Direct answer
For the HP Smart Tank 7602, resolution/quality mode, duplex, document complexity, connection and spool/driver should be timed separately. First, time an internal text page and a simple computer text page.
What this covers
- HP Smart Tank 7602 (28B98A)
- HP printer; Instant Ink eligibility, touchscreen, duplex, ADF and Dynamic Security behavior vary by model.
- The specific fault this record addresses: prints very slowly
What it does not cover
- ×The same symptom on a different HP product line, which has its own record and its own cited source
- ×An on-screen error code whose meaning has not been checked against this exact model's manual
- ×Live electrical, gas, sealed-system, internal battery-cell or structural repair — a technician boundary, not a self-service step
Differential
What actually causes this, and how to tell them apart
These are ordered by how often each one is the answer, not by how easy it is to try. The point of the middle column is that two causes producing the same headline symptom rarely produce the same detail — that detail is what tells you which one you have before you change anything.
- 1
A high-quality or photo setting is selected
What separates it Slow output at best or photo quality, normal speed at draft or normal.
How to confirm Quality settings can multiply printing time several times over. This is the intended trade-off rather than a fault.
- 2
The job is being rendered on the computer
What separates it A long delay before the printer starts, then normal-speed printing.
How to confirm A delay before anything happens is the computer processing the job, not the printer. Complex documents, large images and transparency effects are slow to render.
- 3
The paper type setting is not plain paper
What separates it Slow output on ordinary paper, with a photo or heavy media type selected.
How to confirm Photo and heavy settings deliberately slow the printer for ink drying and fusing.
- 4
The connection is slow or marginal
What separates it Slow over Wi-Fi and fast over USB or Ethernet.
How to confirm Large jobs over a weak wireless connection take a long time to transfer before printing starts.
- 5
Duplex printing is roughly halving throughput
What separates it Slower output with two-sided printing enabled.
How to confirm Each sheet passes through twice with a pause between, so this is expected rather than a fault.
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
Every item below stops existing the moment a reset, re-pair or settings change is made. Written down first, they are what separates the causes above; recovered afterwards, they are guesswork.
- Whether the delay is before printing starts, which points at the computer or the connection, or between pages, which points at the printer.
- The quality and paper-type settings selected.
- Whether the first page is slow and later pages are fast.
- Whether it is faster over USB or Ethernet than over Wi-Fi.
Note whether the delay is before the first page or between pages
ReversibleBefore means the computer or the connection; between means the printer itself.
Set quality to normal or draft and paper type to plain
ReversibleBoth deliberately slow the printer, and photo settings can multiply printing time several times over.
Compare over USB or Ethernet
ReversibleA large job over marginal Wi-Fi spends most of its time transferring rather than printing.
Simplify complex documents or print them as images
ReversibleTransparency effects and large embedded graphics are slow to render, which is a computer-side delay.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
Generic advice for the product line fails here. Each item below is a property of this specific model family that changes which of the steps above apply to you.
- Model scope
- 28B98A. HP printer; Instant Ink eligibility, touchscreen, duplex, ADF and Dynamic Security behavior vary by model.
- Type — refillable INK TANK all-in-one
- A cartridge-free INK TANK inkjet AIO — you refill large ink BOTTLES into onboard tanks for a very low cost per page and thousands of pages per set. It is still inkjet, so the printhead can CLOG if unused; the savings come from bottle refills, not from being clog-proof.
- Initial charging & refills
- On first setup it 'charges' the printhead using a chunk of the starter ink (normal, not waste). Refill each colour bottle into the matching tank when low; do not run tanks fully dry, which can introduce air and cause clogs.
- Connectivity
- Wi-Fi/Ethernet/USB via HP Smart; 'offline' is usually a Wi-Fi drop or wrong queue.
- Symptom boundary
- This record covers HP Smart Tank 7602 when it prints very slowly. A different symptom on the same hardware, or this symptom on a different HP product line, has its own record with its own causes and its own cited source.
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Visible sources support the visible claims. Home Product Support records the publisher, the fact used and the review date; community reports can suggest an issue but do not become a published fact on their own.
Where the manufacturer's article stops. HP Support publishes this as "HP printers - Slow printing (Windows, macOS)". HP's own device-agnostic slow-printing article. Verified reachable and title-matched via the Browser tool 2026-08-28 after direct fetch was refused. What that article does not carry is the model boundary — it is written for a product line, and 28B98A is the scope applied here. Where a control label, terminal, indicator pattern or reset sequence differs on your unit, the manual for that exact model is the authority, not this page and not the article.
Exact questions
Common follow-ups
My HP Smart Tank 7602 prints faded even though the tanks have ink.+
Ink tanks are still inkjet, so a faded or streaked print with full tanks is a printhead clog — run the clean-printhead/nozzle-check cycle (repeat if needed) from the HP Smart app. Also make sure the tanks were not run completely dry (which lets air into the lines) and that the vent caps/seals are set correctly per the setup. If a colour is still missing after cleaning, the printhead may need a deeper clean. The tank system saves money on refills but does not make it clog-proof.
It takes ages before anything comes out, then prints normally.+
That delay is the computer rendering the job rather than the printer being slow — a printer that then prints at normal speed is working fine. Complex documents, large embedded images and transparency effects are all slow to process. Printing a simpler version, or flattening the document, confirms it.
Does this answer apply to every HP model?+
No. It is scoped to 28B98A. HP printer; Instant Ink eligibility, touchscreen, duplex, ADF and Dynamic Security behavior vary by model.
What should I record before troubleshooting slow printing or takes long?+
Record the complete model identifier, exact message or indicator, software/firmware where visible, the operating stage and what still works.
Why is a factory reset not the first step?+
A reset can erase accounts, networks, maps, schedules or preferences without distinguishing slow printing, takes long. The ordered checks preserve that evidence.
When should I stop and use qualified service?+
Do not sacrifice required security or document quality without approval.
Answer for the exact device and software version shown above.