Swiss-army printing: 3 MFDs tested
They can print, copy, scan, and fax but can they open tins? We put multifunction devices to the test and find out.
In this feature we look at three multifunctional devices (MFDs), intended to suit a small team of six to eight people. The Brother MFC-8840D, the Samsung SCX-4216F, and the Sharp ARM155.
We invited vendors including HP, Canon, and Fuji-Xerox who all have MFDs that would have suited, but each said they wouldn't submit because they have new MFDs coming out, or couldn't get a product to us in time. One vendor even told us that they are pushing colour MFDs so decided not to part take in the review.
We believe there is a strong demand for MFDs that can print at 20ppm in mono and scan in colour. These small, low-volume devices are mainly purchased by small business but there are situations where a company will have a small number of staff in remote and confined offices where these devices will come in really handy.
Most of the time staff don't need to print in colour so there wouldn't be a necessity to buy a colour-capable MFD. Printing in colour is also still quite expensive -- around 15 cents per page. Management would be able to stop worrying about staff abusing colour prints and wasting money.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Besides the obvious advantages in buying a single product, such as reducing your capital expenditure and saving space; MFDs can reduce the time it would normally take to do the same thing using four different devices. A single device will also use less power than four devices.
However there are disadvantages to using MFD devices including long print queues, but the biggest problem occurs when the device breaks down and requires repairs. This will mean you will be left without a printer, copier, scanner, and fax. Be sure to ask the manufacturer what their turnaround times are for repairs and whether they will leave you with a loan device.
MFDs are mainly connected via a NIC, USB, or parallel port. We are also starting to see wireless and bluetooth capabilities built into the MFDs. Some of these MFDs ship with duplexes like the Brother in this review. And with additional paper trays some of them can house up to 1000 A4- sized pages.
The printing resolutions of these devices are just as high as you would find on any standard standalone laser printer.
The most common printing resolution was 600 x 600 dpi, which is more than enough, especially if you're only printing text documents. The optical scanning resolution for these was 600 x 2400dpi. It's a little on the low side compared to standalone scanners but they can interpolate resolutions of up to 9600 x 9600 in dpi.
With our scanner tests we generated a 97MB file when we scanned a full-colour A4 page at 600 x 600. Scanning the page at 9600 x 9600 means we would get a 24GB file. Word of warning: it's going to take you quite a while to scan photos at that resolution; you're also going to want a fast PC if you're playing around with these sorts of file sizes.
Faxing
Faxes can be sent directly from the ADF or scanner glass as well as from your PC. The devices here are only able to fax in greyscale; colour faxing can be found on the more expensive models.
Transmission speeds are still at 33.6kbps and using Super 3G an A4 page with five percent cover coverage can be sent in around two seconds.
Super 3G is an advanced image data compression and transmission protocol for fax machines organised by CCITT (Consultative Committee for International Telephony and Telegraphy).
Some of the more common features you will find on a fax are speed dialling, which allows users to save frequently dialled numbers into memory; and broadcasting which allows you to send the same fax document to multiple fax numbers. If this is important to you check with the vendor -- the number of locations you can send the same fax to can vary between devices.
Toner cartridges/ Drums
Toner cartridges can be fairly inexpensive to replace for these units but they don't last very long. You really shouldn't be looking at these if you're planning on printing thousands of pages per month. This is not to say that they wouldn't be able to print thousands of pages per month, but it simply won't be a cost effective-solution.
For this review we didn't test the life of each of the respective toner cartridges, however each vendor gave us an indication of the sort of toner life we can expect from their devices.
Samsung claims that you should be able to print 1000 thousand pages with the starter toner and 3000 with the standard toner while Brother claims you should do 3500 pages on the standard toner and 6700 on the high-yield toner, which isn't too bad. Sharp offered the best toner and drum life; 8000 for toner and 20,000 for the drum.
With all these devices you should be able to install and replace the toner and drum yourself as they are quite user friendly.
Software
All the devices shipped with Windows drivers and proprietary software, so you can scan, print, and fax from your desktop. Installation of the software was very easy with most of them up and running in less than two minutes. Some vendors bundle additional software like OCR software and MFD network management software.
Button layout/control panel
Many multifunctional devices can be tricky to use. They tend to have a lot of buttons which are small and hard to read. It's very important to find a multifunctional device that has a good interface with large buttons indicating copy, scan, and fax. It should also minimise any PC interaction. The LCD panels tested here mainly use a 2 x 16 cell display which can't display much information. Some of the larger multifunctional devices have LCD touch panels with animated guides, which are more helpful.
The Brother MFC-8840D was the only MFD to feature a duplexing unit. The Brother can print at 20ppm in monochrome. It copies and faxes in monochrome and can also scan in colour.
The Brother uses a five-line LCD and provided the most information and was the easiest to read.
It had a large numeric keypad, large distinct fax, copy, and scan buttons and smaller blue start and red stop buttons. It also had 20 one-touch keys which gives you instant access to previously stored fax numbers.
The Brother was equipped with a 250-page paper tray. You can double its capacity by adding another 250-page paper tray.
