Polaroid Hi-Print 2x3 Generation 2 review
Polaroid-branded, and not Polaroid film. That one fact explains most of the disappointment and most of the appeal.
The Polaroid Hi-Print 2x3 Generation 2 is a dye-sublimation printer making 2 x 3 inch prints at about 85 cents each — not Polaroid instant film, which makes a 4.2 x 3.5 inch print at about $2.37. The printer is $109.99 listed, or $119.99 as a starter set with a cartridge.
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1. Verdict: good printer, confusing name
Polaroid Hi-Print 2x3 Generation 2
Better color than ZINK at a third of Polaroid film's cost — as long as you know it is not that film.
- Buy it for
- Someone who wants Polaroid branding and a technically good small print.
- Skip it if
- Anyone expecting the white-framed 4.2 x 3.5 inch Polaroid photograph. This does not produce one.
- **Dye sublimation**, so noticeably better color and durability than ZINK.
- About **85 cents a print** — a 20-sheet cartridge is $16.99 — against about $2.37 for real Polaroid i-Type film.
- **$109.99** for the printer, or **$119.99** for the starter set with a cartridge included, which is close to free media.
- A 2 x 3 inch print, slightly larger than an instax mini.
Running cost: Polaroid Hi-Print 2 x 3 works out at $0.85 a shot, so a hundred photographs in the first year puts the real total at about $194.94 including the camera. See every format’s cost.
How it scores7.6/10 overall
- Print quality8
- Cost per print6
- Starter-set value9
- Specification transparency4
- Name clarity2
Our editorial scoring, built from published specifications and reviews by outlets that test hardware — see how we pick. We have not handled these products, so these are not test results.
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What it actually is
A competent dye-sublimation pocket printer with a Polaroid badge. It takes a cartridge containing both ribbon and paper, transfers color in passes, and produces a finished 2 x 3 inch print. Technically it sits above ZINK and below Kodak's 4PASS on cost, and roughly level with Kodak on quality.
Judged as that — rather than as a route to the famous print — it is a reasonable purchase, and the starter-set pricing is genuinely good value.
Specifications
| Media | Polaroid Hi-Print 2x3 Gen 2 paper cartridge, 20 sheets |
|---|---|
| Print size | 2 x 3 in |
| Print technology | Dye sublimation |
| Phone printing | Yes, via the Polaroid app |
| Power | Rechargeable |
| Printer price | $109.99 |
| Starter set | $119.99 — printer plus a paper cartridge |
| Travel set | $139.99 — printer, cartridge and case |
| Cartridge price | $16.99 for 20 sheets |
What it costs to run
A 20-sheet Gen 2 cartridge was $16.99 from Polaroid directly on 13 October 2026 — about 85 cents a print. That is identical to instax mini film and twice a Kodak 4PASS print.
| Format | Print size | Pack | Pack price | Cost per shot | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kodak 4PASS 2.1 x 3.4 | 2.1 x 3.4 in | 60 | $24.99 | $0.42 | Kodak Photo Printer store |
| ZINK 2 x 3 | 2 x 3 in | 20 | $11.99 | $0.60 | ProCam |
| Polaroid Hi-Print 2 x 3 | 2 x 3 in | 20 | $16.99 | $0.85 | Polaroid |
| instax mini | 2.4 x 1.8 in (62 x 46 mm) | 20 | $16.99 | $0.85 | Pro Photo Supply |
| Polaroid i-Type | 4.2 x 3.5 in (107 x 88 mm) | 8 | $18.99 | $2.37 | Polaroid |
The comparison that flatters it most is against real Polaroid film: 85 cents against about $2.37. If someone wants Polaroid-branded prints and is price-sensitive, the Hi-Print is roughly a third of the cost per picture of the camera route — which is a legitimate reason to buy it.
What it is good at
- Print quality above ZINK. Dye-sublimation gives better color accuracy and more fade resistance than any ZINK printer.
- Starter-set pricing. $119.99 for printer plus cartridge against $109.99 for the printer alone is $10 for 20 prints — effectively half-price media on the first cartridge.
- Buying direct. Polaroid sells the cartridges itself, so there is a reliable first-party supply.
- A slightly larger print than instax mini, at 2 x 3 inches against 2.4 x 1.8, for the same cost per print.
Where it falls short
- The name. The single biggest problem with this product is that a significant share of buyers want Polaroid film and think this makes it. That is not the printer's fault and it is still the main reason people are disappointed by it.
- 85 cents a print. Twice the Kodak Mini 2 Retro for a similar-quality, slightly smaller print.
- Almost no published specifications. No print time, resolution, battery life or weight. For a $109.99 product that is hard to defend.
- Cartridges are a Polaroid-store or online purchase, not a high-street one.
- 20-sheet cartridges. Small units, which is exactly why the per-print cost is double Kodak's 60-print cartridges.
