CF503A magenta · standard
CF503A is a HP magenta standard cartridge rated at ~1300 pages (6.2¢/page at $80.00).
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CF503A is the standard magenta in the 202A set for the Color LaserJet Pro M254dw and the MFP M281fdw, rated at 1300 pages for around $80.00, or 6.15c for a page of magenta.
The three colours in this family are priced identically and rated identically, but they do not empty at the same rate. What you print decides which one goes first. Photographs and skin tones lean on magenta, corporate blues eat cyan, and a machine printing mostly charts may exhaust one colour while the other two are still half full. This is why buying a full set of four is usually the wrong move on these printers: you end up with shelf stock of the colours you do not use.
Buying singly has a second advantage on a printer this old. If the machine fails, unopened cartridges are money sitting on a shelf for a model that is getting harder to sell on.
HP's dynamic security notice covers the M254dw, so a compatible CF503A can stop being recognised after a firmware update rather than on the day it goes in. Timing separates the two. A cartridge refused the moment it is fitted, which then works after a reseat with the contacts wiped clean, was a contact problem. One that printed for weeks and failed the morning after the printer updated itself was not. The drum is part of this cartridge, so a magenta only defect that repeats down the page leaves when the cartridge does.
Printers that use CF503A
Frequently asked questions
Which printers use the CF503A?
2 printers in our database use the CF503A, including the HP Color LaserJet Pro M254dw and HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M281fdw.
Is the CF503A a standard or high-yield cartridge?
The CF503A is a standard-yield cartridge. Where a range also offers a high-yield XL version, it costs more upfront but prints more pages for a lower cost per page.
How many pages does the CF503A print?
The CF503A is rated at about 1300 pages. Actual yield varies with how much of each page you print.
What does the CF503A cost per page?
At a list price of $80.00 and about 1300 pages, the CF503A works out to roughly 6.2 cents per page. A reliable compatible can cost noticeably less.
Are compatible or remanufactured versions of the CF503A safe to use?
Compatible and remanufactured cartridges are third-party alternatives to the CF503A that usually cost much less. Most work well, though quality varies by seller. If your printer can receive firmware updates that block non-OEM ink, check that printer's page first.
Related cartridges
Other colors and standard or high-yield versions used in the same printers.
- CF500A black · standard
- CF500X black · XL
- CF501A cyan · standard
- CF501X cyan · XL
- CF502A yellow · standard
- CF502X yellow · XL
- CF503X magenta · XL
Guides worth reading before you buy
- HP LaserJet toner compatibility chart: which printer takes which CE, CF or W number
- Why did my printer stop accepting compatible ink after a firmware update?
- How to disable HP Dynamic Security and decline the firmware update safely
- What the chip on your ink cartridge actually does, and where it becomes a lock
- Printer will not print black because a colour cartridge is empty: what to do
Last reviewed . Compiled by MyCartridgeFinder from manufacturer cartridge finders and retailer cross reference tables, then checked against this cartridge's database record. Part number, yield and pricing come from that record, never from guesswork. See our methodology and data sources.