The Pantum P3012DW is a monochrome print-only laser model that you can get on a budget. Its excellent print speed makes it ideal if you need to print black and white documents in bulk, like reports or spreadsheets for work or simple flyers for an upcoming event. There's also support for automatic duplex printing, allowing you to quickly produce double-sided prints. Its black page yield is typical for a laser printer but is still remarkably high, and although its cost-per-print isn't nearly as low as some supertanks, it's still a cost-effective model over time. You have to replace the drum unit separately, though. Unfortunately, it's a bit tricky to set it up with your wireless network, and the iOS companion app is very hard to use. Also, since there's no scanner, it isn't suitable if you need to digitize any media or make quick copies.
Our Verdict
The Pantum P3012DW performs terribly for family use, mainly because it doesn't have any scanner features, and its companion app is very hard to use. As a monochrome laser model, it isn't for printing photos. Otherwise, it's a very good choice if you only need to produce simple prints like recipes or forms to fill out since it yields a remarkably high number of pages, and its cost-per-print is very cheap. It's also easy to maintain, and you don't need to run regular maintenance procedures.
- Superb black page yield and remarkably cheap cost-per-print.
- Rarely requires maintenance.
- No scanner features.
- Not suited for printing photos.
- Companion app is difficult to use.
The Pantum P3012DW is sub-par for small or home office use. Since it doesn't have a scanner, it isn't suited for offices that need to digitize signed documents or make quick copies. However, it has a fantastic black page yield, and it prints black text documents at an outstanding speed, making it a great choice for simple black and white prints. Unfortunately, it's hard to set up with a wireless network, and it doesn't feel very well built or sturdy.
- Superb black page yield and remarkably cheap cost-per-print.
- Prints black text documents at an outstandingly fast speed.
- Rarely requires maintenance.
- No scanner features.
- Two-line LCD screen is too simplistic.
- Difficult to set up with a network.
- Cheap-feeling plastic build.
The Pantum P3012DW is passable for student use. It can't print in color, nor does it have a scanner, so it finds its best use in printing simple documents in black. However, you likely won't need to replace the toner throughout your entire school program, thanks to its remarkably high black page yield, making it economical in the long run. You also don't need to worry about running any maintenance tasks. Unfortunately, it takes a little long to warm up and print after going unused for a while, but it can get even the longest research papers out in no time once it gets going.
- Superb black page yield and remarkably cheap cost-per-print.
- Rarely requires maintenance.
- No scanner features.
- Takes a while to warm up and begin printing.
The Pantum P3012DW is great for black and white printing. It yields a remarkably high number of pages at an outstandingly cheap cost-per-print, which keeps prints economical in the long run. However, it isn't as good as most higher-end laser models or supertank inkjets. It's compatible with high-yield cartridges, though. It prints black pages at a remarkably fast speed, although it does take a little long to warm up and begin printing after going unused for a while. Unfortunately, its two-line LCD screen is very simplistic, and the printer itself is hard to set up for use with your local wireless network.
- Superb black page yield and remarkably cheap cost-per-print.
- Prints black text documents at an outstandingly fast speed.
- Rarely requires maintenance.
- Compatible with high-yield cartridges.
- No scanner features.
- Two-line LCD screen is too simplistic.
The Pantum P3012DW is a monochrome laser printer that isn't for professional or amateur photo printing.
- Not suited for printing photos.
Performance Usages
Changelog
- Updated Oct 25, 2022: Added mention of the Canon imageCLASS MF3010 as an alternative with a scanner.
- Updated Sep 30, 2022: Added mention of the Brother HL-L2325DW as an alternative with better build quality.
- Updated Sep 23, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Sep 20, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Pantum P3012DW in black. It's also available in gray and white color schemes. It's closely related to the Pantum P3010D, which only supports hard-wired connections like USB or Ethernet and doesn't have wireless capabilities. You can see our unit's label here.
Popular Printer Comparisons
The Pantum P3012DW is a monochrome print-only laser model that you can get on a budget. It performs great if you only need to print in black and white, but it doesn't have any features that set it apart from other printer models. Also, its companion app is hard to use, and it's hard to set up with a wireless network.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best laser printers, the best black and white printers, and the best cheap printers.
The Pantum P3012DW and the Kyocera ECOSYS P2235dw are both monochrome print-only laser units that are best suited for simple black and white printing. The Kyocera is better overall, with a significantly higher page yield that gives it a much cheaper cost-per-print than the Pantum, and it can print directly from USB flash drives. Also, the Kyocera warms up faster to get the first page out, and its companion app is much easier to use. On the other hand, the Pantum supports Apple AirPrint, making it much easier to use with Apple devices.
The Xerox B210/DNI and the Pantum P3012DW are both monochrome print-only laser units best suited for simple black and white printing. The two models perform about the same, with similar print speeds and an equally wide array of connectivity options. However, the Pantum has a much higher page yield and a marginally cheaper cost-per-print, whereas the Xerox is much easier to set up and warms up much faster to print after going unused for a while. Additionally, the Xerox printer's mobile app rarely works, and while the Pantum app is hard to use, you can at least get it to print your files.
The Brother MFC-L2750DW and the Pantum P3012DW are both monochrome laser printers; however, the Brother is an all-in-one with a feature-rich scanner, while the Pantum is a print-only model. Due to its array of scanning tools, the Brother is better for small or home offices. You can easily digitize various media types using its high-resolution flatbed scanner, while its single-pass duplex ADF makes quick work of double-sided, multi-page documents. Additionally, the Brother warms up and prints faster, its cost-per-print is slightly cheaper, and its mobile app is much easier to use than the Pantum's.
The HP LaserJet Pro M15w and the Pantum P3012DW are both monochrome print-only laser models that are best suited for simple black and white printing. The Pantum performs better overall, with a significantly faster printing speed, support for automatic duplex printing, and an Ethernet port. On the other hand, the HP is much less cumbersome to set up, and its mobile app is far easier to use.
Test Results
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