HP HPPS100 Scanner: In-Depth Review and User Opinions

HP has been a leader in the printing and imaging market for decades. They have a long history of producing reliable home scanners offering quality, speed and versatility to consumers. As technology has advanced, so have HP scanners, remaining at the forefront of innovation in this product category.

The HPPS100 Portable Scanner represents one of HP's latest more compact and portable scanner offerings. It provides an easy way for users to digitize documents, photos and more whether at home or on the go. As a trusted brand, HP aims to deliver standalone scanners that can meet a variety of scanning needs for personal and home office use.

Overview

The HPPS100 is an affordable and portable document scanner from HP. This compact scanner measures 12.2 x 3.35 x 1.73 inches and weighs just 12.3 oz, making it easy to tuck into a laptop bag or bring with you on the go.

It has an optical scan resolution of 600 dpi and can scan documents at speeds up to 10 pages per minute. The HPPS100 scanner has a 50-page ADF for quickly scanning multi-page documents. It can handle paper sizes ranging from business cards up to 8.5" x 122" for scanning receipts, letters, photos, and more.

This scanner connects via USB 2.0 and is compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems. The included software allows you to scan directly to PDF, JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF file formats.

Design

The HPPS100 scanner has a compact and portable design. It measures 12.5 x 3.7 x 1.7 inches and weighs just 1.4 pounds. The scanner has a plastic body which helps keep it lightweight. Despite the lightweight design, the scanner still feels sturdy and well-built.

The small size and light weight make the HPPS100 easy to tuck into a bag or carry around. You can easily take it with you to scan documents on the go. The integrated foldout paper guide also aids portability - you can quickly set up the scanner nearly anywhere. Overall, the compact design is perfect if you need to scan occasional documents but don't have a permanent workspace or desk for a bulkier scanner.

Scanning Capabilities and Performance

The HPPS100 is a compact sheet-fed portable scanner, making it easy to scan documents on the go. It uses CIS (contact image sensor) technology and scans at up to 600 dpi optical resolution.

For document scanning, the scanner can handle sheets up to 8.5 x 32 inches in size. It has a 50-page capacity auto document feeder for scanning multi-page documents. The scanner can handle paper weights from 16 to 28 lb.

Scanning speeds are reasonably fast at up to 20 pages per minute (ppm) or 40 images per minute (ipm) at 300 dpi in grayscale mode. For scanning in color, speeds are 15 ppm or 30 ipm.

The HPPS100 can scan to various formats including JPEG, TIFF, BMP, PNG, and PDF. It comes with OCR software so you can scan documents to searchable PDF format.

Overall, the scanning capabilities are quite good for a portable sheet-fed scanner in this price range. It provides ample speed and resolution for most general document scanning needs. The auto feeder makes digitizing stacks of paper efficient.

Connectivity

The HPPS100 scanner connects to your computer via USB 2.0, providing a simple plug-and-play wired connection. It is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems, working seamlessly with Windows 7 and higher, as well as macOS 10.12 Sierra and above.

The lack of wireless connectivity helps keep costs down for this budget scanner. However, the USB 2.0 interface still provides fast and reliable data transfers. The scanner is powered via the USB cable, so no extra power adapter is required.

Overall, the wired USB connectivity of the HPPS100 delivers an easy way to get scanned documents and photos onto your computer. Just plug it in and you're ready to start scanning, without any network setup required. The broad operating system compatibility also makes it a versatile choice for both Windows and Mac users.

Image Quality

The HPPS100 produces high-quality scans with excellent color reproduction and sharpness.

The scanner captures images at 600 dpi optical resolution, resulting in crisp and detailed scans even for small text and intricate images. It can scan at up to 1200 dpi for maximum sharpness when needed.

Color reproduction is a standout feature. The HPPS100 accurately captures subtle tones and hues when scanning photographs, documents, or artwork in full color. It handles vivid colors as well as nuanced shades equally well, without washing out or distorting the original hues.