Set up was straightforward, all we had to do is plug the USB cable to our test machine and run the driver disk. After a reboot we were able to use the MFD. The Brother comes with a good suite of software. Included was ScanSoft, PaperPort, OmniPage OCR, as well as a Network utility.
The Brother was fastest printing -- it was the fastest at scanning in greyscale and colour and produced the best quality printouts. Copy speeds were good as well our only note was the output was a little light. Even when we increased the contrast to its maximum it was still light when compared to some of the other MFDs.
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The Samsung SCX-4216 was the least expensive device tested at only AU$499. It prints, copies, and faxes in monochrome and scans in colour.
The Samsung is capable of printing 16ppm only the Sharp was slower. Its printing resolution was 600 x 600 in dpi; it has a maximum 250-page paper capacity and can only hold a maximum of 8MB of memory.
It doesn't offer Wireless or LAN as an option either. It doesn't do much in the way of expandability and that's why the price of this unit is so low.
The control panel was well laid out with a few less buttons than the Brother mainly because it didn't have any speed dial buttons. The Samsung had single copy/fax and no scan button. Scanning was only available from a PC. It also had a small numeric keypad and in the centre was a two-line monochrome LCD.
Someone with very basic IT skills can get this device up and running in no time. Like the Brother as soon as we plugged the device to our test machine Windows automatically detected it. We ran the driver disk, rebooted the machine and were able to start using the device.
The print quality on the Samsung wasn't too bad when it came to printing text only. Its average print speed was a little disappointing, but we didn't expect it to break any records.
Compared to the others, it had less memory. Its first page was a bit slow but only marginally behind the others. When scanning however, it did take the longest.
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The Sharp ARM-155 was the most expensive unit priced at a whopping AU$2895.
Interestingly the government can enjoy a discount and only has to pay AU$1597, which is more like it.
It's not really easy to see why it's worth so much. Its print speed is very low at 15ppm. However, it is more flexible and scalable than the others in this test.
It's equipped with the most memory -- 64MB, with the possibility of increasing to 320MB. You can attach an additional paper tray which will push your paper capacity to 550 pages.
It comes with a built in network card and also has options for both Wireless and Bluetooth conectivity.
Setup was easy, we used the USB port to install the device and after we had finished our testing we re-connected the printer to our local LAN.
This was just as easy thanks to the simple control panel. The control panel is very clean, buttons are nicely labelled and the navigation is excellent.
The Sharp was a little clunky during printing, as well as slow. Its print quality was excellent with ultra sharp text. It also performed quite well in copying and scanning tests.
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Ricoh has been known to make some of the best MFDs around and have just come out with the 3224C, which prints 24ppm in monochrome and 10ppm in colour.
It's ideal for a mid-sized workgroup that would occasionally need to print in colour. It also copies, scans, and faxes in colour.
We didn't include this device as part of the main feature as it can't be directly compared to the other devices in the main feature.
The Ricoh device is a serious office MFD -- your office workhorse more like. It scales better and it also prints in colour which none of the others could.
This device is going to set you back some AU$11,330 for the base model. Toners are good for around 25,000 pages at five percent coverage for black and 17,000 at 15 percent coverage for colour. Your running costs will vary depending on your service contract and the number of pages you print per month.
Some of the main features of this device include:
- Large Touchscreen LCD
- 768MB memory/40GB HDD
- Max paper capacity of 2600 A4 pages
- Shift tray with sorting function
- Duplexer
- LAN/Wireless/Bluetooth
- Windows and HDD Authentication
Reviewed model was AU$14,190 inc. GST featuring 2 x 500 sheet paper bank, auto duplex unit, bypass tray, and interchange unit, Wireless LAN (IEEE 80211b Interface kit type H).
