HP Laserjet M1522NF — Features, Specs, Performance
HP LaserJet M1522NF Review — Features, Specs, Performance & Business Use
The HP LaserJet M1522NF is a multifunction monochrome laser printer designed for small to medium offices that need reliable black-and-white printing, copying, scanning, and faxing in a single device. Positioned as an all-in-one workhorse, the M1522NF aims to balance performance with affordability — delivering solid printer speeds, crisp text quality, and useful workflow features without the high costs or footprint of enterprise laser systems.
In this review, we’ll explore all aspects of the M1522NF, including its hardware, performance, connectivity, consumables and operating costs, deployment contexts, strengths and limitations, and whether it’s a good business investment in 2025 and beyond.
1. Product Positioning & Overview
The HP LaserJet M1522NF belongs to HP’s LaserJet M15xx series of monochrome multifunction printers (MFPs). These devices are targeted at:
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Small offices and branch environments
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Home offices needing multifunction capability
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Workgroups with moderate print volumes
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Businesses seeking basic scan/copy/fax workflows without a large MFP footprint
Unlike HP’s larger Enterprise or Managed LaserJet fleets, the M1522NF is not designed for extremely high volumes, advanced finishing, or sophisticated fleet management. Instead, its value proposition centers around trusted HP printing quality in a moderate-duty multifunction package.
2. Core Features & What It Offers
The M1522NF provides the following capabilities in one unit:
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Monochrome Laser Printing
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Flatbed Scanning
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Black-and-White Copying
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Fax Transmission and Reception
It bundles all four common office imaging functions, making it suitable as a single shared device for small teams without dedicated scan or fax machines.
3. Design & Build Quality
The M1522NF uses a traditional laser MFP form factor — a relatively compact and boxy chassis that can fit on or under a desk without dominating space. While not as stylish as newer all-in-one models, its design is intentionally utilitarian and work-focused.
Physical Characteristics
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Dimensions: ~420 × 435 × 356 mm (W × D × H)
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Weight: ~17 kg
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Paper Handling: Front input tray, top output tray
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Control Panel: Simple LCD + keypad for fax and navigation
The build quality feels sturdy for a business printer — heavier than consumer inkjets and more durable than very low-end lasers. Trays and doors open solidly, and there’s typically minimal rattle or flex during operation.
4. Specifications that Matter
Below are the most relevant specifications for evaluating the M1522NF:
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Printer Type | Monochrome Laser Multifunction Printer |
| Print Technology | Laser (Toner) |
| Print Speed | Up to ~23 ppm (pages per minute) |
| Print Resolution | Up to 1200 dpi |
| First Page Out | ~8 seconds (black) |
| Scan Resolution | Up to 1200 dpi optical |
| Copy Speed | ~23 cpm (copies per minute) |
| Fax Modem | Super G3 (~33.6 kbps) |
| Memory | 64 MB |
| Input Tray Capacity | ~250 sheets |
| ADF | No (flatbed only) |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Ethernet (LAN), optional parallel |
| Duty Cycle (Max) | ~12,000 pages/month |
These specs place the M1522NF comfortably in the small office and workgroup category — faster and more robust than entry consumer models, but less powerful than heavy enterprise or department lasers.
5. Real-World Printing Performance
Print Quality
HP is known for crisp laser output, and the M1522NF maintains that reputation:
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Text: Sharp, high-contrast, and easy to read — ideal for contracts, reports, and invoices.
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Graphics & Charts: Solid rendering for business charts and diagrams; monochrome halftones are acceptable but not photo-grade.
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Fonts: Small fonts remain legible and character edges are well-defined.
The 1200 dpi resolution ensures documents appear professional, with minimal fuzziness or smudging.
Print Speed
HP rates the device at up to ~23 ppm, and this holds true in practical use for standard text documents. Single-page jobs return quickly, and for batch printing of 5–20 pages, throughput remains consistent.
