Once again, Polaroid asks, do you want all your smartphone photos to capture the glossy, overexposed look of old-school instant cameras? The follow-up to the 2022 Hi-Print costs $20 more than before, but what you get in return is a miniature photo frame to display your cat photos with more vintage vibes than ever.
The the new Hi-Print Here to compete with Fujifilm Instax line of printers connected to a smartphone. There are two versions of the Polaroid printer, although the one you want prints a larger 3 x 3 photo. These pictures will look different than the pictures you saw from last year’s camera Polaroid Flip. First, they are printed on Polaroid’s special printing paper, not on Polaroid’s instant film. They’re also smaller than the 4.23-by-3.48-inch photos you’ll get from the company’s instant cameras. The advantage of this device is its versatility. This $120 printer connects to your smartphone and the Polaroid Hi-Print app, where you can add stickers or templates to photos before bringing them into the real world.
The main distinguishing feature of the printer is the flip-out frame that allows you to display your latest dog shot on your shelf. This will save you from having to buy a separate frame, but the number of photos you will be printing will quickly overtake what the Hi-Print can handle. The pack comes with one of Polaroid’s Hi-Print 3 x 3 paper cartridges, allowing you to print a total of 10 photos. As always, the classic camera manufacturer claims that only its Hi-Print cartridges are compatible with its new printer. A cartridge of 30 photos costs an additional $25.
There is no bezel for the smaller and larger Hi-Print printers
Meanwhile, the Hi-Print 2 x 3 Generation 2 Pocket Photo Printer was created to compete directly with Instax and its small, wallet-friendly photos. This printer costs $110, though surprisingly it doesn’t have a frame that opens up to display your little photos in your bedroom. If you want 20 more sheets of 2 x 3 photos, you’ll have to spend an additional $17. Finally, Polaroid is bringing back its $150 4 x 6 printer for larger postcard-sized photos. This version does not include the frame. Another 80 sheets to print cost another $40 per photo.
Compared to the Instax Mini Link 3 or the larger Instax Link Wide, Polaroid’s Hi-Print 3 x 3 printer will probably look better on a shelf than stuffed into an unseen corner of your desk. The big difference is that while the Instax prints on film, the Hi-Print uses its own paper cartridges. If it can get the same distinctive Polaroid look from users’ phone photos, the new Hi-Print could offer both utility and looks in one.
It just so happens that Instax has recently introduced the latest update to its line of pastel instant cameras with the Mini 13. Fuji’s new camera should go on sale this June and will cost around $94. As for Polaroid, we’ll have to see what next cameras they might debut in 2026.
