Brother MFC-J5720DW, we have tested it

Brother MFC-J5720DW

your expert RecommendThe Brother MFC-J5720DW is a multifunction printer from the Japanese company with ink technology designed for SMEs. This equipment is capable of printing in both A4 and A3 formats with maximum speeds of up to 22 ppm in black and white and 20 ppm in color. One of its main advantages is an important paper loading capacity of up to 580 sheets if we put together its two input trays and its multipurpose tray. In addition, it integrates a 9.3 cm touch screen with an intuitive and easy-to-use menu to access all the typical functions of the printer. All this crowned with several connectivity functions such as WiFi, WiFi Directand printing via mobile and tablet. The Brother MFC-J5720DW can be found on the market for a price of 275 euros. We tell you our impressions after trying it.

Brother MFC-J5720DW

Good speed and A3 printing

One of the hallmarks that Brother ink printers come with is their ability to print documents in A3 format . Undoubtedly, it is a very interesting addition to get out of the way when we need to work with this type of format, although it is not the main function of the Brother MFC-J5720DW. Of course, using this function is much easier thanks to a multipurpose tray at the back of the printer (we can insert up to 5 A3 sheets at the same time).

But as we said, the main management of this printer is in the printing of documents in traditional A4 format, with speeds of up to 22 pages per minute in black and white and 20 pages per minute in color. The maximum resolution that documents can reach is 6,000 x 1,200 dots per inch . It is a model designed for SMEs that do not have very large workloads, but that can endure months with more intense jobs. Thus, the maximum recommended cycle is 30,000 impressions per month . Of course, to ensure proper operation of the machine, Brother recommends keeping a cycle between 250 and 1,500 prints. To save on paper costs, the  Brother MFC-J5720DW includes automatic two-sided printing.

Brother MFC-J5720DW

Classic design, good paper loading and touch control

The look of this printer is quite classic at first glance. Unlike other simpler models of the company, the  Brother MFC-J5720DW bets on the black color throughout its design. Of course, in the upper part we have a laminated drawing with shiny touches that provides an elegant point. We must also take into account the different Brother concept for loading paper, with loading trays designed so that we place the paper widthwise instead of lengthwise. In this way, the company has achieved designs more elongated to the sides that facilitate its installation on the desktop (the printers protrude less ). The complete dimensions of the  Brother MFC-J5720DW amount to 49 x 34.5 x 30.8 centimeters and weight stays in 14.5 kilos.

This equipment is taller than usual (and heavier) due to the inclusion of multiple paper trays. And here we enter one of the main strengths of this model, since we have two 250-sheet paper trays (500 sheets in total) and a third multipurpose tray that is located at the rear of the equipment. This tray is capable of holding up to 80 sheets in A4 format or 5 sheets in A3 format . But at this point the Brother printer faces a major but. Its output tray barely holds 50 sheets, something that seems unbalanced considering the input capacity. This tray can be extended to easily house documents in A3 format (so it stands out quite unfolded).

Another aspect in which Brother has worked a lot in recent times is its interface. Thanks to its 9.3-centimeter touch panel and a fairly intuitive menu, accessing the various functions of the equipment is quite simple. This interface uses large icons for the main functions and other small icons for quick access to Internet settings, ink levels (by the way, ink levels can be seen at a glance in the icon, something that appreciated) and the general configuration. Also noteworthy within this interface is the ability to generate up to 18 different shortcutsto specific functions that we use on a regular basis. For example, we can configure access to copy the DNI on both sides with normal quality. Or scan a document directly into PDF format. These are just a couple of examples of the options that this useful platform allows.

