Honeywell Hyperion 1300g 1D Barcode Scanner: Specs and Buying Guide
There is exactly one question that decides whether this scanner is right for you, and it is not price, ruggedness or speed. It is whether every barcode you will ever need to scan is a linear one.
The Honeywell Hyperion 1300g is a corded handheld 1D linear imager weighing 0.4 lbs, connecting over USB and presenting itself to the host as a keyboard so it works without drivers on most systems. It is supplied here as part 1300G-1, refurbished and function-tested. It reads linear barcodes extremely well and it cannot read QR codes, DataMatrix or anything else two-dimensional at all.
1D or 2D: settle this first
A 1D scanner reads the striped linear barcodes printed on cartons, shelf edges, product packaging and documents. That covers an enormous amount of everyday retail and warehouse work, and for that work a good 1D imager is faster to aim and cheaper to buy than a 2D unit.
It cannot read two-dimensional symbols. Not slowly, not sometimes: the hardware does not see them. That matters if any of the following are in your future rather than your present:
Codes on phone screens. Mobile coupons, loyalty cards, digital tickets and click-and-collect confirmations are almost always QR. A 1D imager reads none of them, and screen scanning also needs an imager tuned for illuminated displays.
DataMatrix on small items. Component-level marking, medical device labelling and anything serialised increasingly uses DataMatrix because it fits where a linear code will not.
PDF417. The stacked symbol on driving licences and many identity documents, used for age verification and form auto-fill.
GS1 DataMatrix in healthcare and pharmacy. Widely mandated for medicine packs.
If none of those apply and none are coming, a 1D imager is the correct, cheaper choice and you are not compromising. If any of them apply, buy 2D now; retrofitting a fleet later costs far more than the difference today. Our barcode symbologies explained guide covers which codes are which, and the barcode scanner buying guide compares the classes.
Honeywell Hyperion 1300g specifications
| Part Number | 1300G-1 |
| Manufacturer | Honeywell |
| Product Family | Hyperion |
| Product Type | Corded Barcode Scanner |
| Imaging Technology | 1D Linear Imager |
| Form Factor | Handheld |
| Connectivity | USB |
| Weight | 0.4 lbs |
| Condition | Refurbished, function-tested |
| Warranty | 30-day Tech Seller USA warranty |
Linear imager, not laser: why that matters
Older 1D scanners used a laser and a moving mirror to sweep a beam across the barcode. A linear imager instead takes a picture of the code with a sensor and decodes it, the same way a camera works.
The practical differences favour the imager on every count that affects an operation.
No moving parts. The oscillating mirror in a laser scanner is the thing that eventually fails, usually after being dropped. An imager has nothing to shake loose, which is why imagers survive longer in the same environment.
Better on damaged and poorly printed codes. A laser needs a clean sweep across clean bars. An imager captures the whole symbol and can decode around scuffs, creases, low contrast and partially worn printing. In a receiving bay where cartons arrive scraped and rained on, this is the difference between a scan and a manual keyboard entry.
No orientation fuss on skewed codes. Imagers tolerate more angle before they stop reading.
The one thing a laser still does better is very long range on a well-printed code, which is why high-bay warehouse work uses extended-range devices rather than a general-purpose handheld. See barcode scanner depth of field and range.
SKU: 1300G-1 | Refurbished & function-tested | USB keyboard wedge | 30-day warranty
View Details & Request a Quote →Keyboard wedge: why installation takes ninety seconds
The scanner connects by USB and presents itself to the computer as a keyboard. When it decodes a barcode it types the characters, exactly as if someone had entered them, usually followed by an Enter.
That is the whole reason corded scanners are so easy to deploy. There is no driver to install, no software to configure and no integration work. Any application with a text field accepts it: a POS, a spreadsheet, a stock system, a browser form, a legacy terminal emulator. Click into the field, scan, and the data appears.
