HP DesignJet XL 3800 MFP Plotter

The HP DesignJet T2600 MFP operates at 180 A1 pages per hour and is the correct workgroup MFP for organisations printing under 100 A1 pages per day. The HP DesignJet XL 3800 MFP operates at 360 A1 pages per hour (double the throughput), adds dual spindle-less roll drawers, a 100-page integrated stacker, PostScript 3 natively, and a larger encrypted SSD. For organisations printing 100 or more A1 pages per day, the XL 3800's production features justify the step up: the stacker alone eliminates 10 to 15 manual output collection interruptions daily at that volume, and the dual-roll configuration removes media change delays from mixed A1 and A0 jobs. For reprographics operations and copy shops, the difference is more fundamental: the XL 3800 is designed as a production device, the T2600 as a workgroup device.

PostScript is a page description language that describes every element of a printed page, including complex vector graphics, gradients, overprints, and transparency layers, as mathematical instructions rather than as a rasterised image. PostScript 3 is the current generation, used by ArcGIS, QGIS, MapInfo, Revit, SketchUp, and most professional design applications for their highest-fidelity print output. When a GIS map or architectural colour rendering is sent to a PostScript-capable printer, the device processes the PostScript instructions natively and produces output that matches the authored file exactly, on the first print. Non-PostScript plotters require either a RIP (which adds cost and complexity) or HP-GL/2 and PDF output paths that may not preserve all layers, gradients, or colour spaces correctly. For organisations where colour accuracy and graphic fidelity on the first print is a workflow requirement, PostScript 3 eliminates the test-print and colour-matching cycle entirely.

The XL 3800 front-loads two rolls simultaneously via spindle-less drawers. Instead of threading a roll onto a spindle and mounting it inside the printer, you slide the roll directly into the drawer from the front. Both drawers are accessible from the front of the machine, which means the XL 3800 can be installed with its back against a wall, a practical advantage in offices where floor space is limited. Each drawer accepts rolls from 279 to 914 mm wide. Two different roll widths can be loaded simultaneously, so an A1-wide roll in one drawer and an A0-wide roll in the other allows the printer to switch between formats automatically based on the job. No operator intervention, no media change delay.

The HP DesignJet XL 3800 MFP includes a 100-page integrated stacker that collects printed output face-down and in job order without requiring an operator to stand at the device. Competing plotters in this class, including the HP DesignJet T2600 MFP, use basket or bin collection. Basket collection holds 20 to 30 pages before becoming full or disordered, requiring an operator to clear the basket repeatedly during a large batch job. The XL 3800's stacker holds 100 pages in sequence, meaning a full set of 100 A1 construction drawings can print unattended and be collected once, in order, at the end of the job. For organisations printing 100 or more pages per day, the labour cost of basket collection is a real, measurable workflow overhead that the stacker eliminates.

Yes. The XL 3800's CIS scanner accepts originals up to 914 mm (36 inches) wide, which covers A0 drawings (841 mm wide). The straight-through paper path handles originals up to 0.8 mm thick, which includes standard cartridge drawing paper and vellum without a manual feed guide. Maximum continuous scan length is 50 metres in PDF format, 16 metres in TIFF, and 8 metres in JPEG. This accommodates very long elevation drawings, building sections, and site survey originals that exceed the capacity of shorter-path scanners. Scan speed is up to 3 inches per second in colour at 200 dpi, and up to 10 inches per second in greyscale at 200 dpi. Copy speed in colour is up to 6 inches per second.

HP Flex Tech inks are HP's pigment-based ink system for the DesignJet XL series, supplied in 500 ml cartridges. All four colours (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) are pigment-based, which means output is waterproof and fade-resistant for more than 25 years on standard bond paper. HP Flex Tech inks are the first large-format inks in the market to achieve UL ECOLOGO Certification, a third-party environmental standard that assesses chemical composition, manufacturing processes, and emissions performance. For government organisations, universities, and companies with procurement sustainability requirements, UL ECOLOGO certified consumables are a qualifying criterion on certain tender frameworks. The 500 ml cartridge format means fewer cartridge changes at high volume: at 300 or more A1 sheets per week, HP 768 cartridges typically last several weeks rather than days.