For more information see www.ricoh.com.au or ring 1800 181 002. We will be doing a feature on larger corporate MFDs later in the year. Specifications
| Product name | Brother MFC-8840D | Samsung SCX-4216F | Sharp ARM155 |
| Vendor | Brother | Samsung | Sharp Direct |
| List price (inc GST) | AU$1199 | AU$499 | RRP AU$2895 GOV AU$1597 |
| Phone | 02 9887 4344 | 1300 369 600 | 03 9645 8555 |
| Web site | www.brother.com.au | www.samsung.com.au | www.sharpdirect.com.au |
| Warranty | 2 years RTB | 2 years RTB | 6 months |
| Facsimile | |||
| Modem speed | 33.600bps | 33.600bps | 33.600bps |
| Colour faxing | No | No | No |
| Print colour/mono | Mono | Mono | Mono |
| Printing resolution (DPI) | 2400x600 | 600x600 | 600x600 |
| Printing speed (PPM) | 20 | 16 | 15 |
| Emulation (PCL, PS) | PCL, PScript | SPL | PCL 6/5e, PScript |
| Memory standard/maximum (MB) | 32/160 | 8/8 | 64/320 |
| Paper sizes supported (A3, A4) | Letter, A4, Legal | Letter, A4, Legal | Letter, A4, Legal |
| Paper capacity (A4) standard and optional | 250/250 | 250/No Options | 300/550 |
| Copier | |||
| Copier colour/mono | Mono | Mono | Mono |
| Copying resolution (DPI) | 1200x600 | 600x600 | 600x600 |
| Scanner | |||
| Scan colour/mono | Colour/Mono | Colour/Mono | Colour/Mono |
| Optical resolution (DPI) | 600x2400 | 600x600 | 600x1200 |
| Scan to e-mail | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Consumables | |||
| Cost of high-capacity black ink cartridge RRP (inc GST) | AU$112 | AU$119 | AU$127 |
| Manufacturer's est A4 pages. Black toner life: 5 percent coverage | 6700 | 3000 | 8000 |
| Cost of drum RRP (inc GST) | AU$202 | N/A | AU$73 |
| Manufacturer's est A4 pages. Black toner life: 5 percent coverage | 20,000 | N/A | 20,000 |
| Networking | |||
| Wirless | Optional (AU$249) | No | Optional |
| Bluetooth | No | No | Optional |
| 10/100 NIC | Optional (AU$299) | No | Yes |
| USB/ Parallel/CF | Yes/Yes/No | Yes/Yes/No | Yes/Yes/No |
| Other | |||
| Power consumption (Peak W) | 1090 or less | 350 | 1000 |
| Weight (KG) | 18.1 without consumables | 17 | 16.8 |
We tested each of the multifunction devices in terms of printing, copying, and scanning.
All the multifunctional devices were tested using a Pentium 4 2.8 GHz machine with 256MB of RAMm running Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 4. All the multifunctional devices were connected to our test rig via USB. Network cards were optional on most of the devices.
Following is a breakdown of the testing methodology.
Word Simple 20-page Test
This test comprised 20 pages with a single font (Arial 10-point) and is used to evaluate the printer's maximum real-world throughput. We derive the PEAK Pages per Minute (PPM) with the following formula:
Peak PPM = (60/(time to print all 20 pages-time to first page))*19 Word Complex 20-page Test
This test comprised 20 pages of complex word processing and includes around 18 different fonts, some in multiple sizes, eight images ranging from simple clip art to high res TIFF photos, and multiple column styles. We derive what we call our Average PPM figures from this test using the following formula (please note the time includes the time to print the first page):
Average PPM = (60/time to print all 20 pages)*4
Scanning and Copying
One-page scan test: The test page that was used featured text, solid colour fills, fine lines, and an embedded photo of three people. The target was placed in the automatic document feeder (where possible) and timed how long it took to scan the document into Adobe Photoshop. For the one-page copy test: we used the same target as above. We also timed how long it took to copy the document from the flatbed scanner then back out onto the printer.
Cost Per Page
We calculated the cost per page by dividing the number of pages printed per month over a three-year period by the cost of replacing consumables (ie. toner and drum) at the specified intervals (ie. manufacturer's estimated toner/drum life). The cost of the device was also included in our calculation.
- Print speed. This really depends on how much you are printing. Is 20ppm enough? Of course you can go for a MFD which can support higher print speeds.
- Photocopier features like size, intensity, and number of copies as well as whether they can photocopy in colour.
- Features. If you print and fax a lot, you should look for a multifunctional device that offers a high print specification, good paper handling and feature-rich fax software.
- Paper handling, check the number of trays supported.
- Cost of replacement toners and drums, and toner life.
Sample scenario
This company wants to supply its regional offices with small workgroups of 6-8 people with a multifunction laser device that can print, scan, and copy without costing a fortune in supplies.
Approximate budget: less than AU$2000 -- the company is mostly concerned with running costs.
Requires: One monochrome laser multifunction device that can print around 20ppm.
Concerns: Running costs are the main concern, but features such as wireless, Bluetooth, sheet feeders, and at least two independent paper trays will be highly regarded.
HP has announced its first efforts in multifunction colour laser printing with the release of two devices targeting the entry-level SME market.
HP was unable to provide one of these units for our review and as such cannot be objectively compared with other MFDs in this section.
The supplier claims, however, that the colour Laserjet 2820 and 2840 both print at 19ppm in monochrome and four ppm in colour -- a feature that no other multifunction device tested was capable.
Both units also scan in colour, and can copy at 600 x 600dpi in both black and colour.
Additionally the unit boasts four memory card slots supporting a variety of formats including memory sticks, flashcards, and SmartMedia cards, enabling colour printing directly from gadgets such as a digital camera. Only the 2840 has fax capability including a PC interface.
With a RRP beginning at around AU$1599, HP appears to have moved industry acceptable colour printing features into the small scale MFD niche.
-- Mark Wheeler
The break-even point for both the Brother MFC-8840D and Samsung was 1500 pages per month. If you're going to print more that 1500 pages than the Brother becomes cheaper to run.
The Brother doesn't just win out in running costs, it was the fastest MFD tested -- capable of printing up to 20ppm. It's quite quick at copying and scanning as well.
Printer memory can be expanded to 160MB, and LAN and Wireless connectivity is available as an option. Our one complaint is it only holds 250 pages of paper.
This article was first published in Technology & Business magazine.
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