The Brother MFC-665CW is a general - aim all - in - one inkjet printer with an telling listing of features and connective options . Unfortunately , despite its secure overall photographic print and scan quality , its software system and design quirks might cause shopper to look elsewhere .

Frustrating setup

With a box-shaped , retro intent , the Brother MFC665CW ’s apparatus was a number frustrating . The USB socket is hidden underneath the scanner masking , requiring you to line the cable length through a oceanic abyss . That could limit how you place the printer depending on your office staff space and the length of your transmission line ( which is not included ) . The MFC665CW ’s input signal tray , located under the control panel , is supposed to hold a maximum of 100 sheets of paper , but we had a hard time jampack 60 sheets in the tray — and after doing so , the printer had frequent jam problems .

In addition to its USB connection , the MFC-665CW can print , scan , and share photos via Ethernet . ab initio , we used the USB connectedness to install and configure the printer . This process was a snap and we were promptly able to print and scan . Camera memory board batting order inserted into the social unit mounted on our Mac background without incident . We did however run into some problems attempt to quiz the printing machine via Ethernet . Printing over the connection was simple enough : we plugged the cable to our agency LAN , launched Print Center , and Bonjour found the twist the right way aside . Scanning over the meshwork did n’t work on , however , until Brother illustration suggested we uninstall all the Brother software program and reinstall it choose Ethernet as its default connection . Once we did that , we were able to scan to our Mac over the connection connexion .

Transferring pic from an insert memory card to your Mac over the connection also try out to be a bit tricky . You must utilize your web internet browser or FTP software to connect to Brother ’s internal FTP situation and download them from there . Compared to other printers that let in photo - sharing utilities , the Brother ’s FTP method is not very user friendly . If you plan on using the Brother over the meshing , it would be easy to apply a USB card reader or to touch base your camera directly to your Mac .

The MFC-665CW ’s package does n’t offer the greatest Mac drug user experience , either . The scanning software is easy to apply , but it does n’t extend customization choice beyond resolution and gloss . The preview scan displays a very modest preview image on the silver screen ; if you do n’t have 20 - 20 visual sensation , you ’ll rule yourself squint before hitting the Scan button .

Faxing seems to be this MFP ’s forte and it offers many peculiar features , such as gloss faxing ( allow the recipient scanner is color adequate to ) . It also postulate reward of the telephone connection by let in its own French telephone , voice mail , and speakerphone , thus allow for it to replace your telephone .

People who enjoy restrained working surround might not savor the MFC-665CW ’s repetitive beeping noise whenever it print . We were relieved when we at long last found the menu to turn that feature off .

Performance

In terms of print speed , the MFC-665CW ’s public presentation was lackluster , taking over 30 instant to print a one - varlet Microsoft Word papers via USB . That same Sir Frederick Handley Page printed in just 9 moment from the recently reviewed Canon Pixma MP960 ( ) . alike , our 22 MB Photoshop trial run page took 6 second and 24 seconds to print , as oppose to 1 minute of arc 40 seconds on that same Canon unit . Luckily , the print output looked good – and that was incisively the valuation our board of Macworld editors gave the MFC-665CW for its graphics exam page , Photoshop document , and copier mental testing Sir Frederick Handley Page . It earned a Very secure rating in our Word text test for its clean legible text , even at very small point sizes .

Scanning times were impressive , however , and though our panel grass the result scan as Good , it preferred the high resolution graphics scans from other inkjet MFPs , such as the HP Photosmart C7180 and the Canon Pixma MP960 .

Timed Trials: Print

musical scale = second : Seconds

Timed Trials: Scan

jury tests: print

Scale = Superior , Very Good , Good , Fair , Poor

jury tests: scan/copy

specifications

Macworld’s buying advice

Though the features and connection options for this reasonably priced inkjet all - in - one are telling , its slow print speed and frustrating blueprint quirks make it toilsome to recommend over other , more dressed , competitors .

[ James Galbraith isMacworld ’s laboratory director . Brian Chen isMacworld ’s adjunct editor . ]