This printer is a satisfactory machine suitable for small office or home duties. This rather small printer one color ink cartridge and has exceptional color accuracy for printing photos. It has a solid feature set and prints really well, especially photos. Amazingly, this machine supports Amazon’s Axela, which allows for hands-free printing.
The ADF helps you make copies or to print quickly, enabling you to cut back the spending on paper. With the in-built Wi-Fi, you can print remotely from your smartphone or tablet using Mopria and AirPrint services.
The TR4520 is a strong contestant for any home or workplace that requires an economical printer to copy, scan or print a few documents.
Table of Contents
Pros
- Auto-duplex printing.
- Reasonably compact size.
- Superb photo printing quality.
- Solid software combination and feature set.
- 20-sheet automatic document feeder.
Cons
- Lacks Wi-Fi Direct.
- No auto-duplex scanning.
Canon Pixma TR4520 Detailed Review
Let us dive into a comprehensive review of all the features relating to this printer that you need to know.
Build and Design
This printer is compact and does not take much of your desk space, making it ideal for small offices or homes. Comes in a height of 7.4 inches, a width of 17.1 inches, depth is 11.6 inches, and weighs 6.6Kgs. While the scanner lid can move slightly, move upwards to accommodate thick items such as magazines, part of the lid contains the output tray, and papers move as you lift it. The paper input tray is also small, and whenever you want to keep papers inside, you have to leave them open. Also, if you experience a paper jam, you have to lift the printer’s back to access it.
Printing and Running Costs
This machine is designed to be a low-volume printer which is evident from its small paper input tray. However, the features it packs, such as voice automation, high print quality, and the ability to print from a smart device, are amazing. If the printing documents do not exceed 100 a month, the running costs should not be a bother. Printing speeds are 8.8 pages per minute (ppm) and 5.0 ppm for monochrome and color, respectively.
The ink cartridges are reasonably priced, but the black ink cartridge runs out fairly quickly. However, the color cartridge is slightly more cost-effective, although it includes all colors in a single unit, and therefore when one runs out, you have to replace the entire unit.
Photo Printing Quality
It has borderless printing, and the overall printing quality is superb. Despite being a bit disbanding on the grayscale, the colors are exact and vibrant with clear detail.
Scanner
The printer’s software has a maximum resolution of 600dpi which can be increased to 1200dpi depending on the Canon software you are using. The only right word to describe the scanning features is impressive.
You will not struggle when dealing with delicate or bulky items because the scanner has a flatbed fed. Bulky documents will not be an issue either since it has a sheetfed, enabling you to process numerous documents at a go.
However, when scanning two-sided documents, you have to turn them in manually. Although the dpi limit may appear to be 600, you can perform an advanced scan under the “drivers” tab and achieve a higher resolution. Whenever you scan a more than 100MB document, turn off the thumbnail preview mode to attain 1200dpi.
Display Screen
The Pixma TR4520 comes with a 2.4-inch display screen that uses a 2-line Full Dot Matrix LCD with a retro feel. Reading it is easy: you stand and look down at it because it is impossible to tilt.
Cartridge
This printer uses a single black and one combined color cartridge. The yield for color pages is higher than that of black, but you may be forced to change the color cartridge more often to compensate. If you need more ink, Canon has a slightly larger cartridge. You can even use third-party cartridges, although this may void the warranty.
Software and Smart Home Features
The bundle comprises convenient and productive software like My Printer, Master Setup, Scan Utility Lite for Mac, and Quick access menu.
You can manipulate images, scan or print directly from an iOS or Android gadget. Besides, the company has an In Print Message app that enables you to insert a concealed message precisely inside the picture. Afterward, you can see the hidden text in that printed graphic with your smart gadget’s camera.
Read also: Canon Pixma MG2522 Review
Canon TR4520 Main Features
- Hybrid ink system.
- Supports Wi-Fi and USB 2.0.
- Print, copy, fax, and scan.
- Borderless printing.
- Automatic document feeder.
- Color enabled.
- Scan sheetfed and flatbed.
- Compatible with third-party cartridges.
- Display screen.
What is in the Box?
- Canon Pixma TR4520 all-in-one printer.
- Power cord.
- Modular cable.
- Setup CD-ROM.
- User manual.
- 4×6 photo printer paper glossy sample pack.
- PG-243 Black and CL-244 Color FINE cartridges.
Amazon Users’ Reviews
Overall, the Canon Pixma TR4520 has a rating of 4.3 stars. Some users love it because they can make copies, send a fax, print, and scan, all in one printer. Also, the phone and Wi-Fi printing capabilities are a bonus.
Some users are impressed by the ease of setup and the perfect way that wireless printing works. You only need a little knowledge of tech to be able to get going. The wireless function works well from a smartphone and a laptop with no issues at all.
Others are happy because of the quality this printer delivers. Also, it gets picked up by devices quickly without lagging.
Despite all the positive reviews, some users are frustrated because the setup instructions do not work and the lack of Bluetooth connectivity.
Final Thoughts
If you are a small-scale user, get this printer. The running costs are rational, in addition to the cool features it has. You will even be able to hook it up using Wi-Fi through the router, or you can use the companion apps available on iOS and Android.