HP DesignJet vs Canon imagePROGRAF vs Epson SureColor: Which Plotter Should AEC Firms in Malaysia Choose?

By Regine Sing, Senior Product Manager, HP DesignJet

Quick answer: All three brands make reliable A1 and A0 plotters for architects, engineers and contractors. Canon imagePROGRAF and Epson SureColor use pigment ink across their whole technical range, and Epson gives the longest standard on-site warranty in Malaysia. HP DesignJet's main advantages are maintenance and lifespan. There is no maintenance cartridge to buy, HP-commissioned tests show up to 95% less ink used for printhead cleaning, every T-series printhead can be replaced by the user, and HP Care Packs keep a plotter under fixed-cost cover for far longer than the other brands. HP and Epson also offer genuine Adobe PostScript on selected models; Canon's technical range does not.

Last updated October 2026. DPI Technology is an HP DesignJet partner, so we have used each maker's own published specifications and linked every source below. Speeds and warranties are as published by each brand; check current terms before you buy.

Baca dalam Bahasa Malaysia: HP vs Canon vs Epson: perbandingan plotter untuk firma AEC di Malaysia

HP vs Canon vs Epson at a glance

HP DesignJet (T-series)Canon imagePROGRAF (TM-series)Epson SureColor (SC-T series)
Main CAD models in MalaysiaT250, T650, T870, T850, T950, T1600, T2600, T1700TM-5240, TM-5250, TM-5255, TM-5340, TM-5350, TM-5355 (new TM-55xx/56xx announced Sept 2026)SC-T3130, SC-T3430, SC-T3730D, SC-T5430/T5435, SC-T5730DM, SC-T7730DL
Waste ink from cleaningCollected in the printer's service station, a printer part. No maintenance cartridge to buyMC-31 maintenance cartridge, a consumable. Printing stops when it is fullMaintenance box, a consumable
PrintheadUser-replaceable (HP 713, 739, 731)User-replaceable (PF-06)Built in; replaced by an Epson engineer
InkPigment HP Flex Tech on T850, T870, T950; dye-based colour on T250, T650Pigment (LUCIA TD), 5 coloursPigment (UltraChrome XD2/XD3), 4 or 6 colours
Fastest published A1 time19.3 s (T1600/T2600)14 s (TZ-30000); 17 s (TM-5350/5355)16 s in Draft mode (SC-T3730D/T5730DM)
Adobe PostScriptBuilt in on T1600dr PS, T2600 PS, Z6 PS and Z9+ PS; upgrade kit for T1600, T1700, T2600Not available; PDF 1.7 direct print with Canon's own interpreter (TM-5255, TM-5355, TZ-30000)Built in on SC-T3730D, SC-T5730DM and SC-T7730D models; not on SC-T5435 or SC-T3730E
Job accountingFree usage and cost reports in the Embedded Web Server; HP SmartTracker (paid) for user/project billing on T1600, T2600, T1700, Z6, Z9+Free Accounting Manager; account IDs in the driver; uniFLOW option on TM-5355Free LFP Accounting Tool (cost per job); Epson Print Admin (paid) for user log-in and quotas
Standard warranty in Malaysia1 to 3 years by model (T250/T650 and T1600/T2600 with bundled Care Pack: 3; T850/T870/T950: 1), extendable with HP Care Packs; up to 8 to 10 years of support through DPICheck with Canon Malaysia (Canon Singapore: 3 years on-site, printhead, ink and maintenance cartridge excluded)2 to 3 years on-site by model (SC-T3130/T3430/T5430/T5435: 3; SC-T3730/T5730/T7730: 2); CoverPlus extends to a maximum of 5 years

Waste ink and maintenance: the running cost most buyers miss

Every inkjet plotter fires ink through its printhead to keep the nozzles clear, especially after it has been idle. That waste ink has to go somewhere, and where it goes affects your running cost.

Canon: waste ink is collected in an MC-31 maintenance cartridge. Canon's TM-series manual says printhead cleaning and printhead replacement use up much of the cartridge's capacity, and that printing is disabled until a full cartridge is replaced. The MC-31 is a consumable you buy separately; it retails at around US$69 in the US. Canon's manual also notes that its deepest cleaning mode, System cleaning, consumes a very large amount of ink.

Epson: SureColor T-series plotters also use a maintenance box that you replace as a consumable (part numbers vary by model; UK and US list prices range from about £30 to US$96). Epson's Auto Cleaning checks the nozzles and cleans only when needed, which Epson says uses a small amount of ink.

HP: on HP DesignJet T-series plotters, waste ink goes into the service station, which is part of the printer rather than a consumable. There is no maintenance cartridge to buy, and the service station is covered by HP's warranty like the rest of the printer (HP's production XL models are the exception). HP also designs its cleaning routines to use less ink. In a test commissioned by HP and run by Sogeti in May 2025, the HP DesignJet T870 used up to 95% less ink during routine printhead cleanings than the Canon TM-255 and the Epson SC-T3405. HP's own testing in June 2024 found a similar result for its T200/T600 series (T250, T650) against Canon's TM series. These are manufacturer-commissioned tests, but no independent measurement has been published.