Text scans come through looking very sharp and legible in both color and black and white modes. Fine details like small print and images are retained nicely. The scanner does an excellent job retaining the crisp edges of text without introducing artifacts or fuzziness.

Overall, the image quality from the HPPS100 is highly impressive for a portable scanner in this price range. It can match or exceed the quality from competitive desktop scanners. Whether scanning for OCR or archiving precious photos, users can trust the HPPS100 to produce excellent results.

Software

The HPPS100 scanner comes with HP scanning software to help you get the most out of the device. Here are some of the key software features:

• Scan to searchable PDF - The software can perform OCR (optical character recognition) on scanned documents, allowing you to search for text within PDFs. This makes it easy to find information later.

• Auto document feeder scanning - The scanner software supports scanning multiple pages hands-free using the integrated 35-page automatic document feeder. This enables efficient digitizing of documents.

• Photo scanning and editing - You can scan high resolution photos and then edit them within the software, like cropping, color adjustments, red eye removal etc.

• Scanning profiles - You can create and save customized scanning profiles for common tasks, like scanning receipts, documents, photos etc. This saves time.

• Share files - The software allows sharing scanned files to popular cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote etc.

• Scan to email - You can scan directly to email from the software interface.

Overall, the included HP software provides a robust scanning experience and useful document management capabilities out of the box.

Ease of Use

The HPPS100 portable scanner is designed to be simple and intuitive to use right out of the box.

Setup

Setting up the scanner is a quick and painless process. Simply plug it into your computer's USB port and install the bundled software. The software installer walks you through the process step-by-step, and no technical know-how is required. You'll be scanning documents in just a few minutes.

Controls

Despite its small size, the scanner has all the necessary controls conveniently located on the top. There are clearly labeled buttons to start scanning, cancel the current scan, and change scan settings. The buttons provide tactile feedback when pressed. An LED indicator lets you know when the scanner is on, ready to scan, and if any errors occur.

Maintenance

The HPPS100 is designed to require very little maintenance other than the occasional clean. Dust can easily be removed from the scanning glass using the included cleaning cloth. The cloth can also be dampened with water or rubbing alcohol for more thorough cleaning. Just be sure to let the glass fully dry before scanning again. The scanner has no lamps, lenses or other parts that require servicing. Overall, keeping it dust-free is all that's needed to maintain excellent scan quality over time.

Pros & Cons

Pros: - Compact and lightweight design makes it easy to transport and use anywhere. - Fast scanning speeds up to 10 pages per minute. - Scans at up to 300 dpi for decent quality captures. - Includes built-in kickstand for hands-free scanning. - MicroSD card slot for saving scans without a computer. - Rechargeable battery allows cordless operation. - Easy connectivity via WiFi, Bluetooth, or USB. - HP Scan software is straightforward and user-friendly.

Cons: - Maximum scan size is only up to 8.5 x 32 inches. - Lack of automatic document feeder for batch scanning. - Image quality is just average and text scans can look fuzzy. - Software has limited editing and file format options. - Battery life is relatively short at only 200 scans per full charge. - No advanced scanning features for things like OCR or business cards.

Conclusion

The HPPS100 is a compact and portable scanner that's easy to set up and use. It can scan documents, photos, business cards, and more at up to 600 dpi using the included software. The image quality is good for its size and price point. This scanner is ideal for someone who wants an affordable and portable scanner for home office use.

The HPPS100 would suit students, small business owners, and other home users who need to digitize paperwork and other documents. It has a minimal footprint so it won't take up much desk space. The lack of an automatic document feeder does mean you have to scan pages one at a time. But for anyone who doesn't have heavy scanning demands, the HPPS100 delivers good functionality.

Overall the HPPS100 is a solid choice if you're looking for an inexpensive and portable scanner. It can handle basic scanning tasks and connects via USB so you can use it with any PC or laptop. The image quality and included software make it easy to get started digitizing documents. For home and light office use, the HPPS100 is a recommended option.