BROTHER MFC-290C BLACK OEM INK CARTRIDGE

Brother MFC-290C Review

Overview:

The stylish Brother MFC-290C is as functional as it is attractive, and with a huge amount of functionality squeezed into a small package, the device is a cost effective way to add multifunctionality to a small office or home. With a built in automatic document feeder and stand alone capabilities, the unit is versatile, user friendly, and affordable.

Pros:

With fully functional print, copy, scan, and fax abilities combined and available for a very reasonable price, small business owners and hobbyists alike can rejoice at the functionality now available in the hundred dollar price range. Designed for maximum versatility, the Brother MFC-290C also includes easy to use media card slots that allow users to print pictures and other images without connecting to a PC. Another option available is the unit’s Pictbridge capability which allows users to connect directly to a digital camera and interface with the device in order to preview and print select photos.

When printing photos, resolutions of up to 6000 x 1200 dots per inch are selectable, making lab quality prints possible in one’s own home. When printing to a standard photo size, such as 4 x 6 inches, borderless printing is also an option which is essential for hassle free picture printing. Photos can also be reproduced through the Brother MFC-290C’s stand alone copy capabilities, though much higher resolutions are attainable when first scanning to a PC.

Another stand alone feature that the Brother MFC-290C brings to the table is faxing. With a built in modem and automatic document feeder, multi page fax projects will process on their own in either black and white or color. The unit’s standard print speed of 30 pages per minute for black and white and 25 pages per minute in color can also help to keep projects moving along swiftly and without incident.

A convenient flatbed design allows for easy access to the Brother MFC-290C’s document glass for accurate copying and scanning of three dimensional objects as well as paper.

Cons:

Though it is a welcome feature to have a fully capable fax machine incorporated into the unit, the modem itself is very limited. With an operating speed of only 14.4 Kbps, faxes will be transmitted at a rate of only 6 seconds per page, which is three times as long as higher end units. Another very welcome feature that falls slightly short overall is the device’s automatic document feeder which is capable of holding a maximum of only 15 pages of input. On top of this, users have complained that this Brother’s color vibrancy leaves something to be desired when compared with other units in the category.