HP LaserJet M4345xs: 1,100 sheets, automatic duplex and configured color sending review

A floor-standing monochrome system for prepared document workflows

The HP LaserJet M4345xs combines automatic two-sided monochrome printing, color document capture, analog fax and a stapler/stacker. It makes sense where an office can maintain the actual wired network, fax line and configured sending destinations. Its deciding tradeoff is the setup dependency: a USB cable provides printing, while scanned files need the printer's network delivery arrangement.

HP's exact US product page identifies CB427A and explicitly says it is discontinued. The original configuration table distinguishes M4345xs from both the basic M4345 and the previous non-M 4345xs. This review covers the documented US low-voltage edition, 110–127 volts at 50/60 Hz. A similarly named imported unit can have a separate 220–240-volt supply; check its actual rating label.

The declared one-sided print rate is up to 45 Letter pages per minute, separately 43 A4. That number does not measure duplex, scanning or stapled-document throughput. HP's US guide recommends 5,000–20,000 printed pages per month, distinct from its maximum duty figure of 200,000. These are manufacturer declarations, not longevity or speed test results.

The xs package adds real input and finishing hardware

The included normal input is 1,100 sheets: a 100-sheet multipurpose feed and two 500-sheet cassettes. Original tables positively support Letter, Legal and A4 in those feeds, with capacity based on 75-g/m² paper. Additional cassettes remain optional, even though the expandable family has more tray positions.

An automatic print duplexer is included on xs. A UK support entry says duplex is unsupported, but the original exact configuration table expressly includes that accessory and its paper table includes Letter, Legal and A4. Check that a previously owned unit still has the documented hardware, then configure the installed driver to recognize it. Select the actual binding direction rather than assuming every application chooses it correctly.

The stapler/stacker replaces the ordinary output bin and stacks up to 500 sheets. It staples up to thirty ordinary 75-g/m² sheets in supported sizes including Letter, Legal and A4. A job of one sheet or more than thirty sheets is delivered without stapling. The 700-sheet three-bin mailbox belongs to another configuration and is not an extra included xs output capacity.

Finishing needs correct driver options and actual staples. The guide lets an administrator stop printing when staples run out or continue without stapling, so establish that behavior before relying on unattended finished sets. Heavier stock has different handling and stapling limits; the print duplex procedure warns against paper above 105 g/m².

Two-sided feeder capture is separate from the print duplexer

The fifty-sheet feeder captures one- or two-sided Letter, Legal and A4 documents automatically. Original e-mail controls let the operator choose original sides, size, color and file format. The reviewed evidence confirms automatic two-sided scanning but does not establish whether it uses a reversing or single-pass mechanism; a single-pass requirement remains unconfirmed.

Use the glass for Letter or A4 originals that should not pass through the feeder, including books, receipts, photographs and fragile documents. Legal support is in the feeder, not a claim about the flatbed. The original instructions place feeder pages face up and glass originals face down. Optical resolution reaches 600 dpi.

Electronic scans can retain color even though printing and copying are monochrome. Select color when it carries useful information and choose the necessary resolution; higher-quality files take more storage and delivery bandwidth. For two-sided copies, select the corresponding original and output sides at the control panel instead of relying on its one-sided default.

Plan the network destination and telephone connection

The included embedded Jetdirect interface is 10/100 Ethernet. Native LAN sending can deliver files through a configured SMTP gateway or an administrator-enabled network folder. The setup needs the real printer address, destination details and, where required, credentials. Check the actual gateway and folder compatibility with today's network policies; old Windows or Mac support lists do not guarantee a complete current solution.

USB 2.0 supports compatible computer printing but does not carry the documented Send to E-mail or Send to Folder functions. Wireless adapters are separate accessories. Base AirPrint and Mopria support is not established, and old optional digital-sending workflow software is not assumed to be present.

The included Analog Fax Accessory 300 uses a suitable dedicated analog telephone line. HP warns that some digital PBX systems will not work correctly and specifically distinguishes the fax jack from the Jetdirect LAN socket. Configure the location, date/time and fax header before use; do not treat an Ethernet connection or generic VoIP adapter as proof of a working fax service.

Private printing, supplies and the space around the machine

With a compatible driver, select Private Job and assign a user name, job name and four-digit PIN. Release the retained document through Job Storage at the control panel. The M4345 generation includes a 40GB hard drive; this is not a claim requiring an added USB storage device. Private jobs are deleted after release, and the guide warns that temporary private jobs are lost at power-off.

Q5945A is the documented black cartridge. Its original approximately 18,000-page declaration uses historical five-percent coverage, not a promised real-document yield. The declared xs body is roughly 36.0 inches wide, 19.0 deep and 43.7 high, with much more space needed for open trays, feeder access and service. For a simpler single-computer scanner or essential built-in mobile networking, choose a model whose complete connection arrangement is positively documented for that routine.