HP 972A Magenta Ink Review: Worth It? Yes (8.6/10)
A five-star streak jumps off the page: Best Buy’s listings show 5.0/5 from 3 reviews for the HP 972A PageWide Magenta Ink Cartridge—an unusually clean snapshot for an office consumable. Verdict: Yes, conditionally—when it’s genuine OEM and paired with a compatible PageWide printer, it earns an 8.6/10 for color quality, speed-aligned performance, and low-fuss installation, with pricing as the main friction.
Quick Verdict
For teams running compatible HP PageWide Pro/MFP models, HP 972A PageWide Magenta Ink Cartridge is a straightforward “buy” if you prioritize consistent color output and minimal downtime. The most enthusiastic feedback isn’t subtle: a Best Buy reviewer called it “beautiful color!” and went further—“it is the best print quality i have ever seen” when paired with an HP Pro MFP 477dw. That kind of superlative is rare in ink reviews, and it frames the core value proposition: predictable, professional-looking magenta without tinkering.
At the same time, the pricing ecosystem around this cartridge is messy. Official retail positioning clusters around about $110 per cartridge, while marketplace listings on eBay show dramatically lower prices for “compatible” or “remanufactured” options. That gap matters because the strongest praise in the dataset is clearly tied to original HP cartridges, while the bargain market is largely non-OEM and chip-dependent. If you’re buying for a workgroup, the savings temptation is real—but so is the risk of inconsistent quality.
| Decision | Evidence from sources | Who it fits | Who should hesitate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes (Conditional) | Best Buy reviewers praise “beautiful colors” and easy install | Offices using compatible PageWide printers | Anyone trying to minimize supply spend at all costs |
| Pro: Color quality | “beautiful color!” / “super fast and beautiful colors” (Best Buy) | Marketing teams, client-facing docs | Users fine with basic color |
| Pro: Easy install | “super easy to install” (Best Buy) | Busy offices, shared printers | DIY tinkerers who don’t mind troubleshooting |
| Pro: Longevity | “the ink lasts” (Best Buy) | Higher-volume document printing | Very low-volume users who may see ink dry-out concerns (not covered here) |
| Con: Price | MSRP ~$110.99 (HP/Amazon specs); ~$110.89 (Office Depot/Staples listing) | — | Budget buyers, home users |
| Watch-out: Non-OEM market | eBay shows remanufactured/compatible listings at $18.95–$29.94+ | Deal hunters | Anyone needing predictable output |
Claims vs Reality
Claim #1: “Up to 3,000 pages” yield.
HP’s official spec positions the HP 972A PageWide Magenta Ink Cartridge at ~3,000 pages (tested methodology noted via ISO/IEC 24711). Office Depot echoes that same maximum yield per unit: 3,000 pages. The user feedback that exists doesn’t directly audit page-counts with spreadsheets—but it does hint at perceived longevity. A verified Best Buy reviewer summarized their experience as “long lasting” and added, “the ink lasts.” For a workgroup manager, that kind of plain-language satisfaction often matters more than lab footnotes: fewer midweek cartridge interruptions.
Digging deeper into the gap between “up to” claims and lived experience, it’s notable that none of the provided reviews contradict the yield outright. Instead, users anchor on convenience—cartridge swaps that don’t become a project. That aligns with the manufacturer narrative of reliable, business-friendly supplies, even if the dataset doesn’t include a power user measuring 5% coverage.
Claim #2: “Professional-quality color” at high speeds.
HP marketing emphasizes that PageWide cartridges are designed for “high-speed printing” without sacrificing quality. That exact tradeoff—speed plus clarity—shows up in the most direct user language available. A verified Best Buy reviewer wrote: “super fast and beautiful colors,” and another called the output “the best print quality i have ever seen” when used with the HP Pro MFP 477dw all-in-one. For offices cranking out proposals, presentations, or color-heavy internal decks, that combination of speed and strong magenta reproduction is the point.
Still, the reality check here is about context: those glowing statements are tied to a specific ecosystem—HP PageWide printers and (implicitly) genuine HP supplies. The broader market includes remanufactured listings and “new chip” compatibles on eBay, and those aren’t covered by the same feedback. So while the “professional-quality” story is supported by user praise, it’s supported within the OEM lane.
Claim #3: Hassle-free, reliable operation.
Official descriptions push “easy cartridge replacement” and reduced troubleshooting. The clearest user echo is again practical: a Best Buy reviewer said, “Ordered online and arrived quickly. super easy to install.” For an office admin, that’s the best-case scenario—no printer errors, no wasted time, no emergency supply run.
