Whether an AI printer is worth buying starts with one number: the HP Smart Tank 7603 was listed at $349.99 on HP's US website at the time, and its HP Print AI includes a Precise Print feature that strips unwanted content from web pages and emails and reformats them. HP claims it can save up to 38% of paper and 47% of ink. The feature itself is real, but whether it is worth it depends on what you print and how much.
Two places where it genuinely saves effort
The first is printing web pages and emails. Printing straight from a browser used to drag ads, navigation bars, and tables split in two along with it; AI formatting removes the clutter, pulls tables onto one page, and lets you adjust orientation, font size, and column count before printing. The second is automatic optimisation of photos and documents — colour correction and size fitting are done by the machine first, so people who only print photos occasionally do not need to learn photo editing. The feature is available only on selected HP models, including the Smart Tank 7603 and the OfficeJet Pro 8125e; you must check the model number before buying, because models outside the list do not have this feature.
The catch and the cost sit in the consumables
AI features do not change printing's old rules: cartridges or ink tanks, paper, and servicing remain ongoing costs. Tank models cost little per page and suit people who print a lot; cartridge models are cheap to buy but need cartridges replaced often. Some HP models require cartridges with an HP chip, and cartridges with a non-HP chip are blocked by the dynamic security mechanism — worth knowing before you order. A subscription that supplies ink by the page suits people with a steady print volume; if your volume swings up and down, you can easily end up paying for pages never printed. If you print very rarely at home, fewer than a few times a month, dried-up ink and an idle subscription may cost more than AI formatting saves in paper.
The buy, wait, and don't-buy rule
Families and small offices that regularly print web pages, homework, and expense receipts should pick a model on the supported list with a tank or a large-capacity cartridge — AI formatting will be used every day. Offices that print only black and white in large volumes get a lower cost per page from a laser printer; an AI inkjet is not the best answer there. People who almost never print, or only read documents on a phone, should not pay extra for AI features — the print shop downstairs is cheaper. Before deciding, check three things: is the model on the supported list, how much do consumables cost per year, and are the network and placement at home convenient?
