • Frequent, bulk, or budget-focused printing
- • Households with active school/office needs (get Tank 750!)
💡 Bottom Line:
Great for occasional, critical documents that must always come out crisp, and for print environments where toner “just works”
But for any substantial usage, running costs are prohibitive – most should consider ink tank alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Is this printer good for home use?
Yes, but only if your color printing needs are occasional and high document quality is critical. For high-volume use, tank printers are far cheaper to run[web:65].
Q2: How much does it cost to replace all toner cartridges?
Black toner (119A): ₹5,462 for 1,000 pages. Each color (C/M/Y): ₹5,983 for 700 pages. To replace all: about ₹23,400 for a full set, plus ₹8,163 for the drum (16,000 pages)[web:64][web:67].
Q3: Does toner dry out like ink?
No, toner powder does not dry up or clog. This is why laser printers are reliable for organizations printing infrequently—print quality remains consistent even after a long pause[web:65].
Q4: Is this printer good for photo printing?
No. Laser color is meant for text, charts, and simple graphics. For photos or vibrant color prints, an inkjet/tank model is better[web:65].
Q5: Does it have an ADF for scanning?
No. It has only a flatbed (manual) scanner—no automatic document feeder for multi-page scans/copies[web:60].
Q6: Can I print double-sided automatically?
No. Duplex printing is manual only—you must flip and re-insert the stack to print both sides[web:60].
Q7: Will it work with Mac and mobile?
Yes. It supports Windows 10/11, macOS 10.11 or newer, and mobile via HP Smart App, Mopria, Google Cloud Print, Wi-Fi Direct, and Apple AirPrint[web:59][web:60].
Q8: What’s the page yield of the starter toners?
Black: About 700 pages. Colors: About 500 each. These are smaller than replacement toners, so plan a refill soon[web:60].
Q9: Does it support wireless and Ethernet?
Yes, it has Wi-Fi, Ethernet LAN, and USB connectivity standard[web:60].
Q10: What’s the monthly duty cycle?
Duty cycle is up to 20,000 pages/month, but recommended volume is only 100–500 pages/month[web:60].
Q11: Does it support borderless printing?
No, like most lasers it can’t do borderless photos—only inkjets/tanks offer this feature readily[web:65].
Q12: Will dynamic security block non-HP toners?
Yes. This model has dynamic security and will only work with genuine HP toner cartridges that have HP chips. Third-party/refilled toners are not supported[web:60].
Q13: How big/small is the printer?
It’s quite compact for a color laser: 406×363×288.7 mm. Fits home desks better than most competitors[web:59].
Q14: What’s included in the box?
Printer, setup black and color toners, laser drum, USB cable, power cord, setup and user guides[web:60].
Q15: Can I lease or pay in installments?
Yes, HP offers flexible payment and business leasing options. EMI and GST billing are available. Call HP for details[web:59].
Complete Technical Specifications
| Model Number | 4ZB96A |
| Printer Type | Color Laser MFP (Print, Copy, Scan) |
| Technology | Color laser (HP 119A toners, 120A drum) |
| Cartridges | 4 (Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow) |
| Imaging Drum | HP 120A (16,000 pages) |
| Print Speed (black/color) | 19ppm / 4ppm |
| Print Resolution | 600×600 dpi |
| Scan Technology | Flatbed (CIS sensor) |
| Scan Resolution | Up to 4,800 × 4,800 dpi |
| ADF | NO |
| Duplex Print | Manual |
| Paper Input/Output | Input: 150 sheets, Output: 50 sheets |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB 2.0 |
| Mobile Print | HP Smart App, AirPrint, Mopria, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Memory | 128MB |
| Display | 2-line LCD, 13 buttons |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 406 x 363 x 288.7 mm |
| Weight | 12.94 kg |
| Duty Cycle | 20,000 pages/month (100–500 recommended) |
| Power Usage | 300W (print), 38W (ready), 1.9W (sleep) |
| Warranty | 1-year onsite |
| In the Box | Printer, 119A (starter) toners, 120A drum, power & USB cables, setup guides |
| Country of Origin | China |
Need Highly Reliable, Instant-Ready Color Laser?
👍 Choose HP 178nw if you print infrequently & want no ink drying. For anything else, TANK models are far more economical!
🛒 Buy Now – HP 178nwTank 750: 1/54th the running cost for color users!
Review Date: November 28, 2025 | Prices and specifications subject to change
Visit ReviewNest.in for detailed printer reviews and comparisons
178nw: Occasional use, no ink drying • Tank: Massive savings for frequent/home/education use
