Two used all-in-one monochrome lasers are competing for your desk, and both look capable at first glance. In the printers scanners space, the Brother MFCL2740DW and the HP LaserJet Pro MFP 4101fdw each print, scan, copy, and fax, and both handle two-sided printing. The real differences are speed, connectivity, and price. If you only glance at the feature lists, these printers seem close; the decision comes down to how much output speed you really need and whether a wireless connection is essential.
Quick verdict: Choose the Brother MFCL2740DW if you want wireless printing and the lower price of $129.95. Choose the HP LaserJet Pro MFP 4101fdw if you need faster output at $280.00 and can live with a wired connection.
| Product | Price | Price indicator | Black print speed | Connectivity | Color depth | Grayscale depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brother MFCL2740DW | $129.95 | 32 ppm | Wireless, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 2.0 | 30 Bit | 8 Bit | |
| HP LaserJet Pro MFP 4101fdw | $280.00 | 42 ppm | Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 2.0 | 24 Bit | 24 Bit |
Where each product wins:
- Brother MFCL2740DW wins on value and flexibility. It costs $150.05 less than the HP, and its wireless option lets you place it without running a cable.
- HP LaserJet Pro MFP 4101fdw wins on throughput. Its higher pages-per-minute rating makes it the better fit for higher-volume print environments.
Brother MFCL2740DW
The Brother MFCL2740DW brings wireless, Ethernet, and USB 2.0 connectivity, so it fits naturally into a home office where you don't want to wire it directly to the router. It prints, scans, copies, faxes, and duplexes, making it a complete all-in-one. Its 30-bit color depth is a useful plus for scan work. The limitation is that its grayscale handling tops out at 8 bits, which is noticeably less detail-rich than the HP's 24-bit grayscale. If scanned grayscale documents are a frequent task, that could matter. For a moderate-volume setup where wireless placement and color scanning are priorities, this Brother is a sensible fit.
HP LaserJet Pro MFP 4101fdw
The HP LaserJet Pro MFP 4101fdw delivers the higher grayscale depth of the pair at 24 bits, so scanned grayscale pages and photos keep more subtle shading. It also prints, scans, copies, faxes, and duplexes, and its Ethernet and USB 2.0 connections are reliable for a fixed desk. The limitation is the lack of wireless: this HP needs a cable run to your router or switch, which will lock it to a spot near your network point. That's an easy trade to accept if you value grayscale detail and don't need to move the printer around. If Wi-Fi is essential, this model will feel restrictive.
Final choice by use case:
- Home office with a modest budget and a Wi-Fi network: Brother MFCL2740DW.
- Busy shared workspace with high printing volume: HP LaserJet Pro MFP 4101fdw.
- Wireless is a hard requirement: Brother MFCL2740DW, since the HP only offers wired connections.
- Ethernet is fine and grayscale scan detail matters: HP LaserJet Pro MFP 4101fdw.