Yes. The XL 3800 works with any application that outputs to PostScript, PDF, or a standard Windows or macOS print driver. AutoCAD, Revit, Civil 3D, MicroStation, ArchiCAD, ArcGIS, QGIS, and MapInfo all print to the XL 3800 without plugins, add-ins, or special configuration. For batch PDF plotting, HP Click accepts multiple files with automatic page-size detection. For GIS workflows, PostScript 3 output from ArcGIS or QGIS processes natively and produces colour-accurate output on the first print, without a separate RIP. HP-GL/2 is also natively supported for direct driver output from AutoCAD and MicroStation.

HP Command Center is a fleet management tool that provides remote monitoring and management of one or more XL 3800 units. From Command Center, IT managers and production supervisors can view ink levels, media status, job history, device alerts, and usage statistics without walking to the device. For organisations with multiple XL 3800 units or with the printer installed in a separate print room, Command Center provides the oversight that enterprise IT departments expect from network-connected devices. HP Smart Stream is a separate production workflow application that adds job nesting (fitting multiple drawings on one roll to reduce media waste), job queue prioritisation, automatic media selection between drawers, and cost accounting per job. Smart Stream is relevant for reprographics operations and copy shops managing client print orders at scale. Contact Graficomp to discuss whether Smart Stream is included or needs to be licensed separately for your configuration.

The HP DesignJet XL 3800 MFP weighs 182 kg and measures 1603 mm wide, 614 mm deep, and 1225 mm tall. It requires a flat, level floor that can sustain a point load of at least 200 kg in the device's footprint. Standard commercial office floors with concrete slab construction are suitable. Raised access floors or lightweight suspended floors may require structural assessment before installation. The machine's depth of 614 mm means it can be positioned with its back against a wall, as both roll drawers and the scanner feed from the front. Graficomp's installation team assesses the installation location before delivery and advises on floor preparation, power outlet positioning, and network cable routing. A single 15 A, 220–240 V dedicated circuit is required.

No. The HP DesignJet XL 3800 MFP has Gigabit Ethernet (1000Base-T) as its standard network connection. Wi-Fi is available via the optional HP Jetdirect wireless print server accessory. For a production-volume device processing large PostScript and PDF files, Gigabit Ethernet is the correct connection: it provides consistent bandwidth without the latency variability or signal strength dependency that wireless connections introduce. In practice, XL 3800 installations in production and office environments connect via Ethernet. Contact Graficomp if Wi-Fi is a specific requirement at your site.

The HP DesignJet XL 3800 MFP includes: HP SureStart (validates firmware integrity at boot), Secure Boot, Allowlisting (only authorised firmware and software execute), Runtime Intrusion Detection (monitors memory and BIOS during operation), TPM (Trusted Platform Module for credential storage), LDAP and Kerberos authentication (Active Directory integration for user access control), Role-Based Access Control (restrict print, scan, and copy by user role), SNMPv3, HTTPS, IPsec/Firewall, TLS 1.0 through 1.3, and FIPS 140-2 compliant encryption for all data in transit. Internal storage is a 256 GB SSD encrypted with AES-256. For government departments, utilities, and financial institutions with IT security policies covering network-connected devices, this security stack satisfies the requirements that workgroup plotters cannot meet. Graficomp configures LDAP integration and reviews security settings with your IT team as part of every XL 3800 installation.

Graficomp provides on-site installation for every HP DesignJet XL 3800 MFP purchase in South Africa. Installation includes: physical positioning and levelling, dual-roll configuration and media loading, Gigabit Ethernet network connection, HP Click installation and batch workflow configuration, HP Smart Stream installation if applicable, HP Command Center setup and IT team handover, LDAP or Active Directory integration for user authentication, driver configuration for every workstation operating system on the network, PostScript output validation with a live GIS or CAD print from your software, scanner calibration, and a production run to confirm throughput and colour accuracy before sign-off. You do not configure this device yourself. Graficomp's engineering team has commissioned HP production-grade plotters for more than two decades.