The Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw is a monochrome laser printer. It's a print-only unit with Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and USB connectivity and support for AirPrint and Mopria Print Service. It's compatible with 071 standard format or 071 H high-yield cartridges. It also features a 150-sheet input tray, a 100-sheet output tray, and a small monochrome LCD display.
Our Verdict
The Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw is a poor fit for family usage. It can only print in black-and-white, and its highly-pronounced printing pattern makes it unsuitable for printing documents that incorporate photos or detailed graphs. It also lacks a scanner to copy pages from books or magazines. That said, the relatively wide range of connectivity options makes it easy for anyone in your home to connect to the unit, and its high page yield keeps ownership costs low.
- High page yield and low cost-per-print.
- Few maintenance requirements.
- Printing pattern obscures fine details.
- Can't print in color.
- Can't print on glossy paper.
- No scanner.
The Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw is an okay choice for home offices. While printing quality is nothing to write home about, with poor resolution of fine details and a lot of graininess, the LBP122dw can output a large number of black-and-white pages in remarkably little time. Its toner cartridge has a high yield, so you won't have to replace it very often, which keeps the cost of ownership low. That said, the lack of a scanner and color printing capability might be limiting to some offices.
- High page yield and low cost-per-print.
- Fast printing speed.
- Few maintenance requirements.
- Can't print in color.
- No scanner.
- Mediocre document printing quality.
The Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw is a decent choice for students as long as you know its limitations. It can't print in color and is best suited for bulk printing text documents, as its obvious printing pattern can obscure fine details in photos and graphs. It lacks a scanner, too, so you'll have to look elsewhere if you frequently need to copy from textbooks. That said, it can quickly print long, multi-page documents, which is great for those last-minute essay submissions. Its relatively inexpensive replacement toner cartridges and high page yield also mean low ownership costs.
- High page yield and low cost-per-print.
- Fast printing speed.
- Few maintenance requirements.
- No scanner.
- Mediocre document printing quality.
The Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw is a good black-and-white printer. Even its standard-format 071 toner cartridge has a high page yield, though you can buy a high-yield cartridge if need be. The printer also outputs pages very quickly. That said, print quality is mediocre; while text is legible, there's a lot of graininess, and details in photos and graphs are obscured by the low print resolution and obvious printing pattern.
- High page yield and low cost-per-print.
- Fast printing speed.
- Mediocre document printing quality.
The Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw isn't designed for photo printing. It's a black-and-white-only laser unit, so it can't print in color. Its low print resolution and obvious printing pattern result in photos that look grainy and lacking in detail.
- Printing pattern obscures fine details.
- Can't print in color.
- Can't print on glossy paper.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Jan 16, 2025:
We've updated the product's 'Depth When In Use' in the Dimensions section to correct an error.
- Updated Sep 29, 2023: Review published.
- Updated Sep 26, 2023: Early access published.
- Updated Sep 21, 2023: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
There are a few other variants of this printer with slight differences in name, region of sale, and connectivity options.
| Model Name | Region of Sale | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|
| imageCLASS LBP122dw | North America | USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet |
| i-SENSYS LBP122dw | Europe | USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet |
| imageCLASS LBP121dn | Asia | USB, Ethernet |
We tested the imageCLASS LBP122dw variant, and you can see its label here.
Let us know in the discussions if you come across another variant of this printer, and we'll update our review.
Popular Printer Comparisons
The Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw is a basic print-only monochrome laser unit. Compared to similarly-priced models like the Pantum P2502W, it feels considerably better built and offers niceties like automatic duplex printing and an LCD status display, though it's worth noting that the latter is really rudimentary. Its page yield is fairly high, though not class-leading amongst other laser printers, and its mediocre document printing quality means that it's best suited for text-only documents.
If you're looking for an alternative, see our recommendations for the best laser printers, the best office printers, and the best black and white printers.
The Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw is better than the Pantum P2502W. While the Pantum has a marginally higher page yield, the Canon has many other advantages on its side. The Canon feels better built, prints faster, and has an Ethernet port and a basic LCD status screen.
The Brother HL-L2325DW and Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw are both monochrome print-only units with different strengths. The Brother offers noticeably superior print quality for documents that occasionally incorporate photos or graphs. That said, the Canon prints faster, uses toner cartridges with a higher page yield, and incurs lower ownership costs, so it's a better option for bulk printing of text documents.
The Canon imageCLASS LBP122dw is a better printer than the Canon imageCLASS MF3010. The LBP122dw feels noticeably sturdier, has a slightly more informative status screen, supports duplex printing, and offers a wide range of wireless printing options that the MF3010 does not, including Wi-Fi as well as Apple AirPrint and Mopria Print Service. The MF3010 holds an advantage with its flatbed scanner, so it could be a better fit if you don't mind the lack of wireless connectivity and frequently copy from textbooks or magazines. It also uses cartridges with a much higher page yield than the 071 format cartridges used by the LBP122dw.
Test Results
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