Brother MFC-J5720DW

Mobile printing and connectivity

The Japanese company has also wanted to develop its connections a lot, so that these teams are compatible with the needs of mobile workers. Thus, we can connect this model both through cable and through WiFi , an interesting option to avoid cable messes and to be able to install the equipment in any corner of the office. The options to print through a mobile phone or tablet could not be missing here either. This model is compatible with the Apple AirPrint function of the iPhone and iPad . In the case of using an Android smartphone or tablet , we have a dedicated app in the Google store. Through this application you can make prints or scans from the mobile device. The only requirement is to be connected to the same WiFi network as the printer. By the way, the Brother MFC-J5720DW also has WiFi Direct connectivity . On a practical level, this means that you can create your own network to which you can directly connect your smartphone, without first having to go through the company's WiFi network.

Brother MFC-J5720DW

Copier, scanner and fax

In addition to printing, the Brother MFC-J5720DW also has copy, scan and fax functions. In all cases, we can use the automatic double-sided, something that elevates this model compared to others in the same series. In addition, to face more complex tasks, it includes an automatic document feeder of up to 50 sheets in the upper part (the lid opens when we want to use it).

The copier function allows you to create duplicates with a maximum quality of 1,200 x 1,200 dpi and has a maximum speed of up to 12 copies per minute in black and white and 9 copies per minute in color. In addition, as usual in these cases we can reduce the document up to 25% or enlarge it up to 400%. As for the scanner function, it achieves an optical resolution of 2,400 dpi and a maximum speed of 3.37 seconds in both color and monochrome. When it comes to converting documents, we have a good range of conversion options ( JPEG, TIFF, PDF with recognizable text ... ) and we can send the documents to a PC, to aUSB stick , via email or even directly to a web application like Evernote . Finally, the fax has a standard speed of 33.6 kbps.

Brother MFC-J5720DW

Price and reviews

The Brother MFC-J5720DW multifunction machine can be found on the market for a price of 275 euros. In short, it is a model that represents a leap in the characteristics of ink equipment for SMEs. In addition to good speed, we should mention three different trays to load paper, the option of using the function of duplex all its features or the ease with which their menu is handled through the touch screen . All this with the ability to print in A3 format when we need it. A very complete proposal for professionals who need a more powerful equipment without reaching the point of needing a laser printer.

Brother MFC-J5720DW

BrandBrother
ModelBrother MFC-J5720DW
TypeInkjet, A4 and A3 printing

performance

SpeedUp to 22 ppm black and white and 20 ppm color
Color / MonoColor
ResolutionUp to 6,000 x 1,200 dpi,
First print time-
Maximum monthly cycle30,000 impressions per month
Recommended cycleBetween 250 and 1,500 impressions
DuplexYes

Design

Dimensions49 x 34.5 x 30.8 cm
Weight14.5 kilos
ColorsBlack
screen9.3 centimeter LCD touch panel
Others-

Other functions

CopyUp to 12 cpm in black and white and 9 cpm in color

Resolution up to 1,200 x 1,200 dpi

Up to 99 copies of the original

Scanner2,400 x 2,400 dpi optical resolution

3.37 second speed monochrome and color (A4, 100 x 100 dpi)

Formats TIFF, JPEG, BMP, MAX, HTM, PCX, DCX, PNG, FPX, PDF

Allows scanning to image, OCR, e-mail, file, USB, memory cards, FTP, network, e-mail server (upon download) and Cloud Services (Web Connect)

Fax33.6 Kbps

Paper handling

Inbox2 x 250 sheets (500 sheets total)

Multipurpose tray up to 80 sheets in A4 and 5 sheets in A3

Outbox50 sheets
Automatic document feederYes, 50 sheets
Supported thicknesses-

Connections

WifiYes
EthernetYes
USB ports1 x USB 2.0
Mobile printingGoogle Cloud Print, Apple AirPrint, Wi-Fi Direct, NFC, Brother iPrint & Scan
Others-

Consumption and consumables 

Functioning32 W
Ready5.5 W
ConsumablesBrother high capacity cartridges for 1,200 color prints and 2,400 black prints

+ info

Release dateAvailable
Manufacturer's websiteBrother

Price 275 euros