Where speed may slow slightly is in:
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Large graphic-heavy pages
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High-resolution print jobs
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Duplex printing (if manually engaged via driver)
Overall, performance aligns with expectations for its class.
6. Scanning & Copying — Everyday Document Needs
Flatbed Scanning
The M1522NF includes a flatbed scanner capable of scanning documents, proofs, photos, and multi-page originals (with manual handling). The optical scan resolution up to 1200 dpi enables:
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Clean text scans
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OCR-friendly output
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Archiving of documents
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PDF creation
Although it lacks an automatic document feeder (ADF), the scanning quality itself meets small office expectations. For high-volume scanning, a separate dedicated sheet-fed scanner may still be better — but the included flatbed is adequate for occasional multi-page needs.
Copying
Copy functionality is simple but effective:
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Up to ~23 cpm
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Adjustable copy settings
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Reduction/enlargement options
For basic office copying needs (manual, small batch), it performs adequately.
7. Fax Capabilities — Business Continuity
The fax modem is Super G3 (~33.6 kbps), which is standard for most laser fax implementations. The key fax features include:
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Memory reception
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Speed dial (multiple presets)
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Fax journaling and reports
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Fax forwarding/management
Fax remains a requirement in many regulated industries (legal, health, government), and the M1522NF covers basic needs reliably. The physical keypad on the control panel simplifies manual fax entry without requiring a PC.
8. Connectivity & Integration
Network Printing
The built-in Ethernet port is a major advantage for small offices, allowing the M1522NF to act as a shared printer on a network. Common office setups with mixed PCs or shared drives benefit from this connectivity.
USB
Direct USB connection to one machine is supported — useful for dedicated workstation setups.
Drivers & OS Support
HP provides:
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Windows drivers (multiple versions)
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macOS drivers (varies by OS release)
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Basic PCL5e/PCL6 support on many configurations
Check HP’s support site to confirm driver availability for your OS version before deployment.
9. Consumables & Operating Costs
Operating costs hinge on toner yields and maintenance items:
Toner Cartridges
Typical cartridges for this model:
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Standard-yield black toner: ~2,000–3,000 pages
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High-yield black toner: ~4,000–6,000 pages
Replacing toner is straightforward — side-load access makes swaps quick and minimal downtime.
Cost Per Page
Because it is a monochrome laser, cost per page remains competitive with small business printers in its class. High-yield cartridges significantly reduce per-page cost, which matters in business budgeting.
Maintenance Parts
Standard maintenance items include:
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Pickup rollers
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Fuser unit (after extended duty)
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Imaging kit (depending on usage)
These parts appear periodically in longer-life ownership and should be planned into your TCO.
10. Software, Drivers & Workflow Integration
HP’s ecosystem supports common business workflows:
JetIntelligence (where applicable)
Firmware and driver features that optimize toner yield and print efficiency.
Office Integration
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Scan to PDF
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Scan to network or shared folder
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Scan to email
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Copy presets
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Faxing from drivers
These workflows are common in office document management and reduce manual effort.
Security & Network Management
While not as advanced as enterprise fleet devices, the M1522NF supports:
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Network protocol control
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IP filtering
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Basic password protections
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Status monitoring through HP software
This is adequate for small office deployments without advanced security requirements.
11. Business Use Cases & Deployment Scenarios
Small Offices & Workgroups
The M1522NF excels when replacing separate home printers, fax machines, scanners, and copiers with a consolidated device. It is capable of serving up to ~5–10 users comfortably.
Departments with Mixed Needs
For teams requiring occasional scanning and fax plus print/copy tasks, this all-in-one model eliminates the need for multiple devices.
Legal, Healthcare & Regulated Offices
Fax capability and reliable monochrome printing make it suitable where faxed documents and signed contracts are common.
Home Office Professionals
Solo practitioners or remote workers who need laser quality and multifunction support find this model handy and cost-efficient.
12. Strengths & Advantages
1. Multifunction Capability
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Print, scan, copy, fax in one unit saves space and management overhead.