Where marketing gets fuzzier is on “value.” HP and retailers frame affordability in cost-per-page terms, but the dataset simultaneously shows an eBay marketplace offering sub-$20 to ~$30 options labeled compatible or remanufactured. The value narrative depends heavily on what a buyer defines as value: predictable, supported performance at $110-ish, or an aggressive cost cut with third-party risk.
Cross-Platform Consensus
A recurring pattern emerged across the available review snippets: the HP 972A PageWide Magenta Ink Cartridge is praised less for novelty and more for being invisible—doing its job without drama. That’s the kind of “feature” office buyers actually want. When supplies are right, the printer disappears into the background, and people only notice the output.
Universally Praised
Color quality is the loudest applause line. A verified Best Buy reviewer didn’t hedge: “beautiful color!” Another emphasized that the cartridge produces “beautiful colors” and tied it to speed: “super fast and beautiful colors.” For a small business printing client-ready documents—letters, proposals, color charts—this matters because magenta performance is often where skin tones, brand accents, and charts can look “off” if ink is inconsistent.
The second theme is ease: procurement and installation. One Best Buy reviewer pointed to frictionless setup: “super easy to install.” In a workgroup environment, that translates into less downtime. No one wants a helpdesk ticket because a cartridge swap turned into a firmware or recognition issue. While the dataset doesn’t include explicit “recognized immediately” language, the user’s ease-of-install note strongly implies a smooth replacement cycle.
Longevity also shows up in plain terms rather than measured data. The same Best Buy review that praised installation added: “the ink lasts.” Even without a page counter, that sentiment is meaningful for teams that budget supplies quarterly and want fewer interruptions. It aligns with the official “up to 3,000 pages” positioning and the general expectation for a standard-yield business cartridge.
- Most repeated positives: “beautiful color,” “super fast,” “super easy to install,” “the ink lasts” (Best Buy reviews)
- Best evidence of speed + quality pairing: “super fast and beautiful colors” (Best Buy)
Common Complaints
The biggest “complaint” present in the dataset isn’t a performance gripe—it’s the price gravity around OEM ink. Official pricing clusters around $110.89–$110.99 across HP/Amazon specs and major retailers (Office Depot/Staples listings in the provided data). That number stands out when placed next to marketplace listings: eBay shows offers like $18.95 for a “972A” magenta cartridge and other non-OEM bundles and chip-based replacements.
For budget-sensitive buyers—home offices, schools, nonprofits—this sets up a predictable tension: pay for OEM reliability or gamble on third-party savings. The data here doesn’t include angry “won’t recognize cartridge” stories, but the presence of “new chip” language in third-party listings hints at the compatibility minefield that often drives those complaints in the wider world. What’s missing is still revealing: users praising the HP cartridge are not talking about error codes, leaks, or printer fights—they’re talking about results.
- Most consistent downside signal in the dataset: OEM price vs third-party marketplace pricing
- Risk area implied by market context (not user-reviewed here): chip-based compatibility for non-OEM listings
Divisive Features
Value is the dividing line. On one hand, a Best Buy reviewer explicitly framed it as economical relative to another category: “cheaper then laser.” For offices comparing PageWide ink to laser color toner costs, that sentiment can be decisive—especially if they’re satisfied with speed and output.
On the other hand, list prices north of $110 make “value” highly situational. A procurement manager might accept the cost as insurance against reprints and downtime, while a small home office might see it as hard to justify when low-cost alternatives flood eBay. The dataset doesn’t show a direct user argument for third-party cartridges, but the market pricing alone explains why some buyers will call OEM “worth it” and others will call it “too expensive,” even if neither side disputes print quality.
Trust & Reliability
Trust signals are strongest where reviews are verified and specific. Best Buy’s small set of comments is unusually enthusiastic for ink, with lines like “best print quality i have ever seen” and “super easy to install.” That combination suggests reliability in the way offices define it: good output, minimal friction, and acceptable longevity.
Scam concerns in this dataset are less about fake reviews and more about the supply chain split between OEM and third-party. eBay listings show “compatible” and “remanufactured” items with different condition labels—one even describes the item as “remanufactured” while also stating “new,” and another references a “new chip.” That’s not a direct accusation, but it does underline why many businesses stick with OEM: it reduces ambiguity. When buyers need predictability, “original” is a form of risk control.
