Canon PIXMA TR4520 Printer Review

The Canon PIXMA TR4520 has a disappointing build. While the scanner lid can slightly lift to accommodate thicker items like magazines, part of the lid is the output tray and papers can move around as you lift it. The paper input tray is also fairly small and if you want to keep paper inside the printer, it needs to be kept open. If you have a paper jam, you have to lift the back of the printer or lay it on its side to get at it. The ink cartridges are also accessible only when the printer is on and if you need to change it mid-way through a printing job, the output tray could get in the way if it has a lot of paper on it.

The Canon PIXMA TR4520 is relatively compact and shouldn't take up too much space on your desk, which is good for small offices or dorms.

The Canon PIXMA TR4520 has a poor display screen. It uses what Canon calls a 2-line Full Dot Matrix LCD display which gives it a retro, calculator-like feel. However, it has bad viewing angles, and to read it clearly you have to be standing and looking down at it. The display console itself doesn't tilt or swivel, so you can't improve the angle, and the interface menu is very difficult to navigate. If you prefer something with a better, OLED screen, then look into the Canon PIXMA TR7020.

• Canon PIXMA TR4520 printer
• User manual
• 4"x6" Photo Paper Glossy sample pack
• Setup CD-ROM
• Power cable
• PG-243 Black FINE cartridge
• CL-244 Color FINE cartridge
• Modular cable

The Canon PIXMA TR4520 has a poor cartridge system. It uses one black and one combined color cartridge. However, this printer doesn't produce a lot of black ink pages, which isn't great when you need to print off a lot of essays or documents. While it yields slightly more color pages, you may have to change the color cartridge more often to compensate. If you need even more ink, Canon does sell a slightly larger version. This printer can also accept third-party cartridges, but this could void its warranty. If you want a printer with a much higher page yield with black and white documents, check out the Canon PIXMA MG3620.

If you want a printer with a better cartridge system, check out the Epson Expression Home XP-4100.

Update 05/28/2020: We originally reported that this printer’s software limits its max resolution to 600 DPI. However, you can raise it to 1200 DPI depending on which Canon software you’re using. The review has been updated to reflect this.

The Canon TR4520 has great scanning features. This printer has a flatbed scanner, which is great for more delicate or slightly bulkier items, as well as a sheetfed scanner, which is better suited for processing a lot of pages in one go. It also has an integrated fax, which is a nice touch. However, if you want to copy or scan double-sided documents, you have to flip each side manually. While the DPI limit may seem to be 600 at first glance, if you look under the "drivers" tab, you can do an advance scan with Canon’s My Image Garden software at a higher resolution. If you’re using the Canon IJ Scan Utility app, these settings can be found under the “scangear” tab. Note, if the document you’re scanning exceeds over 100mb then you need to turn off “thumbnail preview mode” (located on the left top corner of “scan advanced” settings page) to reach 1200 DPI.

The cost-per-print of the Canon TR4520 is disappointing. While the cartridges are reasonably priced, the black ink cartridge can run out fairly quickly and if you're always replacing it, it can add up in the long term. The color cartridge is slightly more cost-efficient but because it includes all colors in one unit, when you run out of one color, you have to replace the entire cartridge, which can also become costly in the long term. Canon also doesn't offer an ink subscription. If you want a printer with a lower cost-pre-print, check out the Brother MFC-J497DW.

Keep in mind that even if you print only in black, most inkjet printers continue using the color cartridge for servicing tasks, so you'll likely still need to replace it eventually.

The printing speed of the Canon TR4520 is disappointing. It prints black-only text documents very slowly and color documents are even slower. Printing one 4" x 6" photo also takes over a minute to finish. If you want a printer with faster printing speeds, then check out the HP ENVY Pro 6455.

The Canon PIXMA TR4520 has decent color accuracy. While it shouldn't be a dealbreaker for those printing off occasional documents with a splash of color, users who need more precise color accuracy may find the results disappointing, especially when compared to their source file.

If color accuracy is important to you, then check out the HP ENVY 5055.

The Canon PIXMA TR4520 has impressive photo printing quality. Although there's a little bit of banding on the grayscale, colors are still vibrant and detail is clear.

These results are based on the actual physical photo, not the scanned image provided for reference above, which may not be representative of the printer's photo print quality.

The Canon PIXMA TR4520 has one input tray. It doesn't have a cassette but it has a slider to adjust for most popular paper formats. However, you won't be able to close the input tray if there's paper loaded inside it. There's also one output tray that has an extender.

The Canon PIXMA TR4520 has decent connectivity features. If you want to use it wirelessly, you can hook it up to your Wi-Fi via your router or if you're on a mobile device, you can use Apple AirPrint or Mopria Print Service. This printer can also use an ethernet cable, which is nice if you prefer a wired connection. However, it can't connect via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct, and it can't print off anything directly from an external storage device such as a memory card.

If you want Bluetooth support, check out the Canon PIXMA TS5320.

The Canon TR4520 is compatible with the Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app. Available on both Android and iOS, you can print, scan, and copy from the app as well as see items you scan directly on your device. You can also order ink if you need it, but Canon doesn't offer an ink subscription feature.