HP 920 vs HP 920XL Ink: Which Should You Buy? 🖨️
The HP OfficeJet 6500 and 7500 series were among the most practical office printers of their era — the 7500A in particular remains one of the most affordable wide-format (A3) inkjet options ever sold in Australia. Thousands of Australian small businesses still run one.
If yours is still in service, you need HP 920 or 920XL ink. Ollie and Noodle have the breakdown (Ollie was very pleased to discover the 920XL exists 🐾).
Which Printers Use HP 920 and HP 920XL?
HP 920 covers the OfficeJet 6000 and 7000 series:
Standard A4 models:
- OfficeJet 6000, 6000A — wireless office inkjets
- OfficeJet 6500, 6500A — full-featured wireless all-in-ones
Wide-format A3 models:
- OfficeJet 7000, 7000A — wide-format printer (print only)
- OfficeJet 7500, 7500A — wide-format all-in-one (print, scan, copy, fax)
The 7500A in particular is a standout: a wide-format A3 printer that fits in a standard office space and costs a fraction of dedicated A3 laser printers to run.
Page Yield: HP 920 vs HP 920XL
| Cartridge | Standard 920 | XL 920XL | |-----------|-------------|---------| | Black | ~420 pages | ~1,200 pages | | Cyan | ~300 pages | ~700 pages | | Magenta | ~300 pages | ~700 pages | | Yellow | ~300 pages | ~700 pages |
Yields based on HP ISO standard at 5% coverage.
HP 920XL black delivers 2.9× more pages than standard. XL colour delivers 2.3× more. Standard 920 at ~420 pages black is low yield for office use — the XL is clearly the right choice.
Cost Per Page: Genuine vs Compatible
At typical Australian retail prices (note: genuine 920 may have limited retail availability as the range ages):
| Cartridge | Genuine XL (est.) | Compatible XL | Saving | |-----------|-------------------|---------------|--------| | 920XLBK | ~2.5¢/page | ~1.0¢/page | ~60% | | 920XL colour (each) | ~5.0¢/page | ~2.0¢/page | ~60% |
For an office printing 500 pages/month, compatible XL saves approximately $150–$200 per year vs genuine standard.
The 4-Cartridge Individual System
HP 920/920XL uses a 4-cartridge individual colour system:
- HP 920XLBK (black, pigment-based)
- HP 920XLC (cyan)
- HP 920XLM (magenta)
- HP 920XLY (yellow)
HP 920 black uses pigment ink — sharp, smudge-resistant, ideal for documents. Colours are dye-based. Replace individual cartridges as they run out — no need to swap the full set.
For document-heavy office printing, black depletes 3–5× faster than individual colour cartridges.
The Wide-Format Advantage
For owners of the OfficeJet 7500A specifically: the running cost per A3 page on compatible HP 920XL is one of the lowest available for wide-format colour output.
At ~2.0¢/page for compatible colour and ~1.0¢/page for black, a mixed A3 page (document with some colour) comes in at roughly 3–5¢ per A3 page — a fraction of what A3 laser toner costs per page.
For architectural drawings, large spreadsheets, or A3 marketing materials at low volume, the 7500A on compatible 920XL ink is hard to beat on cost.
Ollie & Noodle's Verdict
- ✅ Always buy XL — nearly 3× more pages from black XL vs standard
- ✅ Compatible XL saves ~60% — approximately $150–$200/year at 500 pages/month
- ✅ Individual 4-colour system — replace only the depleted colour
- ✅ Wide-format owners (7000/7500): low per-A3-page cost on compatible XL is a major advantage
- ✅ No warranty risk under Australian Consumer Law
Australian Consumer Law and HP Warranties
HP Australia cannot void your statutory warranty because you used compatible ink. Under the Australian Consumer Law (Competition and Consumer Act 2010), HP must prove the compatible cartridge directly caused a specific fault. Routine office printer faults are mechanical and unrelated to ink brand.
Summary
- ✅ HP 920XL: ~1,200 pages (black) and ~700 pages (colour) — 2.9× more than standard
- ✅ Compatible XL saves ~60% — approximately $150–$200/year at 500 pages/month
- ✅ 4-cartridge individual system — separate black + C/M/Y
- ✅ Fits: OfficeJet 6000, 6500, 6500A, 7000, 7500, 7500A (including wide-format A3 models)
- ✅ No warranty risk under Australian Consumer Law