Long-term durability stories (like “six months later…”) do not appear in the provided Reddit data; the Reddit section includes primarily product-description text and retailer listing details rather than community posts. The durability signal we do have is short but clear: “long lasting” and “the ink lasts” from Best Buy.
Alternatives
The only explicit “alternative” paths in the provided dataset are non-OEM compatible/remanufactured 972A magenta cartridges on eBay, sold at dramatically lower prices than official retail. For a cost-focused buyer, that’s the practical alternative: not a different HP model, but a different supply source.
Digging deeper into those listings, the trade is straightforward. A listing like “Magenta Ink Cartridge 1 PACK 972A FOR HP PageWide Pro…” is priced at $18.95, while another generic option with “new chip” is priced around $29.94. These prices can make OEM look expensive overnight. But the user praise in this dataset—“beautiful colors,” “super fast,” “best print quality”—is attached to the HP-branded cartridge context, not the third-party ecosystem. If your printer is business-critical, the dataset’s strongest evidence points toward staying OEM.
Price & Value
The price story is surprisingly consistent among official channels: HP/Amazon specs show an MSRP of $110.99, and Office Depot/Staples listings in the provided data hover at $110.89 with a cited $0.04 per page estimate. That consistency suggests this cartridge is priced as a business consumable, not a bargain ink.
Resale and secondary-market trends, however, are where the narrative gets dramatic. eBay listings show a wide spread: one seller offers a “972A” magenta for $18.95, while other listings include bundles like a 3-pack at $65.97 or generic multi-color sets with “new chip.” For buyers who print occasionally, that spread can reframe the whole purchase decision: pay a premium for OEM confidence, or accept uncertainty to save 70–80%.
User sentiment in the dataset supports the idea that OEM can feel “worth it” when output quality matters. One Best Buy reviewer didn’t just praise quality—they framed it as a smarter cost category than laser: “cheaper then laser.” For offices evaluating total printing costs (hardware + supplies + reprints), that’s a strong value argument—especially if “super fast” printing keeps work moving.
- Typical official price points in provided data: ~$110.89–$110.99
- Secondary-market pricing in provided data: ~$18.95 (single) to ~$65.97 (3-pack), often non-OEM
- Buying tip implied by the data: OEM pricing is stable; third-party pricing is volatile and chip-dependent
FAQ
Q: What printers is the HP 972A PageWide Magenta Ink Cartridge compatible with?
A: The provided retailer specs list compatibility with multiple HP PageWide and PageWide Pro models, including the PageWide Pro 452dn/452dw, 477dn/477dw, 552dw, and MFP 577dw/577z. Office Depot also lists PageWide 377dn/377dw and certain “managed” PageWide models.
Q: How many pages does the HP 972A Magenta cartridge print?
A: Official specs list an approximate yield of ~3,000 pages for color, based on ISO/IEC 24711 or HP’s testing methodology in specific printers. Real-world yield varies by what you print, but one Best Buy reviewer described it as “long lasting” and said “the ink lasts.”
Q: Is the print quality actually good for business documents?
A: The strongest user feedback in the provided data praises output quality heavily. A verified Best Buy reviewer wrote “beautiful color!” and another said the results were “the best print quality i have ever seen” when paired with an HP Pro MFP 477dw, suggesting strong color performance for office use.
Q: Is it worth buying OEM HP 972A instead of cheap compatibles?
A: If your priority is predictable results and low hassle, the user feedback supports OEM satisfaction—“super easy to install” and “super fast and beautiful colors” (Best Buy). The provided eBay listings show much cheaper non-OEM options, but the dataset doesn’t include user reviews confirming their consistency.
Q: What does “cost per page” look like for this cartridge?
A: Retail listings in the provided data cite about $0.04 per page at roughly $110.89 per cartridge with a 3,000-page yield claim. Actual cost per page depends on coverage and document type, but users who praised longevity and quality imply it meets expectations in typical office workloads.
Final Verdict
Buy if you run a compatible HP PageWide Pro/MFP in an office setting and want consistent color that people actually notice—in a good way. A verified Best Buy reviewer summed up the core win: “super fast and beautiful colors,” while another called it “the best print quality i have ever seen.”
Avoid if your main goal is the lowest possible upfront cost, because official pricing sits around $110.89–$110.99 in the provided listings and the secondary market is flooded with much cheaper, non-OEM options.
Pro tip from the community: if you’re comparing printing ecosystems, one Best Buy reviewer framed the economics bluntly—“cheaper then laser”—suggesting PageWide + OEM ink can pencil out for teams that print a lot of color without wanting laser-level supply costs.
