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Canon PIXMA TR7020/TR7020a Printer Review

Tested using Methodology v0.8.1
Reviewed Dec 10, 2020 at 10:39 am
Latest change: Writing modified Aug 21, 2023 at 11:47 am
Canon PIXMA TR7020/TR7020a Picture
7.3
Family
4.4
Small/Home Office
7.1
Student
4.7
Black & White
7.4
Casual Photo

The Canon PIXMA TR7020 has a really low black page yield, and even though the cartridges aren't expensive, the costs can add up quickly over time if you print a lot. However, the tri-color cartridge has a decent page yield, so you shouldn't need to replace it as often. The photo printing quality is good and color accuracy is decent, so you can add some color to documents or print some photos. However, it prints black-only and color documents slowly. It has both a sheetfed and flatbed scanner, but without support for duplex scanning, you have to manually flip double-sided documents while scanning. You can connect to it via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or through a wired connection, but it doesn't have support for external storage devices.

Our Verdict

7.3 Family

The Canon PIXMA TR7020 is decent for home use. It has good photo printing quality and the colors are fairly accurate. It has a decent page yield and cost-per-print for color printing, but black-only printing can get expensive over time due to its low black page yield. The scanner has good features and includes both a flatbed and sheetfed scanner.

Pros
  • Good photo printing quality.
  • Decent color page yield.
  • Decent color accuracy.
Cons
  • Low black page yield.
  • No support for external storage devices.
4.4 Small/Home Office

The Canon PIXMA TR7520 is bad for small or home offices. It has a really low black page yield, so you need to replace the cartridges often. Also, it prints black-only pages very slowly. On the plus side, it has a decent color page yield and an automatic document feeder, but it doesn't support duplex scanning.

Pros
  • Decent color page yield.
  • Flatbed and sheetfed scanner.
Cons
  • Low black page yield.
  • Prints black-only pages slowly.
  • Doesn't support duplex scanning.
7.1 Student

The Canon PIXMA TR7020 is decent for student use. It has a decent color page yield and a low cost-per-print if you print in color. However, the black page is yield is low and the costs can add up quickly over time. You can connect to it via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or through a USB connection. However, it doesn't have support for external storage devices, like USB drives or SD cards.

Pros
  • Decent color page yield.
  • Flatbed and sheetfed scanner.
  • Great connectivity options.
Cons
  • Low black page yield.
  • No support for external storage devices.
  • Prints black-only pages slowly.
4.7 Black & White

The Canon PIXMA TR7520 is disappointing for black and white printing. It has a really low black page yield and the costs of buying new cartridges can add up over time. However, there are high-yield cartridges that you can buy. It also prints black-only pages very slowly. It has an automatic document feeder, but it doesn't support duplex scanning.

Pros
  • High-yield cartridges available.
Cons
  • Low black page yield.
  • Prints black-only pages slowly.
  • Doesn't support duplex scanning.
7.4 Casual Photo

The Canon PIXMA TR7020 is decent for printing casual photos. It has good photo printing quality and decent color accuracy. The color cartridge isn't very expensive, either, so the costs remain low over time. It also supports photo sizes except for 2" x 3".

Pros
  • Good photo printing quality.
  • Decent color page yield.
  • Decent color accuracy.
Cons
  • Doesn't support 2" x 3".
  • 7.3 Family
  • 4.4 Small/Home Office
  • 7.1 Student
  • 4.7 Black & White
  • 7.4 Casual Photo
  1. Updated Aug 21, 2023: We've changed the product name to Canon PIXMA TR7020/TR7020a to include all model variants. We've also updated the 'Differences Between Variants' section to better reflect the differences between models.
  2. Updated Dec 10, 2020: Review published.
  3. Updated Dec 07, 2020: Early access published.
  4. Updated Dec 02, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
  5. Updated Dec 02, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  6. Updated Oct 18, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the Canon PIXMA TR7020 in black, and it's also available in white. This printer seems to only be available in North America. You can see the label for our unit here. Another variant of this printer, the PIXMA TR7020a, is mechanically identical in all but one respect: unlike the TR7020, the TR7020a lacks Bluetooth connectivity.

If you come across another variant of this printer, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.

Compared To Other Printers

The Canon PIXMA TR7020 is a decent printer for families. It's not as good as some other Canon options, such as the Canon PIXMA TR7520, but it provides better overall performance than some similarly-priced printers, such as the HP ENVY 6055. Also see our recommendations for the best home printers, the best printers for small businesses, and the best printers for college students.

