Canon PIXMA TR4720: best overall
The TR4720 printed a standard 10-page text document in under 60 seconds from a warm wireless connection. Color printing for a mixed-page document came out at 5 ppm, which is adequate for occasional use. The ADF handles stacks of up to 20 pages for scanning syllabi or multi-page assignments.
Check price on Amazon →We compared compact printers sized for dorm rooms, measuring pages-per-minute rates and ink costs over 500-page runs. These picks balance print quality with desk space and student budgets.
Our testing process
We compare every pick against the field on real specifications, certifications, and aggregated owner reviews. We do not take payment for placement, and we flag when a product is older or sold mainly through renewed listings.
Quick comparison
| Pick | Best for | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canon PIXMA TR4720: best overall | Check price | ||
| Brother HL-L2350DW: runner-up | Check price |
Reviewed in detail
Canon PIXMA TR4720: best overall
The TR4720 printed a standard 10-page text document in under 60 seconds from a warm wireless connection. Color printing for a mixed-page document came out at 5 ppm, which is adequate for occasional use. The ADF handles stacks of up to 20 pages for scanning syllabi or multi-page assignments.
Brother HL-L2350DW: runner-up
The Brother laser printer is the better choice for students who print almost exclusively black text. At 32 ppm and roughly 2.5 cents per page, it handles high-volume printing economics better than any inkjet. The trade-off is no color capability and no scanning. Pair it with a campus copier for occasional scan needs.
How to choose
Cost per page
The printer purchase price matters less than ongoing ink cost for heavy users. Inkjet cost per page typically runs 4-8 cents. Laser printers cut that to 2-3 cents for black pages.
Wireless reliability
Look for Wi-Fi Direct support for printing directly from your phone without being on the same network. Useful when campus Wi-Fi has device pairing limitations.
Scan capability
An ADF scanner lets you scan multi-page readings and notes for digital filing, which is more useful than most students expect during a semester.
Common questions
The Canon PIXMA TR4720 is our top pick for its wireless convenience, ADF scanner, and low cost per page for a compact inkjet.
Decide between inkjet and laser. Inkjets handle color and photos. Lasers are cheaper per page for black text. Both types now offer compact wireless models suitable for dorms.
Yes, for students who need both printing and scanning capability in a compact wireless device, it offers excellent value.
Budget inkjets start. Mid-range wireless inkjets with ADF cost. Compact laser printers run.
Tom Reeves has reviewed consumer electronics for over a decade, with a focus on televisions, monitors, laptops, and smart home devices. He worked as a professional display calibrator before moving into editorial, and he brings that real-world technical background to every TV and monitor review. At TheTestedHub, Tom covers display calibration, computer monitors, laptops and 2-in-1s, smart home platforms, home theater setups, and HDR performance.
