NEW Reviews Beta Feedback

Brother HL-2040

79

Good

Avg User Rating
6 User Reviews | add yours »

Pros
Competitively priced
Cons
Modest output quality

Performance: Fair: 64
Features: Good: 73
Design: Good: 77

Find out how these scores, and their relative weights, combine to produce the PC World Rating.

Performance
Color Photo (secs)	36.46
Color Photo, Normal Settings	36.46
Grayscale Output Quality	Poor
Line Art Output Quality	Fair
One-Page Grayscale Graphic	12.24
One-Page Grayscale Graphic (secs)	12.24
Output Score, Grayscale Graphics, Best Quality Settings (formerly pf-Output-Print-Grayscale-Best)	Poor
Output Score, Line Art, Default Settings (formerly pf-Output-Print-LineArt-Default)	Fair
Output Score, Text, Default Settings (formerly pf-Output-Print-Text-Default)	Good
Ten-Page Word Document	36.21
Ten-Page Word Document (secs)	36.21
Tested Color Graphics Speed (formerly pf-PCWColorSpeed)	5.4
Tested Color Speed (ppm)	5.4
Tested Text Speed (formerly pf-PCWBWSpeed)	16.6
Tested Text Speed (ppm)	16.6
Text Output Quality	Good
Three-Page PowerPoint Document	16.52
Three-Page PowerPoint Document (secs)	16.52
Three-Page Word Document	16.55
Three-Page Word Document (secs)	16.55
Two-Page Excel Document	13.96
Two-Page Excel Document (secs)	13.96

Text Printing
Text output quality	Good

Performance
Print quality: text/graphics	Good/Poor
Speed	Good
Rated speed	20 ppm
Tested speeds	16.6 ppm text; 10.1 ppm graphics
Ease of use	Very Good
Features	Good
Maximum true resolution	600-by-600-dpi monochrome
Maximum resolution	2400-by-600-dpi monochrome
Maximum paper size	Legal
Standard input capacity	250 pages input, one tray
Paper feed options	Manual-feed slot, no straight-through paper path
Interfaces	Parallel, USB 2.0, optional ethernet
Size (width/depth/height) and weight	6.5 by 14.6 by 14.2 inches; 14.3 pounds
Support policies	One-year warranty, 10.5-hour weekday toll-free support

What You Should Know about the HL-2040

Installed Memory is Ideal for Five or Fewer Users

This printer's installed memory is sufficient for small offices or workgroups that print typical business documents, such as memos, spreadsheets, or simple Web pages. If you have more than six people using the printer or the printer handles heavy traffic, you will want more memory than this printer provides.

Reviewed by: Toddster63

Duration of ownership: 3 Months

Strengths: Great Value and great design and great quality output. The manual paper feeder makes it easy to print envelopes and business cards in limited quantities for home users and very small offices.

Weaknesses: Does curl paper a little, and though the manual paper feeder works well, it can print a little askew on envelopes (but not too terribly bad)

Overall Evaluation: I bought this unit as most users rated it well on various Net sites, and I really liked the design--it looks like a miniaturized laser printer, and not a hybrid laser/inkjet with the feed paper jetting out (and getting exposed to dirt and dust). The integrated paper drawer was a big plus for me! I've found the text output fabulous--as good as any laser I've seen. Graphics and photos are okay for personal use, and since that's what this printer is made and marketed for, this unit should serve single users on a personal level quite well. The only problem is the paper curling, but it's not THAT big of an issue, particularly for letter and correspondence that will be folded in the end. I've found the manual paper feed very adequate and up for the job, though envelopes sometimes print out a little askew. Overall for around $100 I'm thrilled with this printer, and so happy to be free of the constant expense of pricey inkjet refills for text and letters I need to print.
Reviewed by: sueite

Duration of ownership:

Strengths: Cheap. Efficient. Regular printing is a snap.

Weaknesses: Feed tray / manual feed has a weird design and feels cheap.Must manually feed envelopes and cardstock one at a time. Double sided / cardstock printing will often produce a ghost (double) image.

Overall Evaluation: For the money, this machine gets the job done and does a fine job printing for most print jobs. However, the design is really strange when it comes to the way it feeds paper. You have to have paper in there permanently. The tray feels cheap, doesn't always grab the paper right, and it swirls the paper around like crazy through the machine before coming out. The paper comes out too curved and hot to flip right away. This design makes double sided printing a real pain. Manual feed is just a slot that doesn't always realize you're holding paper in there for it to take. It just keeps saying the printer doesn't have paper. Sometimes you get lucky if you jiggle it in there right. Cardstock must be manually fed one piece at a time. There are ambiguous printer settings for paper type and print options. I found that for double sided and cardstock printing, the machine would often jam and sometimes text would "ghost" giving you a double image. It didn't make my huge batch of cards and envelopes for my wedding guest list simple at all....However, I would say for most people that are just printing out essays for college or something, you won't even think about problems with this printer. It's great for simple, cheap, plain paper, single-sided jobs.