What it means for you: if your plotter prints a few times a week and cleans itself often, maintenance ink and maintenance cartridges add up. Ask any supplier what consumables, other than ink and paper, the plotter needs over three years.

Printheads: who replaces them, and what it costs

BrandPrintheadWho replaces itWarranty note
HP DesignJetHP 713 (T250, T650), HP 739 (T850, T870, T950), HP 731 (T1600, T2600)You, in a few minutes, without a service callPrintheads carry their own HP warranty
Canon imagePROGRAFPF-06 (all TM models)YouCanon Singapore lists the printhead as a consumable outside the printer warranty; check Canon Malaysia's terms
Epson SureColorPrecisionCore, built into the printerAn Epson engineerCovered by Epson's on-site warranty; no separate printhead term for SC-T models

A user-replaceable printhead means a failed head is a same-day fix instead of a service visit. A built-in head means you never buy one during the warranty, but repairs after warranty need an engineer.

Ink and print durability: does it survive the site?

Drawings that go to construction sites get wet, handled and highlighted. Pigment inks resist water and smudging better than dye inks.

  • Canon uses pigment LUCIA TD inks in all five colours across the TM series.
  • Epson uses pigment UltraChrome XD2 (4 colours) or XD3 (6 colours, adding red) inks across the SC-T series.
  • HP uses pigment HP Flex Tech inks on the T850, T870 and T950, which resist water, smudging and highlighter bleed. The entry T250 and T650 use dye-based colour inks, which give bright colour on plain paper but are less water-resistant. For site drawings, choose an HP model with Flex Tech inks.

Speed: compare like with like

Each brand quotes its fastest A1 time in a different print mode, so published speeds are not directly comparable.

ClassHP DesignJetCanon imagePROGRAFEpson SureColor
24-inch (A1) officeT650 24in: 26 s
T870: 21 s (Fast, Economode)		TM-5240: 23 s (Fast)
TM-5255: 20 s (Fast Economy)		SC-T3430: 25 s (CAD)
SC-T3730D: 20 s (CAD, 600 x 600 dpi)
36-inch (A0) officeT650 36in: 26 s
T850: 25 s
T950: 21 s		TM-5340: 23 s (Fast)
TM-5350/5355: 17 s (Fast Economy)		SC-T5430/T5435: 22 s (CAD)
SC-T5730DM: 23 s (600 x 600 dpi), 16 s (Draft)
High volumeT1600/T2600: 19.3 s, 180 A1 per hourTZ-30000: 14 sSC-T7730DL: 23 s (600 x 600 dpi), 16 s (Draft)

For most offices, the time from clicking Print to holding a finished set matters more than seconds per page. HP Click sends multiple files and sizes in one step, and HP's T950 comparisons focus on this end-to-end time.

PostScript and PDF accuracy

AutoCAD and Revit sheets exported to PDF, renders from Photoshop or Illustrator, and drawings with transparency, layers or Pantone colours are all built on PostScript technology. On a printer without a true PostScript processor, these files can print with missing objects, wrong colours or long processing times, or fail to print at all. Plain CAD line drawings sent through the normal driver are not affected.

  • HP uses genuine Adobe PostScript 3 with the Adobe PDF Print Engine, never an emulation. It is built in on the T1600dr PostScript, T2600 PostScript, Z6 PostScript and Z9+ PostScript, and available as an upgrade kit for the T1600, T1700 and T2600. You can print a PDF straight from the touchscreen or a USB drive without opening it on a PC. The T250, T650, T850, T870 and T950 do not offer PostScript (the T950 can still print PDF files directly).
  • Canon imagePROGRAF TM and TZ printers do not offer PostScript. The TM-5255, TM-5355 and TZ-30000 can print PDF 1.7 files directly using Canon's own interpreter, which Canon notes does not support overprint and some transparency.
  • Epson includes Adobe PostScript 3 and PDF 1.7 as standard on the SC-T3730D, SC-T5730DM and SC-T7730D models. The SC-T5435 and SC-T3730E do not include it.

If your team prints PDF sets, renders or presentation boards, choose a model with genuine Adobe PostScript. Read more in why PostScript matters for large-format PDFs.

Job accounting: tracking print cost by job, user or project

All three brands give you free tools to see what each print job cost. They differ in how easily you can charge printing back to users, departments or clients.

BrandFreePer user or project billing
HP DesignJetUsage and cost reports in the printer's Embedded Web Server: enter your ink and paper prices to see the cost of each job; job accounting in HP ClickHP SmartTracker (paid licence) for T1600, T2600, T1700, Z6 and Z9+: tracks by user, project and department, syncs with Active Directory and exports reports for client billing
Canon imagePROGRAFAccounting Manager: ink and paper used per job and its cost. Models without a hard drive keep only the last 10 jobsAccount IDs entered in the printer driver; uniFLOW server (paid) on the TM-5355
Epson SureColorLFP Accounting Tool: ink and paper cost per job (SC-T5435, SC-T5730DM, SC-T7730DM)Epson Print Admin (paid, needs a Windows server): user log-in and print quotas

For a small office, the free tools of any brand are enough to see what plotting costs each month. Firms that bill printing to clients or projects should look at HP SmartTracker, Canon's account IDs or Epson Print Admin.

