Mac Creative > Reviews > Multifunction printers group test > Brother MFC-990CW

Brother MFC-990CW

Brother MFC-990CW
  • Manufacturer: Brother (http://www.brother.co.uk)
  • Pros: Well-designed; built to last; phone handset included; plenty of features; simple ink tank loading
  • Cons: Slow photo print times; average detail and colour quality to prints; expensive
  • Min specs: Printer/scanner/copier; print resolution 6,000x1,200; optical scan resolution 1,200x2,400; quoted print speed B=33ppm C=27ppm;actual print speed B=11.1ppm C=8.5ppm; interface types USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, ethernet; 468x375x180mm; 8.6kg; cartridge costs B=£17 C=£9 x 3; Cartridge lifetime B=450 C=325; 1-year warranty
  • Price: £194.27 inc VAT
  • Star rating: 3

The MFC-990CW is a well-specified device: it has a touchscreen interface, automatic document feeder and fax machine. The Brother also has a wireless telephone attachment so it can serve as the office phone too.

The low-slung design is easy on the eye, though the phone handset seems to hang off the side like some afterthought. This is a shame, as the unit itself has a nice compact footprint, and it spoils the low-profile nature of the device somewhat. The build quality of the MFC-990 is impressive, though, and we really liked the responsiveness of the buttons, which are all nice and chunky.

Each of the four separate ink tanks is easy to install through a compartment on the front of the all-in-one. Once they’re installed the Brother goes through a short setup routine and you’re ready to print. Navigating the various options available on the MFC-990CW is simple enough and the large, wide touchscreen is good.

Unfortunately, the Brother came dead last in our speed tests by some margin. A single A4 image took a painfully slow eight minutes to make it out; that’s very slow by modern standards. Scanning and copying followed much the same pedestrian speeds. Text performance, however, was better at just four seconds for a page of draft text and one minute for the same in Best mode.

Photo quality wasn’t bad given the simple ink tank set-up – there are no photo inks with this system. We could almost forgive the long printing times when images were judged alone. However, in comparison to its rivals the output from the Brother lacked the extra detail that some of the competition here provided. Draft text output was fast and not too bad as was best quality text. Sharp, well-defined characters were present and the balance of colour in our business document was good too.

The Brother would make a decent investment if you’re looking for a workhorse office machine, given its decent build quality and the built-in phone. However, if you’re printing a lot of photos or speed is of the essence, it’s probably best to look elsewhere.

This product is part of our Multifunction printers group test group product review. Other products in this group are:

 

Canon Pixma MX870

  • Star rating: 4

 

Epson Stylus Photo PX710W

  • Star rating: 4

 

HP Photosmart Premium All-In-One

  • Editors ChoiceStar rating: 5

 

Kodak ESP Office 6150

  • Star rating: 3

 

Lexmark Prestige Pro 805

  • Star rating: 3

Reevoo Price Comparison For Brother MFC-990CW

Price comparison powered by Reevoo

Prices, delivery and availability at 8 retailers Go
£195 Go
£196 Go
£202 Go
£203 Go
£206 Go
£206 Go
£237 Go

Reevoo Reviews For Brother MFC-990CW

See more BROTHER MFC-990CW reviews on Reevoo.com

Reevoo Price Comparison For Canon Pixma MX870

Reevoo Reviews For Canon Pixma MX870

See more Canon Pixma MX870 reviews on Reevoo.com

Reevoo Price Comparison For Epson Stylus Photo PX710W

Reevoo Reviews For Epson Stylus Photo PX710W

See more EPSON Stylus Photo PX710W reviews on Reevoo.com

Reevoo Price Comparison For HP Photosmart Premium All-In-One

Price comparison powered by Reevoo

Prices, delivery and availability at 1 retailer Go
£130 Go

Reevoo Reviews For HP Photosmart Premium All-In-One

See more HP Photosmart Premium All-In-One reviews on Reevoo.com

Reevoo Price Comparison For Kodak ESP Office 6150

Price comparison powered by Reevoo

Prices, delivery and availability at 2 retailers Go
£277 Go

Reevoo Reviews For Kodak ESP Office 6150

See more Kodak ESP Office 6150 reviews on Reevoo.com

Reevoo Price Comparison For Lexmark Prestige Pro 805

Reevoo Reviews For Lexmark Prestige Pro 805

<<back to Multifunction printers group test review