As an all-in-one printer, scanner and copier with built-in Wi-Fi functionality to make it easy to print wirelessly, HP's C6380 is a compelling product. But while it does the core functions so well, it seems to do it all at a high price - and with some unnecessary noise.

You may not mind the fact that there are no faxing capabilities here, which wouldn't be a bad thing, considering that its absence may have played a small role in the nice form factor the HP C6380 has. This isn't a brooding printer/scanner/copier, so finding a nook for this thing shouldn't be all that difficult. You can connect to it through a wired Ethernet connection or go wireless with Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) by connecting it to your home network. There's also an option for Bluetooth connectivity, but that requires a separate adapter. And finally, you get the obligatory memory card slots (SD, Memory Stick, Compact Flash, XD) in the front.

The 2.4" LCD display on the front is the centrepiece of the whole setup and it works admirably well at explaining everything. Bearing in mind that connecting to a home network is a little more complicated than it really needs to be, the C6380 doesn't lose its connection and is pretty responsive in a wireless network.

Now as far as printing goes, the C6380 is actually pretty quick and accurate, which is an impressive mix. It can spit out a standard 8.5x11 borderless photo in under two minutes. Colours are vibrant, smooth, textured and without any major imperfections. Equally impressive is the quick response time between selecting print on your computer and when the unit actually starts printing the page. The thing was so quiet, I wasn't even sure it was actually printing at first. But once it was finished, it roared into this sound sequence of parts moving back and forth. Printers usually do that to clean print heads and align cartridges, but this was the complete opposite of the serene performance just minutes before. I wasn't sure if something was about to break in it, and I can see how some consumers would be thrown off by hearing all that noise.

As good as the C6380 is in all its functions, there's a price to be paid for those vibrant colours and fast times: ink, ink and more ink. Although there are five separate cartridges in the unit, they don't tend to last long if you're in the habit of printing even a moderate level of photos. And the problem is that the ink isn't cheap. At $14.99 per cartridge, it could easily run you $75 to refill it each time, which is definitely not good if you have to do so often.

Ultimately, you can go for the C6380 if you're more of an occasional printer but you value having a scanner and copier, as well as great quality and performance (despite the weird noise). But if you like printing photos and graphics and tend to go through some trial-and-error when doing it, this one probably isn't for you.