Printing The Brother MFC-J1205W prints using inkjet technology, which sprays liquid ink onto the paper from a moving head. Its text quality is not as good as most printers. Text printing was reasonably fast, 5 pages took 24 seconds, costing 2.5 cents per page. Its color graphics printing is very good for reports, newsletters and web pages, costing 19.7 cents per page. It prints photos on glossy paper that are fine for casual users, but not as good as many inkjet printers. Individual cartridges for each color let you change only the ones that are empty. The capacity of the main paper tray is 150 sheets, a typical amount.
Scanning and Copying This is a multi-function printer. Scanning performance was OK, but had a few noticeable flaws.
Controls and Display The printer has no display screen.
Connectivity and Networking It can print documents via USB and WiFi.
Cost of Ownership and Ink When this page was last updated, the printer's purchase price was about $130, low for a all-in-one cartridge inkjet printer. Printing uses up ink and the costs add up over time. This printer uses four (4) cartridges. When the ink runs low, you replace the empty cartridge. The inks we used in testing were the Brother LC404 BK, LC404 C, LC404 M, and LC404 Y cartridges—at the time, the prices were $27.50, $16.50, $16.50 and $16.50 respectively. We estimate each cartridge of ink to last at least 5 months—a very short time—following a typical monthly printing amount of 19 text and 8 graphic pages. After 2 years of typical use, we estimate your total equivalent cost to be $562—high for a inkjet. The estimated yearly cost is $216, which is very high for a inkjet type of printer. The theoretical total cost after 5 years is $1209. The printer uses up very little space.
Printer Firmware Firmware is software that exists inside the printer. All models are evaluated using the latest firmware version available at the time of testing.
Software The collection of software accompanying the printer may include: the printer driver, printer applications, electronic user manual and scanning, faxing, and OCR apps. These get installed on your personal computer. All models are evaluated with a PC and the Windows operating system, using the latest version of printer software (driver) and printer support apps available at the time of testing. The software version was NP.
About the ink, software and firmware Our test results are valid only for the Brother-brand ink, and the software and firmware versions indicated. If your printer's software or firmware differ from the ones shown, you either have an older or a newer version of these. Manufacturers may periodically upgrade the printer's firmware to enhance operation, fix bugs, or add features. Firmware updates are downloadable directly to your printer via a wired or wireless network (if internet capable). You can check your printer's firmware version, or upgrade to the latest firmware: Either (1) run the Brother printer-update app on the PC, or (2) access the "Settings" section of the printer menu and navigating to the firmware update option. Consult the user manual or Brother's website for further guidance.
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