HP LaserJet 1020 vs P1606dn vs P2035 vs P2055dn: The Classic HPs Compared

The HP LaserJet 1020, P2035, P1606dn and P2055dn are the printers most people in Pakistan mean when they say 'a normal HP printer'. HP stopped making them years ago, but tested imported units keep them alive, and they sell for less than any new laser. They all look similar on a listing — black-and-white, around PKR 19,500–23,000 — so here is what actually separates them, plus the older LaserJet 1320n and P2015dn that sit in the same price band.

Side-by-side comparison

Prices are our listings at the time of writing; the live price is on each product page. Yields are HP's rated figures at 5% coverage — a refilled cartridge usually gives a little less.

HP LaserJet 1020: the cheapest to run, the slowest to print

The 1020 is the printer that refuses to die: a short parts list, one USB cable and the 12A (Q2612A) cartridge that every toner shop in the country refills. At 14 ppm it is the slowest here, there is no duplex and no network, and HP rates it for up to 5,000 pages a month — fine for a home or one student, not for a shared office. On Windows 10 and 11 it installs through Windows Update or HP's host-based driver; if it shows 'offline', see our driver fix guide.

HP LaserJet P2035: the best single-user buy

For about PKR 500 more than a 1020 you get more than twice the speed (30 ppm), a 250-sheet tray, metal-geared paper path and a 25,000-page duty cycle. It is still USB-only with manual duplex, so it suits one desk. It uses the 05A cartridge; note the high-yield 05X is made for the P2055 series and does not fit the P2035. If you want a USB printer that will not slow you down, this is the one.

HP LaserJet P2055dn: the small-office classic

The P2055dn adds what an office actually needs: automatic two-sided printing, an Ethernet port so every PC prints to it, and a 50,000-page monthly duty cycle. It takes both the 05A and the 6,500-page 05X, which makes it one of the cheapest printers to run in this group. It is our default recommendation for a shop, clinic or small office on a PKR 23,000 budget.

HP LaserJet P1606dn: duplex and network in a small body

The P1606dn is a compact personal laser that still has automatic duplex and Ethernet — the combination students printing a thesis and small shops want. It is slower than the P2055dn (25 ppm), has a smaller 8,000-page duty cycle and uses the 78A cartridge with no high-yield option. Choose it over the P2055dn when desk space matters more than speed.

LaserJet 1320n and P2015dn: the older office twins

The 1320n (49A/49X) and its successor the P2015dn (53A/53X) both have automatic duplex and Ethernet, and both have high-yield cartridges that bring cost per page down. They are older than the P2055dn, so choose them mainly if you already stock 49X or 53X toner, or you want a duplex network printer at PKR 20,000–20,500.

Which should you buy?

• Home or one student, light printing, lowest toner cost → LaserJet 1020.
• One user who prints a lot → LaserJet P2035.
• Thesis and assignments printed double-sided, small desk → LaserJet P1606dn.
• Shared office, shop or clinic → LaserJet P2055dn.
• Already stocking 49X or 53X toner → LaserJet 1320n or P2015dn.
• Need Wi-Fi → none of these; look at the P1102w or the wireless printer range.
• Need scan and copy → none of these; see the all-in-one guide.