Canon PIXMA TR7520

The Canon PIXMA TR7520 is better than the Canon PIXMA TR7020. The TR7520 has a much higher page yield, it can be used as a fax, it prints faster, and the photo printing quality is a bit better. However, the TR7020 has slightly better color accuracy.

Canon PIXMA TR8620

The Canon PIXMA TR8620 is a better printer overall compared to the Canon PIXMA TR7020. The TR8620 has better page yields, a much cheaper cost-per-print, prints faster, and produces much better-looking photos. Also, it can fax, and can print directly from SD cards.

Canon PIXMA TR4520

The Canon PIXMA TR7020 is a bit better overall than the Canon PIXMA TR4520. The TR7020 has a higher page yield, the display is better, and it has Bluetooth support. Additionally, the TR7020 has a better cost-per-print, and its input tray can hold more paper. However, the TR4520 has slightly better color accuracy and better photo printing quality. It can also fax, and it has a marginally faster printing speed. 

Canon PIXMA TR8520

The Canon PIXMA TR8520 is better than the Canon PIXMA TR7020. The TR8520 has a much higher page yield, the cost-per-print is lower over time, and it has a fax feature. It also has much better photo printing quality and it has support for external storage devices. However, the TR7020 has slightly better color accuracy and it generates its own Wi-Fi, which the TR8520 doesn't.

Canon PIXMA TS6420a

The Canon PIXMA TR7020/TR7020a and the Canon PIXMA TS6420a are very similar inkjet printers, but the TR7020 is better suited for a home office thanks to its automatic document feeder. It lets you scan a stack of pages much quicker than using the flatbed scanner on the TS6420a. On the other hand, the TS6420a is a better choice if you print photos often. Its photos look much nicer than the TR7020's, and it prints them much faster.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
6.0
Design
Build & Design Quality
Type All in One

The Canon PIXMA TR7020 has a mediocre build quality. The body is made entirely out of plastic and feels solid for the most part. The rear input tray is flimsy and feels like it can break easily. Unlike the Canon PIXMA TR7520, the display screen can't tilt vertically to make it easier to see. The printer needs to be on when you change the cartridges, and the slots to put them in are labeled. The scanner lid raises a bit, enough to accommodate larger items like books. Also, it's a bit difficult to access paper jams. Lastly, there's a white light that travels from left to right above the output tray when it's in the middle of a printing job.

Design
Dimensions
Height 8.0" (20.4 cm)
Width 15.9" (40.4 cm)
Depth 14.2" (36.1 cm)
Weight
18.3 lbs (8.3 kg)

The Canon PIXMA TR7020 is about the same size as the Canon PIXMA TR7520 and doesn't take up too much space.

6.0
Design
Display Screen
Display Screen Yes
Display Screen Size
1.5" (3.7 cm)
Touchscreen No

The Canon TR7020 has a mediocre screen. It's an OLED display with a good contrast between the whites and blacks. There are physical buttons on the sides, and menu navigation is easy. However, the screen is small, it doesn't have any touch capabilities, and it's difficult to see when seated because you can't tilt it at all.

Design
In The Box

  • Power cable
  • Starter ink cartridges
    • 1x PG-260 Black
    • 1x CL-261 Tri-Color
  • User manual

4.2
Design
Cartridge
Photo Cartridge
No
Technology Inkjet
Number Of Color Cartridges
1
Black Cartridge Model
PG-260
Color Yes
Tested Black Page Yield
7.78 prints
SuperTank
No
Estimated Black Page Yield
147 prints
Color Cartridge Model
CL-261
Tested Color Page Yield
9.97 prints
Estimated Color Page Yield
212 prints
Third Party Cartridge
No
High Yield Cartridge
Yes
Drum Unit
No Drum Unit

The Canon PIXMA TR7020 has a bad cartridge system. There are only two cartridges; the color page yield is decent, but the black page yield is extremely low. There aren't any third-party cartridges available that we were able to find, but Canon sells high-yield cartridges. We tested the color page yield using yellow pages, but cyan and magenta each printed 11 full pages before running out.

