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Brother DCP-J715W review

Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £104
inc VAT

This MFP does everything adequately, but nothing particularly well. High print costs compound these problems.

Brother’s DCP-J715W is a little more office orientated than most MFPs we see. While it doesn’t have a fax, the scanner can be used as a regular flatbed, or for making bulk copies thanks to its automatic document feeder (ADF). Despite this, Brother claims that it can create lab-quality photos in 30 seconds, and its features include a colour screen, memory card reader and PictBridge port.

Considering the price, the DCP-J715W doesn’t feel especially sturdy, particularly the scanner lid. Like many MFPs the hinges will extend directly upwards by around an inch, allowing thick originals to fit below the lid, but the whole arrangement feels approximate and flimsy. There’s a similar feel to the paper tray which is divided into holders for A4 and postcard-sized media. It’s easily flexed, and rattles when you’re filling it with paper or manually engaging the photo tray.

Brother DCP-J715W Memory slot

You can easily connect to this MFP via a wireless network, but if you’re using a USB or Ethernet cable they need to be routed under the lift-up scanner bed and into ports near the control panel. While the end result is tidy, it takes up about a foot of the cables’ length. The scanner is held up by a plastic stay reminiscent of a car bonnet, which is tricky to release without letting the top section crash down into place. After slotting the four ink cartridges into a compartment at the front, the printer prepares itself and delivers an automatic quality-test sheet.

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Basic Specifications

Rating**
Maximum native print resolution6,000×1,200dpi
Max optical resolution1,200×2,400dpi
Output bit depth36-bit

Quoted Speeds

Quoted speed, mono A435ppm
Quoted speed, colour A428ppm

Tested Print Speeds

Time for two 10x8in photos 1.016m 18s
Time for six 6x4in photos 1.021m 57s

Physical and Environmental

Standard printer interfacesUSB, PictBridge, 10/100 Ethernet, 802.11 b/g wireless
Optional printer interfacesnone
Size390x375x180mm
Weight7.5kg
Noise (in normal use)50dB(A)
Duty cycle2,500

Paper Handling

Maximum paper sizeA4/legal
Maximum paper weight220gsm
Standard paper inputs2
Standard paper input capacity120
Maximum paper inputs2
Maximum paper input capacity120
Duplex (code, cost if option)No

General

Printer technologypiezo inkjet
Supported operating systemsWindows 2000/XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X 10.3.9+
Other inkjet features8.2cm colour screen, lifetime technical support
Other inkjet optionsnone

Buying Information

Price£104
Consumable parts and prices£8
Price per colour A4 page7.0p
Quoted life of supplied black cartridge300 pages (ISO/IEC 24712)
Quoted life of supplied colour cartridge(s)cyan, magenta, yellow 240 pages (ISO/IEC 24712)
Quoted life of supplied photo cartridge(s)N/A
Warrantyone-year RTB
Supplierhttp://www.oyyy.co.uk
Detailswww.brother.co.uk

Print Quality

Number of ink colours4
Number of ink cartridges4
Maximum number of ink colours4
Maximum number of cartridges4
Quoted photo durability100 years
Quoted photo durability sourceBrother

Tested Scan Speeds

Full scan area preview14s
A4 document at 150dpi15s
A4 document at 300dpi20s
6x4in photo at 600dpi25s
6x4in photo at 1200dpi1m 19s

Tested Copy Speeds

Time for single A4 mono copy 1.031s
Time for single A4 colour copy 1.042s
Time for 10 A4 copies using feeder 2.05m 46s

Photo Features

PictBridge supportYes
Borderless printingA4
Direct (PC-less) printingYes
Supported memory cardsUSB flash, SD, SDHC, Memory Stick Pro
CD printingNo

Copy Features

Maximum number of copies99
Max mono copy resolution1,200×1,200dpi
Max colour copy resolution600×1,200dpi

Fax Features

Max mono fax resolutionN/A
Fax memory (maximum mono pages)N/A