When picking up the HP 42 printer cartridge, you will be able to pick between two variants. So, what are the main differences between the HP 42A and HP 42X?
You can find out in this comparison guide for the HP 42 Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridges.
Quick Summary
When compared to the HP 42A Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge, the HP 42X High Yield Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge is capable of printing approximately twice as many pages before needing to be replaced.
So, while the HP 42X is more expensive, you won’t have to replace it as often as the HP 42A. Thus, you will get better value out of the X high yield X version of the cartridge.
The two HP 42 cartridges have the same recommended operating temperature range, recommended storage temperature range, same recommended operating humidity range as well as the same recommended storage humidity range.
HP 42A vs. HP 42X Comparison Chart
You can take a look at Seeking Tech’s comparison table for the HP 42 Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridges below.
| HP 42A Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge (Q5942A) | HP 42X High Yield Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge (Q5942X) | |
|---|---|---|
| What's in the Box | HP 42A Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge Recycling Guide | HP 42X High Yield Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge Recycling Guide |
| Package Dimensions | 15.39 in x 7.80 in x 12.99 in | 15.39 in x 7.80 in x 12.99 in |
| Package Weight | Around 6.17 lbs. | Around 7.05 lbs. |
| Compatible Printers | HP LaserJet 4240n Q7785A#ABA HP LaserJet 4350dtn Q5409A#ABA | HP LaserJet 4240n Q7785A#ABA HP LaserJet 4350dtn Q5409A#ABA |
| Print Technology | Laser | Laser |
| Page Yield for Black and White Pages | Around 10,000 pages | Around 20,000 pages |
| Operating Temperature Range | 50°F to 90.5°F | 50°F to 90.5°F |
| Storage Temperature Range | -4°F to 104°F | -4°F to 104°F |
| Operating Humidity Range | 10% to 80% RH | 10% to 80% RH |
| Storage Humidity Range | 10% to 90% RH | 10% to 90% RH |
| Recycled Content in Cartridge | 13% | 13% |
| Pricing | Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned) | Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned) |
What’s in the Box
Along with the actual toner cartridge, the retail boxes for both products also come with a recycling guide.
You can find a breakdown of the contents included in the packages below:
HP 42A:
- HP 42A Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge
- Recycling Guide
HP 42X:
- HP 42X High Yield Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge
- Recycling Guide
Package Dimensions
The retail packages for both versions are the same in terms of physical size.
You can find the measurements, which is displayed as Width x Depth x Height, below:
- 15.39 in x 7.80 in x 12.99 in
Package Weight
The package for the HP 42X is a little bit heavier when compared to the HP 42A.
You can find the approximate weight for both retail boxes below:
- HP 42A Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge: Around 6.17 lbs.
- HP 42X High Yield Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge: Around 7.05 lbs.
Compatible Printers
The HP 42A Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge and HP 42X High Yield Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge are compatible with the following printers:
- HP LaserJet 4240n Q7785A#ABA
- HP LaserJet 4350dtn Q5409A#ABA
Print Technology
The A and X versions of the HP 42 use laser as the printing technology.
Page Yield for Black and White Pages
The capacity of the HP 42 is measured as page yield, or the number of pages a fully filled cartridge is capable of printing out before it needs to be replaced.
According to internal tests done by HP, the HP 42X High Yield Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge is able to print around 10,000 more pages than the HP 42A Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge.
In terms of percentages, the X version of the HP 42 has a 100% yield advantage than the A version.
The tests were done with the ISO/IEC 19752 methodology.
You can take a look at the page yield specifications for both variants of the toner cartridges below:
- HP 42A Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge: Around 10,000 pages
- HP 42X High Yield Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge: Around 20,000 pages
Operating Temperature Range
The A and X variants of the HP 42 cartridge are identical when it comes to the recommended temperature range during operation as both need to be within 50°F to 90.5°F.
Storage Temperature Range
The two toner cartridges in this versus showdown also have the same temperature range for non-operation as you can store them within -4°F to 104°F.
Operating Humidity Range
The HP 42A and HP 42X lack Original LaserJet Toner Cartridges have the same recommended humidity range of 10% to 80% RH.
Storage Humidity Range
For non-operation, you can store both versions of the HP42 within a humidity range of 10% to 90% RH.
Recycled Content in Cartridge
The HP 42A Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge and HP 42X High Yield Black Original LaserJet Toner Cartridge are both built with 13% of recycled content.