Warranty, service life and local support in Malaysia

  • Epson offers the longest standard cover: 36 months on-site for the SC-T3130, T3430, T5430 and T5435, and 24 months for the SC-T3730, T5730 and T7730 models. CoverPlus extends this, up to a maximum of 5 years in total.
  • HP warranties run from 1 year (T850, T870, T950) to 3 years (T250, T650, and the T1600 and T2600 series, which come with a Care Pack bundled in Malaysia). HP Care Packs extend on-site cover to 3, 4 or 5 years at purchase, and post-warranty Care Packs can be added year by year after that. In DPI's experience of more than 20 years selling HP DesignJet, a plotter can stay under Care Pack cover for up to 8 years, and under a DPI maintenance contract for up to 10 years, as long as HP has not announced end of service for that model.
  • Canon Malaysia does not publish imagePROGRAF-specific terms online; its general Extended Warranty Scheme adds up to 2 years. Canon Singapore gives 36 months on-site but excludes the printhead, ink and maintenance cartridge.

A longer service life changes the economics. With a yearly Care Pack or maintenance contract, an AEC firm pays a fixed, known maintenance cost each year instead of facing unexpected repair bills, gets repairs with certified genuine HP parts and keeps downtime to a minimum, and does not have to budget for a replacement plotter every five years. Whichever brand you choose, ask who will come on-site when it fails, how fast, and whether they stock the printhead and ink locally.

Which plotter brand should you choose?

  • You want the lowest maintenance cost and no extra consumables: HP DesignJet T-series, with no maintenance cartridge and less ink for cleaning.
  • You want pigment ink on even the cheapest model: Canon TM-5240/5340 or Epson SC-T3430, or the HP T870 if you prefer HP.
  • Standard warranty length matters most: Epson's 3-year on-site models, or HP with a Care Pack.
  • Drawings go to site: any pigment-ink model: HP T850, T870 or T950, Canon TM, or Epson SC-T.
  • You print PDF sets, renders or Pantone colours: HP T1600dr PS, T2600 PS or Z-series PostScript, or Epson SC-T5730DM.
  • You want to keep the plotter for 8 to 10 years: HP DesignJet with yearly Care Packs or a DPI maintenance contract.
  • High-volume A0 printing with scanning: HP T2600, Canon TM-5350 MFP or Epson SC-T5730DM.

Not sure which fits your office? Tell us your sizes and monthly volume on WhatsApp +60 17-791 7001, or compare our A1 plotters and A0 plotters.

Frequently asked questions

Does an HP DesignJet need a maintenance cartridge?

No. HP DesignJet T-series plotters collect waste ink in the printer's service station, which is part of the printer and covered by HP's warranty. Canon TM-series and Epson SC-T plotters use a replaceable maintenance cartridge or box.

Which uses less ink for cleaning, HP, Canon or Epson?

In a 2025 test commissioned by HP, the HP DesignJet T870 used up to 95% less ink for routine printhead cleaning than the Canon TM-255 and Epson SC-T3405. No independent test has been published.

Can I replace the printhead myself?

On HP and Canon, yes: both use user-replaceable printheads. Epson's printhead is built in and replaced by an Epson engineer, normally under warranty.

Which brand has the longest warranty in Malaysia?

Epson, with 36 months on-site on several SC-T models. HP warranties run from 1 to 3 years by model (3 years on the T250, T650, T1600 and T2600) and can be extended with HP Care Packs.

Are Canon and Epson plotter prints waterproof?

Both use pigment inks across their technical ranges, which resist water well. On HP, choose the T850, T870 or T950 with pigment HP Flex Tech inks for site drawings.

Which plotters have genuine Adobe PostScript?

HP builds genuine Adobe PostScript 3 into the T1600dr PS, T2600 PS, Z6 PS and Z9+ PS, with an upgrade kit for the T1600, T1700 and T2600. Epson includes it on the SC-T3730D, SC-T5730DM and SC-T7730D models. Canon's TM and TZ printers do not offer PostScript.

How long can an HP DesignJet be kept under service cover?

HP Care Packs extend cover to 5 years at purchase, and post-warranty Care Packs can be added after that. In DPI's experience, HP DesignJet plotters can be covered for up to 8 years with Care Packs, and up to 10 years with a DPI maintenance contract, as long as HP has not announced end of service for the model. Epson CoverPlus is capped at 5 years in total.

Can I track plotter costs per project?

Yes, on all three brands. Free tools from HP, Canon and Epson show the ink and paper cost of each job. For billing by user or project, use HP SmartTracker, Canon account IDs with Accounting Manager, or Epson Print Admin.

Sources

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