Alternatives
| Polaroid Hi-Print 2x3 Generation 2 | Kodak Mini 2 Retro | Fujifilm instax mini Link 3 | Canon IVY 2 Mini | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Film or media | Polaroid Hi-Print 2 x 3 | Kodak 4PASS 2.1 x 3.4 | instax mini | ZINK 2 x 3 |
| Print size | 2 x 3 in | 2.1 x 3.4 in | 2.4 x 1.8 in (62 x 46 mm) | 2 x 3 in |
| Cost per shot | $0.85 | $0.42 | $0.85 | $0.60 |
| Shots per pack | 20 per $16.99 pack | 60 per $24.99 pack | 20 per $16.99 pack | 20 per $11.99 pack |
| Rough first-year cost | $194.94 at 100 shots | $139.97 at 100 shots | $201.94 at 100 shots | $189.94 at 100 shots |
| Power | Rechargeable | Rechargeable | Built-in rechargeable battery | Built-in rechargeable battery |
| Prints from a phone? | Yes — that is what it does | Yes — that is what it does | Yes — that is what it does | Yes — that is what it does |
| Flash | n/a — printer | n/a — printer | n/a — printer | n/a — printer |
| Selfie mirror | n/a — printer | n/a — printer | n/a — printer | n/a — printer |
| Easy for a beginner? | Very — it is an app and a button | Very — it is an app and a button | Very — it is an app and a button | Very — it is an app and a button |
| Best for | Polaroid's pocket printer, and a different thing from Polaroid film: dye-sublimation 2 x 3 prints at 85 cents, not instant film at $2.37. | The cheapest running cost of any pocket printer we verified: 42 cents a print, dry, laminated and not sticky. Bundles usually include film. | Prints the photos already on a phone onto real instax mini film. The right gift for someone whose camera roll is full and whose walls are empty. | A ZINK printer the size of a stack of cards. Prints in about 50 seconds and runs about 60 cents a print — the cheapest way into phone printing. |
- [Kodak Mini 2 Retro](/photo-printers/kodak-mini-2-retro-review) — the same print technology, a larger print, half the cost, and fully specified. On the numbers it is simply the better buy.
- [instax mini Link 3](/photo-printers/instax-mini-link-3-review) — identical cost per print, real instant film, far better documented, film in supermarkets.
- [Canon IVY 2 Mini](/photo-printers/canon-ivy-2-mini-review) — cheaper prints at about 60 cents, peel-and-stick, lower color accuracy.
- [Polaroid Now Generation 3](/instant-cameras/polaroid-now-gen-3-review) — if the famous print is what you actually want, this is the product, at about $2.37 a shot.
Who should buy it
Buy the Hi-Print if you want Polaroid branding, better-than-ZINK prints, and the starter set's bundled cartridge. It is a decent printer and the $119.99 set is the version to buy.
Buy a Kodak Mini 2 Retro instead if you are choosing on merit: a bigger print, half the cost, and published specifications. And if the real Polaroid photograph is the goal, buy a Polaroid camera, because no printer makes that print.
Questions people ask
Does the Polaroid Hi-Print use real Polaroid film?
No. It is a dye-sublimation printer using Hi-Print 2x3 paper cartridges at $16.99 for 20 sheets, about 85 cents a print. Real Polaroid instant film makes a 4.2 x 3.5 inch print, develops over 10 to 15 minutes, and costs about $2.37 a shot from a Polaroid camera.
How much does Polaroid Hi-Print paper cost?
A 20-sheet Generation 2 cartridge was $16.99 from Polaroid on 13 October 2026 — about 85 cents a print. The starter set at $119.99 includes a cartridge, which is $10 over the $109.99 printer-only price and the better way to buy it.
Is the Polaroid Hi-Print good?
It is a competent dye-sublimation printer with better color than ZINK. It is poor value against the Kodak Mini 2 Retro, which uses the same technology for about 42 cents a print on a larger sheet and publishes full specifications where Polaroid publishes almost none.
What size are Polaroid Hi-Print photos?
2 x 3 inches — slightly larger than an instax mini print at 2.4 x 1.8 inches, and considerably smaller than a real Polaroid photograph at 4.2 x 3.5 inches.
How many prints per charge does the Hi-Print do?
Polaroid does not publish a figure for this printer, and we have not estimated one. Print time, resolution, charge time, dimensions and weight are also unstated on Polaroid's own pages — which is a real drawback when comparing it against printers that do publish them.
Read these next
instax mini Link 3 vs Polaroid Hi-Print
Same cost per print, two very different prints.
Kodak Mini 2 Retro review
The same technology, half the cost.
Best Polaroid cameras
If the famous print is what you want.
What Polaroid film costs per shot
The $2.37 figure this printer is cheaper than.
ZINK vs instax
Where dye-sublimation fits between the two.
Sources
- Polaroid — Hi-Print 2x3 range — Printer $109.99, starter set $119.99, 20-sheet cartridge $16.99, 13 October 2026
- Polaroid — Color i-Type film — $18.99 for 8 photos, for comparison with Hi-Print's cost per print
- Kodak — 4PASS cartridges — Cartridge sizes and prices, 13 October 2026
- ProCam — Canon 2x3 ZINK paper, 20 sheets — $11.99 on 13 October 2026
- Pro Photo Supply — instax mini film, 20 exposures — $16.99 on 13 October 2026
- Fujifilm instax mini Link 3 specifications — Manufacturer specification page, 13 October 2026
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