2. Strong Print Quality
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Sharp text and clean black-and-white graphics suitable for business use.
3. Network Enabled
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Built-in Ethernet allows shared access without external print servers.
4. Solid Business Features
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Fax integration
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Manual copy functions
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Reliable laser engine
5. Affordable Operating Costs
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High-yield toner and modest maintenance expectations keep TCO reasonable.
6. Simple Controls
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Basic keypad and LCD make everyday use straight-forward.
13. Limitations & Considerations
1. No Automatic Document Feeder
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For high‐volume scanning/copying, manual feeding is required.
2. Limited Memory
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With only 64 MB, processing large complex files (e.g., big PDFs) may exhibit delays.
3. No Wireless Connectivity Out-of-the-Box
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If wireless printing is required, a wireless print server or Wi-Fi printer adapter is needed.
4. Basic Mobile Printing
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Lacks built-in support for AirPrint or Mopria; may require HP Print apps or third-party solutions.
5. Print Speed
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~23 ppm is adequate, but not fast compared to modern multifunction lasers.
14. Comparisons to Competitors
When compared to similar models like:
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Brother MFC-L2710DW
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HP LaserJet Pro MFP M227fdw
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Canon imageCLASS MF244dw
The M1522NF’s strengths lie in network fax capability and compact multifunction integration. Competitors may offer:
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Wireless and mobile features
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Automatic document feeders
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Updated driver support
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Faster speeds
But the M1522NF’s dependable laser output and integrated fax keep it relevant in many office contexts.
15. Deployment Tips & Best Practices
Configure Network Settings:
Assign a static IP for easier management and driver installs.
Set Default Duplex (if supported):
Reduce paper costs by setting duplex print as default.
Enable Secure Faxing:
If faxing sensitive documents, use PIN-enabled secure print or dedicated fax routing.
Monitor Consumables:
Set alerts for toner and maintenance kit replacement intervals.
Driver Standardization:
Deploy consistent drivers across users to avoid compatibility issues.
16. Final Verdict
The HP LaserJet M1522NF remains a solid multifunction laser printer for small offices, home offices, and light workgroups. Its combination of laser quality printing, multifunction capability, integrated fax, and network connectivity makes it a practical choice where simplicity, reliability, and all-in-one convenience matter.
Best suited for:
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Offices needing print + fax workflows
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Teams sharing a central monochrome MFP
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Environments where quality text output is essential
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Users who prefer a consolidated device over multiple peripherals
Less suited for:
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Heavy scanning needs (no ADF)
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Wireless/mobile-native environments without adapters
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High-speed production workflows
In summary, the HP LaserJet M1522NF is a dependable business laser MFP with solid everyday performance, efficient running costs, and versatile functionality that fits well in many office scenarios. It continues to be relevant where laser reliability and multifunction convenience outweigh cutting-edge mobile features or high production speeds.
- Windows 10 (x64)
- Windows 8.1
- Windows 8.1 (x64)
- Windows 8
- Windows 8 (x64)
- Windows 7
- Windows 7 (x64)
- Windows Vista
- Windows Vista (x64)
- Windows XP
- Driver Description Product Name : HP
- Hardware: Laserjet M1522NF
- Important: Printer Driver
- Version: 7.0.0.24832
- File Name: exe
- Release date: 7.0.0.24832
- File Size : 17.2 MB
Printer Driver (PCL 6) for windows (32-bit) Download – 17.2 MB
Printer Driver (PostScript) for windows (32-bit) Download – 18.4 MB
Printer Driver (PCL 6) for windows (64 -bit) Download – 19.3 MB
Printer Driver (PostScript) for windows (64 -bit) Download – 20.5 MB
- Driver Description Product Name : HP
- Hardware: Laserjet M1522NF
- Version: 1.5.0
- File Name : HP-LaserJet-M1522-MFP-series_v1.5.0.dmg
- Release Date: Dec 14, 2011
- File size : 10.0 MB
Printer Driver HP Laserjet Mac OS X Download – 10.0 MB
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