Description
The HP 206A is the standard yield black toner cartridge for HP’s Color LaserJet Pro M255 and MFP M282 and M283 printers, sold under part number W2110A. This listing covers a single cartridge in a pack of one, and HP quotes an approximate yield of 1,350 pages. It is a consumable, not a device, and the buying decision is almost entirely about compatibility and cost per page rather than features.
Anyone reaching this page should first confirm they own one of the supported printers. Toner cartridges are not cross compatible between families, and a cartridge for a Brother machine such as the Brother TN660 or the higher yield Brother TN830XL will not physically fit an HP printer, and vice versa.
Printer Compatibility
HP gives the compatibility list twice, and the two versions differ slightly. The specification field lists HP Color LaserJet Pro M255, M255DW and Color LaserJet Pro MFP M282NW. The feature bullets give a longer list: Color LaserJet Pro M255dw and M255nw, and Color LaserJet Pro MFP M282nw, M283cdw, M283fdn and M283fdw. The longer list in the bullets is the more complete one, but the discrepancy is worth noting, and buyers with an M283 variant should confirm against their exact model number before ordering.
The 206A designation matters. HP typically offers a standard yield and a high yield version of the same cartridge, with the high yield carrying a different suffix. This listing covers the 206A standard yield only. Buyers who print heavily should check whether a higher yield option exists for their printer before defaulting to this one, since a larger cartridge usually lowers the cost per page.
Page Yield And What It Actually Means
HP states the cartridge yield at approximately 1,350 pages. Toner yields across the industry are quoted at 5 percent page coverage, which is roughly a page of ordinary text with no graphics and no heavy formatting. Real yields drop sharply with dense documents, images, tables with filled cells, or anything printed edge to edge. A buyer printing spreadsheets with shaded rows or presentations with graphics should expect meaningfully fewer pages than the quoted figure, and that is a property of the measurement standard rather than a fault of this cartridge.
Since this is the black cartridge only, it will run out at a different rate from the color cartridges in the same printer. Most documents use far more black than color, so the black cartridge is normally the one replaced most often. Buyers should budget for the three color cartridges separately.
HP’s Claims And What Backs Them
HP makes several claims about genuine cartridges on this listing and it is worth separating the ones with evidence from the ones without. The claim that genuine HP toner eliminates leaks and premature failures is a manufacturer assertion with no data attached. The claim about consistent quality, reliability and value is marketing language.
One claim does carry a citation. HP references a January 2024 Escalent study it commissioned, based on 220 interviews with HP ServiceOne Partners who had at least six months of experience servicing HP LaserJet printers with both HP original and non HP toner cartridges, conducted in the United States. That is a study of service technician opinion commissioned by the manufacturer, not an independent controlled test, and readers should weigh it accordingly. HP publishes the reference so the methodology can be checked.
HP also describes tamper resistant chips, firmware and packaging, framed as protecting the printer from malicious code and maintaining data integrity. The same chip technology is what allows a printer to identify which cartridge is installed. Separately, HP states it voluntarily designs and tests its printing systems to meet eco label emissions guidelines for office air quality.
Highlights
- Genuine HP 206A black toner, part number W2110A, one cartridge per pack.
- Approximately 1,350 page yield at the standard 5 percent coverage measurement.
- Compatible with Color LaserJet Pro M255dw and M255nw, and MFP M282nw, M283cdw, M283fdn and M283fdw.
- Tamper resistant chip, firmware and packaging per HP.
- Listed weight of 7 ounces.
- Strong customer feedback at 4.7 stars across 4,869 ratings.
Things To Consider
The specification block includes a field reading Dualsided printing: Yes, which is meaningless on a toner cartridge. Duplex printing is a property of the printer, not the consumable. That is a clear import error and a reminder that the listing data is not carefully curated.
Storage and handling are worth a line as well, since the listing does not address them. Toner is a fine powder in a sealed cartridge, and cartridges are normally stored upright, away from direct sunlight and away from heat until the moment they are installed. The listed weight of 7 ounces is light enough that shipping damage is a real possibility if the outer packaging is crushed, and a cracked cartridge will spill powder into the printer. Buyers should check the box on arrival rather than storing it unopened for months.
The listing also does not state whether an imaging drum is included in this cartridge or whether the drum is a separate consumable on these printers. That is a material question for total running cost and it should be checked against HP’s documentation for the specific printer model rather than assumed either way.
The wider consideration is cost. Genuine cartridges cost more than third party alternatives, and buyers weighing that choice should understand that printer firmware updates can affect how non HP cartridges are recognized. HP does not discuss that on this listing. What the listing does show is a strong feedback record: 4.7 stars from 4,869 ratings is a large sample and a high average, which is meaningful for a consumable where the main question is whether it works reliably. Readers can compare other options in the toner cartridges category, or look at the printers themselves in the laser printers category, including color machines like the HP LaserJet Pro M477fnw and the Xerox C325.
Who It Suits
The 206A black cartridge suits an owner of a Color LaserJet Pro M255, M282 or M283 printer who wants a genuine HP consumable, prints moderate volumes, and prefers the predictability of the manufacturer’s own supplies over cheaper alternatives. It is the correct default choice for those printers.
It is the wrong purchase for anyone who does not own one of those specific models, for high volume printing where a higher yield cartridge would lower the cost per page, and for buyers looking to replace color cartridges, since this pack contains black only.
