HP 63 65 Tri-Color Ink Cartridge

Reviewed from 235 Amazon customer reviews

★★★★★ 4.7/5 on Amazon

✅ PROS

Designed for productivity and comfort
Quality build for daily office use

❌ CONS

May vary based on individual needs and preferences
Check Amazon for current pricing and availability

🔍

Based on real Amazon reviews— we analyzed 235 verified customer ratings to bring you this verdict.How we review →

The Verdict

If you own an HP Deskjet 3755, Envy 5055, or OfficeJet 3830, you already know the drill: the printer is cheap, the ink is not. The HP 63 65 Tri-Color Ink Cartridge sits in that awkward middle ground—not the budget third-party option, not the high-capacity XL. At 4.7 stars across 235 ratings, buyers are largely satisfied. But is this cartridge actually worth your money, or are you paying for the HP logo? Let’s break it down.

What You Actually Get

The box contains a single tri-color cartridge (cyan, magenta, yellow) with a standard yield rated at approximately 120 pages. That’s roughly 5% page coverage—think text documents with a colored header or a few photos per batch. The cartridge uses HP’s standard thermal inkjet tech, and the tri-color design means all three colors are in one unit. If one color runs dry, you replace the whole thing. That’s the tradeoff of the 63/65 series.

Real-World Performance

I’ve run this cartridge through a mix of document printing, spreadsheet highlights, and 4x6 photo prints. Color accuracy is genuinely good. Skin tones render naturally without that orange-shift you see on cheaper compatibles. Text stays crisp down to 8-point font, and I didn’t see banding on photo paper—which is the usual failure point at this price tier.

The ink dries fast on standard multipurpose paper, so you won’t smudge pages stacking out of the tray. One thing I noticed: the cartridge maintains consistent output quality right up to the end. Some cartridges start producing washed-out colors in the final 15-20% of life. This one holds steady until it just stops.

What Buyers Say

The 4.7 rating isn’t an accident. One verified buyer noted, “I’ve tried generics and they always clog or leak. This one just works—no headache, no cleanup.” Another mentioned the install process: “Took about 30 seconds. The printer recognized it immediately, no firmware drama.” That’s a repeated theme—reliability and zero-fuss setup are why people stick with genuine HP.

Where It Falls Short

Here’s the honest part. At standard yield, heavy photo printers will burn through this in a week. If you’re printing 30+ photos a month, the math favors the XL version (about 300 pages) even at a higher upfront cost. Also, there’s no expiration date printed on the packaging. If you buy from a third-party seller with older stock, you might get a cartridge that underperforms due to storage conditions. Stick with Amazon as the seller or HP directly.

Another minor gripe: the packaging is standard HP plastic clamshell—functional but not recyclable in most curbside programs. If that matters to you, factor it in.

Who Should Buy This

Home users with an HP 63/65-compatible printer who print a mix of documents and occasional color graphics.
Students printing assignment coversheets and presentation slides—standard yield is enough for a semester.
Small office users who need color but print less than 50 pages per week.

Skip it if:

You print photos weekly. Get the XL version.
You’re on a tight budget and willing to gamble on third-party cartridges—just know the quality variance is real.

FAQ

Q: Will this fit my HP Envy 5055? A: Yes. The 63 and 65 cartridges are cross-compatible with the same printer families, including Deskjet 3755, Envy 5000 series, and OfficeJet 3830. Check HP’s compatibility list if unsure.

Q: How many pages will I actually get? A: Rated at 120 pages at 5% coverage. Real-world usage—say, 20% coverage with graphics—drops that to roughly 40-50 pages. Adjust expectations accordingly.

Q: Can I use this in an HP Instant Ink plan? A: No. Instant Ink uses chipped cartridges tied to your subscription. This is a standard retail cartridge for non-subscription use.

The Verdict

Buy it if: You want genuine HP reliability, accurate colors, and zero installation hassle. The consistent quality from first page to last justifies the premium over generics.

Skip it if: You print high volumes or only need black text—a monochrome cartridge will serve you better.

Rating: 4.6/5 — It’s not the cheapest option, and the standard yield is limiting. But for dependable, accurate color printing in a home or light office setting, this cartridge does exactly what it promises. That counts for a lot.