Two practical points follow. The cursor must be in the right field before scanning, which is obvious but accounts for most reported faults on new deployments. And because the scanner types, you can configure prefixes, suffixes and the terminating character to suit the application, which is how you stop a scan submitting a form too early or landing in the wrong box.
Configuration is done by scanning programming barcodes from a manual rather than through software, which is worth knowing because the manual is the tool you need and is easily lost. Our barcode scanner configuration guide covers the common settings, and scanner interfaces: keyboard wedge, USB and serial explains the alternatives.
Where a corded 1D scanner still wins
Fixed workstations. Retail counters, service desks, dispensaries, goods-in benches, and anywhere the operator stands in one place. A corded scanner never needs charging, never gets misplaced and never loses pairing, which are three failure modes a cordless unit brings with it.
Stockrooms and inventory counts where the codes are printed linear barcodes on shelf edges and cartons.
Document and form handling where a linear code identifies a job, a patient record or a case file.
Adding a station without changing anything. Because it types, no host change is needed. A new till position or a second receiving bench is a plug-in job.
It is the wrong choice where operators move around, where any 2D code is in scope, or where codes are read from screens. For moving work, see enterprise mobile computers compared.
Buying a refurbished scanner: three things to check
Handheld scanners refurbish very well. They have few moving parts, the electronics rarely degrade, and the housing is built for a working life measured in years. Three things do wear.
The scan window. A scratched or hazed window degrades reading on damaged, low-contrast or poorly printed codes long before it affects clean ones. That means it passes a quick test on a clean barcode and then frustrates operators on real stock. Ask about window condition specifically.
The cable. Corded scanners fail at the cable more than anywhere else, usually at the strain relief where it leaves the handle. Check whether the cable is included, what interface it terminates in, and what condition it is in. On many scanners the cable is detachable and replaceable, which is worth knowing before you scrap a working unit.
What is in the box. Stand, cable and manual are commonly missing from refurbished listings across this market. A counter deployment without a stand means the scanner lives on the counter surface and gets knocked off.
We function-test every unit and will tell you plainly what is included. Our guide on refurbished grading terms covers what this market's condition language means, and barcode not scanning: troubleshooting covers diagnosing read failures.
Ordering
We supply the 1300G-1 refurbished and function-tested with a 30-day warranty, as single units or in quantity. Send us a sample of the barcodes you need to read, confirm whether any are 2D or on screens, and tell us which application receives the data, and we will confirm the scanner suits before quoting. Browse our Honeywell range or the full printers and scanners catalogue.
Common questions
Can the Hyperion 1300g read QR codes?
No. It is a 1D linear imager and cannot read any two-dimensional symbol, including QR, DataMatrix and PDF417. If you need to scan phone screens, driving licences, GS1 DataMatrix on medicine packs or component-level marking, you need a 2D scanner instead.
Does it need drivers or software?
No. It connects by USB and presents as a keyboard, so it types the decoded barcode into whatever field the cursor is in. Any application with a text box accepts it, including POS systems, spreadsheets, browser forms and terminal emulators.
What is the difference between a linear imager and a laser scanner?
A laser sweeps a beam using a moving mirror; an imager photographs the code and decodes it. The imager has no moving parts to fail, reads damaged, creased and low-contrast codes far better, and tolerates more angle. A laser still reaches further on a clean, well-printed code.
How do I change settings like the suffix or prefix?
By scanning programming barcodes from the configuration manual rather than through software. That makes the manual the tool you need, and it is easily lost, so keep a copy. Prefixes, suffixes and the terminating character are what stop a scan submitting a form early or landing in the wrong field.
What should I check on a refurbished scanner?
Scan window condition, since scratches degrade reads on damaged or low-contrast codes while still passing a clean test. The cable, which is where corded scanners usually fail, and whether it is included and detachable. And whether a stand and manual are in the box.
Send us a sample of your barcodes and confirm whether any are 2D or read from screens, and we will tell you straight whether this scanner fits.
