MFC-440CN Multi-Function Center

 

Considering it's a multi-function peripheral, Brother's MFC-440CN comes across as a relative bargain at US$150 or CA$200. However, its multifunctionalism of print, photocopy, fax, PC fax, scan and photo upload/edit aren't particularly new features, nor is the bundling of such features new, so it all comes down to just how well those features actually work.

The MFC-440CN also features seamless network connectivity, which is a bonus. There are two Ethernet ports on the side which, when connected to a router, allows any computer in a home or small office network to access the unit directly. Setup simple with the 440CN automating the connectivity process as soon as you plug in an Ethernet cable.

Printing through a network connection is only a tad slower than it might be if connected direct via USB, while the reach and multiplicity of it all is really handy.

Paper feeds feature different slots for different paper, particularly separating the smaller 4x6 print sheets from standard 8.5x11 paper. Oddly, swapping in 4x6 photo sheets entails manhandling the paper tray, fiddling with some tabs and sliding the "photo bypass tray" forward so that it syncs with the feeder, reversing the process if you want to print standard documents. It's a moderately clumsy affair with the unit itself providing little resistance, sliding around with your manhandlage.

As for actual printing, particularly if you're printing graphics or photos, then you'd better be patient. The 440CN takes its sweet time outputting color-intensive documents, especially when using heavy stock like inkjet or photo paper. Printing a 4x6 photo can take as long as four minutes while an 8 x 10 print can take up to 10 minutes -- an eternity when compared to competitive models from HP or Canon.

Worse, when photos do arrive you'll wonder what happened to the colors. There are four ink cartridges in there -- cyan, magenta, yellow and black (or "key"), aka "CMYK" --, but whenever you print a photo or graphic document, the 440CN saturates the image with too much cyan and yellow, not enough magenta and black.

Also disappointing it the way the printer handles reds and blues. In order to get the right tinge, you need to make several trial-and-error (ink and paper waster) adjustments with your PC's editing software or on the printer's LCD screen and even then, results can vary wildly.

For business proposals or reports that are laden with graphics and images, you'll almost certainly have to print out a test sheet just to see what the colors look like, largely because calibration matching of your computer screen and printer output is seemingly non-existent, leaving you to tinker and learn the output tendencies of the printer.

Worse still, the 440CN software doesn't support a wide array of paper. If you're looking to print a document on glossy brochure paper, for example, there is no select option for it and you're left to choose between inkjet and "other photo paper" to get the job done.

Making such manual adjustments on a regularly basis might appeal to those who have a real keen eye for detail, but if you're that fastidious, you'll want a more sophisticated machine in the first place. The entry level 440CN handles text and flat B&W documents like nobody's business, but when color enters the equation, it just doesn't deliver the goods.

Still, the 440CN is a good option for office-intensive use like text printing, faxing, scanning and photocopying over a network, but it underperforms in the other functions. Printing photos from a memory card is easy enough, and it can make good quality 4x6 prints (fastidiousness notwithstanding) -- larger prints, not so much, and overall, not necessarily as good as prints from other printers on the market.

All told, there are other printers out there that also do the all-in-one thing, and the often do it better. So the 440CN only manages to differentiate itself with the addition of photo printing and the super-easy networking feature.

Details
Reviewed: Mar. 12, 2007
Type: Peripheral
From: Brother


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