Brother MFC-7840W Laser Multifunction Center by Brother Printer
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Digital camera reviews of Brother MFC-7840W Laser Multifunction Center
Digital camera Review: All-In-One printer does what it has to
Summary: 4 Stars
The Brother MFC-7840W is really a great printer and since it is built by Brother, I wasn't worried about the expectations.
Design:
The design of the printer is great, it is labeled as "compact" but it really isn't THAT small, though since it is an all-in-one I guess there is no way for it to become smaller. The black and grey color scheme really make it looks much more appealing and sitting in my office, it is not an eye sore.
Function:
-Printing: it is standard black and white laser printing, fast and clean, all my prints come out very clear, blacks will be pure black and the way it prints greys is good enough.
-Faxing: i connected my fax line into the printer and setting up was a breeze, I did a test run and there really were no problems here, works as a regular fax machine and that's all i need.
-Scanning: you are given the option through the software on your computer of scanning with different settings(image, OCR, e-mail, file). i haven't tried the OCR feature yet. one thing is that the scanner can be very slow sometimes, depending on your settings(which can be modified). in the end, the outcome was good.
-Copying: this function works fine, works just like any other copy machine out there.
-Wireless: this part can always be a problem since it is a feature that is still in development with most companies. but it seems like Brother really did a great job in making the wireless function easy to use and easy to install. all i had to do was install the software included with the printer on each of the computers in my household, i even have a mac to test out the mac software. the software does everything for you, and once the install is finished, you are ready to use the printer wirelessly.
My Thoughts:
I really enjoy the wireless function, currently the printer is connected to nothing, just the power supply to keep it on, i have 3 computers around the house and they are all connected through it wirelessly, it really is amazing. when scanning a document or image, you can scan it straight from the machine and send the scanned file directly to a certain computer by selecting it on the printer, i though that was cool. i really like the custom scanning features which allow you to scan at different resolutions, colors, and sizes. the big paper tray makes me not worry about running out of paper.
Pros:
-great design
-fast printing/copying
-high-quality prints
-fax, scan, and copy work efficiently
-wireless function easy to setup and use
Cons;
-slow scanning @ different settings
-printer size is to big to be labeled "compact"
-only includes starter toner
Digital camera Review: An excellent purchase!
Summary: 5 Stars
- Connects to your network either by wire or wireless
- Can print from any computer on the network (minimal software install)
- Can copy
- Can scan and send the scanned file to a specific computer (full software install)
- Can send and receive faxes ... including from computer
All for $250! Unbelievable!!
Set up of the printer on the my wireless network which is WEP took <15 minutes. Additional 30 minutes for setup on one laptop with all software. Additional 10 minutes each to set up my other computers, where I just used "Add a Network Printer ..." wizard and put the CD in for picking up the driver. So far, I have not tested the FAX function.
I have not noticed any power glitches/problems as others have mentioned, but I did place this printer in a dedicated wall socket across from other things just in case.
Digital camera Review: An improvement but still some very irritating features.
Summary: 3 Stars
The printer is supposed to offer four major features. Printing, Scanning, Copying and Faxing.
Let's start with the good. The scanning is a great process, the speed depends on the dpi you're scanning it and the whole process is fairly simple. You can scan a seven page document in poor-yet-readable quality in about less than a minute. I find this phenomenal. Faxes usually come in worse quality so it's fair to say I'd give the scanner a full five because there are a thousand options there. One ethernet cable, one phone line cable and one power cable plugs to the back.
The process of installing a cartridge for the printer's ink is particularly cumbersome. The plastic in the front can be difficult to close especially if your printer doesn't have a lot of space around it and is fitted into a compartment. At my work, they promote usage of generic ink cartridge which really only worsens things. A strong recommendation is to buy original toner etc and pay $10 more.
Copying is fair, it could be faster and a little more accurate. The build quality of this printer is rather good when you compare it with the older Brother.
Printing is not fast at all. Often pages come out half printed and the printer jumbles stuff up. This mostly happen if the printer is connected with three computers and you are printing eight sheets each on every single computer. The printing aspect is this printer's low point. While good for home-office use, this printer is not good for use in an office that requires constant printing. Say 200 pages a day, this printer doesn't meet the demand. The sleep feature is a headache. Let me not even explain that.
Sending faxes is a dying art so it really doesn't matter that much but I always close my eyes and cross my fingers when I'm supposed to send a fax to our other offices.
Overall, while this printer is an improvement I wish it was a more efficient, a more faster printer. We have two of these at our work place and the one which is used less, never gives a problem while the one in constant use is really bothersome.
Consider your options before purchasing. Good value for money but the printer's far from perfect.
Digital camera Review: As expected, a good value for good functionality.
Summary: 5 Stars
I set it up myself using the instruction guide, and all the functions I've used so far have been great (printing from upstairs is still novel). Of course, this is in comparison to the piece of junk I was using before, so I am probably very biased. I'm happy with the purchase and recommend to friends & family.
The only thing I don't like is that the default mode on the scanner/copier is for fax, when I don't use that feature. I don't know yet if I can change the default to copy. As it is, you have to press the "copy" button to change.
Digital camera Review: As good as they come.
Summary: 5 Stars
This printer works great. I had needed a printer with fax/scan/copy and wireless capabilities because I live in a pretty small house and wouldn't have so much room for all these various devices and it needed to be wireless because I don't have enough room for it next to the computer so I had to choose a different location, but this machine here does everything I wanted for it to do.
Setup took about 5 minutes, which includes connecting it wirelessly to my WPA secured router which isn't configured to broadcast an SSID. It was a breeze. Instruction manual seemed just fine. No problems installing the drivers. Packaging when it came in was clean. I've successfully been able to use the drivers on Vista 32-bit, Vista 64-bit, and Server 2003 (even though it's not listed for support). I couldn't have asked for a better product.