7.9
Design
Scanner
Scanner
Yes
Scan Flatbed
Yes
Scan Sheetfed
Yes
Automatic Document Feeder
Yes
Duplex Scanning
No
Scan Resolution
1,200 DPI
Scan Color Depth
24 Bit
Flatbed Scan Size
8.5" x 11"
Fax
No
Copy
Yes

The Canon PIXMA TR7020 has very good scanning features. It has both a flatbed and sheetfed scanner, but it doesn't support duplex scanning, so it may take longer to scan double-sided documents. The default scan resolution is 600 DPI, but you can increase it to 1200 DPI using the Canon IJ software. Unlike the Canon PIXMA TR7520, it doesn't have a fax feature.

Printing
7.2
Printing
Cost-Per-Print
Black Cartridge Price
17.99 US$
Color Cartridge Price
24.99 US$
Black Only Printing
0.122 US$/print
Color Printing
0.118 US$/print
Photo Printing
0.316 US$/print
Ink Subscription
Optional

The Canon TR7020 has a decent cost-per-print. The ink cartridges aren't very expensive, but because they have a low page yield, you'll likely need to buy new cartridges often if you print a lot. Also, the entire color cartridge needs to be replaced when one color runs out. Canon offers an ink subscription called 'Auto-Replenishment Service' that automatically sends you new cartridges when you run low.

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.

4.9
Printing
Printing Speed
Black Only Text Document
3 PPM
Color Document
2 PPM
Photo Printing Time
87.0 s
First Page Out Time (Black Only)
17.0 s
Duplex Printing
Automatic
Input Tray Capacity
200 pages

The Canon TR7020's printing speed is bad. It prints black and color pages very slowly, and it takes a while to print a photo. The front input tray holds 100 sheets of plain paper, while the rear input tray holds either 100 sheets of plain paper, 20 sheets of 4" x 6" paper, or 10 sheets of 5" x 7" paper. The automatic document feeder has space for 35 sheets of letter-sized paper or five sheets of legal-sized paper.

7.1
Printing
Color Accuracy
Average Color dE
9.86

The color accuracy of the Canon PIXMA TR7020 is decent. It's good enough to add some color to presentations for work or school but isn't accurate enough for those who need precise colors.

7.8
Printing
Photo Printing Quality
Borderless Printing
Yes

The Canon PIXMA TR7020's photo printing quality is good. It looks good overall and the colors are vibrant, especially yellow. However, faces look grainy, and really dark blacks have a blue tint. If you want a similar printer with much better photo printing quality, check out the Canon PIXMA TS6420a.

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

Printing
Printing Size
Letter (8.5" x 11") Yes
Legal (8.5" x 14") Yes
Tabloid (11" x 17") No
A6 (105mm x 148mm) No
A5 (148mm x 210mm) Yes
A4 (210mm x 297mm) Yes
Photo (2" x 3") No
Photo (4" x 6") Yes
Photo (5" x 7") Yes

The Canon PIXMA TR7020 supports most paper sizes from 4" x 6" photos up to legal-size paper. The front input tray has an extender for larger sizes, while the rear input tray has an adjustable slider for photo sizes.

Mobile App And Connectivity
8.0
Mobile App And Connectivity
Connectivity
Ethernet
No
USB Input To Computer
Yes
Wireless Yes
Bluetooth
Yes
Wi-Fi via Router
Yes
Wi-Fi Direct
Yes
External Storage Support
No
Apple AirPrint
Yes
Mopria Print Service
Yes

The Canon PIXMA TR7020 has great connectivity options. You can connect through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth or just use a wired USB connection. Unfortunately, it doesn't support any external storage devices like USB drives and SD cards. Unlike the Canon PIXMA TR7520, we didn't experience any issues with the Bluetooth connection. It's worth noting that the TR7020a variant of this printer isn't Bluetooth-compatible.

9.5
Mobile App And Connectivity
Mobile App For Home Use
Mobile App Yes
App Name Canon Print Inkjet/Selphy
iOS Yes
Android Yes
Photo (JPEG, PNG)
Yes
PDF
Yes
Microsoft Office Files
Yes
Text Files (TXT)
No
Webpages (HTML)
Yes

The Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY app offers outstanding features. You can order new cartridges, check ink levels, or access the online manual. It allows you to create photo items like a calendar, as long as you have the Canon Easy-PhotoPrint Editor app downloaded. You can also scan items from the printer directly onto your phone. Lastly, it allows you to print most common file types, except for .TXT files.