Canon PIXMA G4280 vs Brother HL-L3220CDW
The Canon PIXMA G4280 and Brother HL-L3220CDW sit close in price ($269 vs $284.99), each bringing a different color printing technology to a home or small home-office setting.
The PIXMA G4280 uses Canon's refillable MegaTank system for low-cost color inkjet printing at home.
Global reference price
The HL-L3220CDW is a compact color laser printer, aimed at home offices that want laser's speed and durability in color.
Global reference price
Specification Comparison
Key Differences
For households that print a mix of documents and photos, the Canon's inkjet output typically produces better photo quality than laser, alongside MegaTank's low running cost. The Brother's laser engine is faster and better suited to text-heavy color documents like charts or presentations, where laser's crisp output and quick warm-up time matter more than photo fidelity.
Pros & Cons
Canon PIXMA G4280
Pros
- Better photo print quality
- Low-cost refillable ink
Cons
- Slower than laser for text documents
Brother HL-L3220CDW
Pros
- Faster laser printing
- Sharper text output
Cons
- Weaker photo print quality than inkjet
Which One Is Right For You?
- Canon PIXMA G4280: Best for households that print photos regularly alongside documents.
- Brother HL-L3220CDW: Best for a home office focused on text-heavy color documents and presentations.
Conclusion
The deciding factor is content type — photo-heavy printing favors the Canon's inkjet quality, while text- and chart-heavy printing favors the Brother's laser speed and sharpness.
Summary
Canon PIXMA G4280
Strengths
- Better photo quality
Weaknesses
- Slower for text
Brother HL-L3220CDW
Strengths
- Faster, sharper text
Weaknesses
- Weaker photo output
Choose the Canon if photo printing matters; choose the Brother if the primary use is text and chart-based color documents.