Figure out how much fax memory you need

With ample fax memory, you’ll never miss a fax just because you run out of ink or paper.

Fax memory is a specification that is usually measured in pages. There are two ways fax memory can be useful:

Store incoming faxes

• Print faxes even if you run out of paper or ink
• Reprint a fax if a hard copy gets damaged or lost.

• If you use Fax Forwarding when on the road, you can have a safe, stored copy to print when you return to your base.

Store outgoing faxes

• Delayed Send is a feature that allows you to send documents even when you’re not around—useful to take advantage of lower nighttime phone rates or to time a message perfectly for clients working in different time zones.
• Polling is an outgoing memory feature available on all HP faxes. You can scan a document into your fax’s memory for other parties to retrieve at their convenience (for example, when their calling rates are lower).

The HP 640 is an affordable way to add faxing capabilities to your office.

An affordable machine with an estimated 100 pages of memory, the HP 1040 can store 80 speed dial numbers.

When you compare a fax machine with a memory capacity of 50 pages to one that has 300, it can be challenging to translate that to your faxing needs.

Ask yourself these questions to find the perfect fax with the right amount of memory for your business needs.

1. How often do you send and receive faxes?
If the answer is, “Only once in a while,” you might be a perfect candidate for the HP 640 with 50 pages of fax memory. It’s an entry-level machine, but has speed dialing, copying capabilities, and fax forwarding.

2. How many pages is the typical fax that you send or receive?
If you regularly send or receive documents larger than 10 pages, you will want a machine that has at least 100 pages of memory. This will safeguard you in case several faxes arrive at once, and you’re not around to receive them. The HP 1040 and HP 2150 are excellent choices in this range.

3. Are there ever exceptions to your usual faxing habits?
Even if you rarely receive oversize faxes (long contracts, legal documents, scripts, or presentations) that could tax your fax memory, stepping up a memory level can be inexpensive insurance. For instance, HP’s 3180, with 300 pages of memory, typically costs only $10 more than a machine with a 200 page capacity.¹

4. Are you ever out of your office for extended periods of time?
If you are, don’t gamble on running out of paper or ink while a transmission is printing. You could miss key communications. Splurge for a little more memory.

5. Do you live in an area prone to large storms or power outages?
If you live somewhere that experiences frequent power outages, you might want to consider the HP 3180 fax, a color fax that features “permanent memory.” This means that, once a document has been received, it is stored in the machine’s memory and stays there securely, even if the power is shut off.

Choose a dedicated fax machine using a helpful Fax comparison chart to see HP’s offerings lined up beside one another. Near the middle of the chart, you’ll find a row labeled “Fax memory.”