Laserjet 1320

Few small-office printers are remembered as fondly as the HP LaserJet 1320. Launched in 2005, this compact monochrome laser combined speed, sharp output and legendary reliability — a true modern classic. Its cartridge family is the HP 49A (Q5949A) in standard yield and the 49X (Q5949X) in high yield, and compatible and genuine HP cartridges both fit the machine.

The 1320's reputation was built in the least glamorous way possible: it kept working. Small offices bought it, printed heavily on it, and then — years past the point where its contemporaries were recycled — found it still on the desk producing clean pages. A printer with that installed base keeps a deep supply shelf behind it, and the 49A/49X family remains one of the easiest HP shelves to buy from: two yields, every pack size, MICR variants included.

Toner Cartridges for Laserjet 1320

Which cartridge should you buy?

The high-yield Q5949X is the 1320's value engine: it costs more per cartridge and less per page, which is the trade that matters for a printer in daily service. Owners printing lightly can stay with the standard Q5949A single and lose nothing. The dual-code 49A listings — the 2 Black and 4 Black — are standard-yield cartridges in multi-packs, handy when you want a spare without stepping up in yield. For internal documents, draft mode in the driver stretches whichever cartridge you choose noticeably further. Check printers should take the MICR version of their preferred yield from the list above.

Chip, toner and everyday use

This machine rewards one particular habit: treating cartridge swaps as a rotation, not an event. Some 1320s alternate between a regular cartridge for daily work and a MICR cartridge for check runs — if yours does, store the part-used cartridge in the box the new one came in, note which is which on the box, and keep it flat and out of bright light. When any cartridge goes in, seat it with even pressure until it settles, then print one ordinary page before the real job: a clean first page confirms the swap, and you start work knowing the printer is right.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which toner cartridge does the LaserJet 1320 use?

The Q5949A standard-yield cartridge or the Q5949X high-yield — the HP 49A and 49X. Before ordering, confirm the code printed on the cartridge currently in the machine matches the one you are buying; both fit the same bay.

How do I bring the cost per page down on a 1320?

Two levers do most of the work. The high-yield Q5949X spreads its cost across far more pages than the standard cartridge, and draft mode for internal documents stretches either cartridge further. Save full-quality settings for documents that leave the office.

Why is my 1320 printing faded or streaky pages?

Usually the cartridge is running low. Remove it and rock it gently side to side to redistribute the remaining toner, then reinstall — that often buys clean pages for a while. Fading that persists through that routine means the 1320 needs a fresh cartridge.

Is there a MICR option for check printing on the 1320?

Yes. Both yields are listed here in MICR versions — the Q5949A MICR for standard capacity and the Q5949X MICR for high yield — carrying the magnetic toner that check-processing equipment reads.

More printers that use the same cartridges

The same two cartridges keep the following machines in work:

HP Q5949A, LaserJet 1160, LaserJet 3390, LaserJet 3392, Laserjet 1160, Laserjet 1160LE, Laserjet 1320N, Laserjet 1320NW, Laserjet 1320T, Laserjet 1320TN.