HP DesignJet Z9+ vs Z9+ Plus Edition: is it worth upgrading?

HP's Z9+ Plus Edition replaces the original 2018 Z9+. Here's what genuinely changed, including one new piece of hardware the old model never had.

A 44" photo and fine-art printer launched in 2018, with a 9-colour pigment ink set. Still a capable machine for its original job.

The current 44" Z9+, launched 2026. Same core ink set, with a genuinely new colour-calibration hardware addition.

A built-in spectrophotometer is the real reason to move up

colour calibration isn't a critical part of your workflow — your current Z9+ remains a capable machine, built on the same trusted ink and printhead platform as the Plus Edition.

repeatable, automated colour calibration matters for your work — photo, fine-art or proofing — where the built-in spectrophotometer removes a manual step the 2018 model never had.

Not sure if you need to upgrade?

Tell us what you're printing and we'll give you a straight answer.