INK & TONER
Brother HL-5040 Review
 
Editor's Review
Brother HL-5040 by Erik Lynch 08/22/2010 OVERVIEW: In 2003, Brother announced that the Brother HL-5040 would replace the previous HL 1440 and HL 1450 models. It has a very low operating speed when compared to more current units, but offers considerable strength in picture quality, and can be found for an excellent price.
Editor's Pros & Cons
PROS: Paper expansion options for the Brother HL-5040 consist of a single 250 sheet additional tray to supplement the pre existing 250 sheet tray and single sheet bypass slot. Setup for the device is notably easy for either a PC or a Mac by way of USB or Parallel port connections. Brother includes a handy quick start pamphlet that takes users through installation step by step and, if that's not enough, there is an included CD with flash videos detailing plugging the printer in, loading paper, clearing out jams, and basic maintenance. The output tray is good for 150 sheets, face down, which should prove to be plenty for all applications. The device's print speed varies depending on who you're talking to. While the manufacturer claims up to 16 or 17 pages per minute, review sites have tested it at something closer to 14, which is a questionable speed for office use. Resolution is very high and selectable from 300 x 300 dots per inch, 600 x 600 dots per inch, and HQ1200 quality of 2400 x 600 dots per inch. PCL 6 emulation allows for a variety of resident fonts, which can be great for giving this sluggish device that little boost in speed. Acceptable paper weights are also good for the standard tray which is compatible with 16 to 28 lb, unfortunately the bypass tray can only operate with up to 43 lbs, meaning card stock is out of the question. Networking, though not included, is optional and also web browser capable for online usage of the printer. CONS: Though the addition of the optional paper tray can seem crucial, it is very expensive, and can cost 2/3 the price of the unit itself. The unit also falls short of the standards set by its immediate rivals, such as the Konica Minolta PagePro 1250E, which offers a tray with twice as much storage for a lower cost, as well as an entire slew of expansion options not found in the Brother HL-5040. The processor found in this device is a 133 MHz Fujitsu SPAR Clite which isn't very fast at all, and explains why the print speed is so limited. Standard memory also contributes, as it is only 8 MBs. Not only will this create initially slow speeds, but much greater slowdown when high resolution or complex print jobs are in order.
INK/TONER NEEDS:
The toner cartridges for this Brother printer are of slightly lower cost than some other brands out there, though the page yield for the main cartridge is only 3,000 sheets. The drum unit offers a much higher yield of 20,000 sheets at a 5% coverage, ensuring minimal swap outs will be necessary over the life of the unit. 
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DRUM(s)
