Printer
Products
In The Lab
Forums
Newsletters
Insider Access
Best
Home Photo Small Business All-In-One Laser Cheap And Budget Wireless Inkjet Portable Mac Photo For iPhone Office Small Cheap Ink HP Brands Epson AirPrint Brother Black And White
Tools
Compare NEW Results Table Tool Review List Review Index Graph Custom Ratings
Popular
Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 Brother MFC-L8905CDW [MFC-L8895CDW, MFC-L8900CDW] Canon Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw/MF654Cdw Brother HL-L2460DW Brother MFC-J4335DW Epson EcoTank ET-3950 Canon PIXMA MG3620 Brother MFC-L2820DW Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 Epson EcoTank ET-2800/ET-2803 Epson EcoTank ET-2980 Canon Color imageCLASS MF665Cdw Epson EcoTank ET-2400 Brother MFC-L3780CDW/MFC-L3720CDW Epson EcoTank ET-4950 Epson EcoTank Pro ET-5850 Epson EcoTank ET-3850 Brother MFC-J1205W/MFC-J1215W Epson EcoTank ET-4800 Epson EcoTank ET-2850
175 Printers bought and tested
Supported by you via insider access, and when you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
  1. Home
  2. Printer
  3. Compare

Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser vs HL-L3280CDW

Which Printer Is Better?

    Top
    Main Differences
    Design
      Build QualityDimensionsExpected MaintenanceDisplay ScreenCartridgeScanner FeaturesScan QualityIn The BoxBattery
    Document
      Black & White DocumentsColor DocumentsCost-Per-PrintPrinting SpeedDocument Printing Sizes
    Photo
      Color GamutColor AccuracySmall DetailsPhoto Printing Sizes
    Mobile App And Connectivity
      ConnectivityMobile AppOS Compatibility
    Comments

Products

Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser
Brother HL-L3280CDW

Tested using Methodology v1.2

Updated Sep 04, 2025 06:10 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com

Tested using Methodology v1.2

Updated Sep 04, 2025 06:10 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Picture
Brother HL-L3280CDW Picture
TypePrinter Only
TechnologyLaser
SuperTank
No
Wireless
Yes
ColorYes
TypePrinter Only
TechnologyLaser
SuperTank
No
Wireless
Yes
ColorYes

Our Verdict

Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser

Brother HL-L3280CDW

The Brother HL-L3280CDW is a newer version of the Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser. They have identical features and perform similarly in print quality. The HL-L3280CDW prints slightly faster but doesn't yield as many color prints as the older HL-L3270CDW. The biggest difference is that the HL-L3270CDW requires more maintenance because its drum unit wears out much faster.

0 

Variants

  • HL-L3210CW (Black/Gray)
  • MFC-L3270CDW (Black/White)
  • HL-L3280CDW (White)
  • HL-L3220CDW (White)
  • HL-L3295CDW (White)
  • HL-L3240CDW (White)

Review

See Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Review
See Brother HL-L3280CDW Review
0 
4 

Check Price

Black/Gray
HL-L3210CW
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
White
HL-L3280CDW
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black/White
MFC-L3270CDW
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
White
HL-L3220CDW
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
White
HL-L3295CDW
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
White
HL-L3240CDW
SEARCH
Amazon.com

Main Differences for
Family

Threshold 

0.10

Family 
 

6.6
6.7

Expected Maintenance 
 

5.0
7.5

Cost-Per-Print 
 

8.5
8.1

Full Comparison

Design

Build Quality 
 

8.5
8.0

Build Quality Close Up 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Build Quality Close Up
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW Build Quality Close Up

Type  

Printer Only
Printer Only
Show Text 

Dimensions 
 

ISO View Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser ISO View Picture
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW ISO View Picture

Height  

9.9" (25.1 cm)
10.8" (27.4 cm)

Width  

17.2" (43.7 cm)
15.7" (39.9 cm)

Depth  

18.1" (46.1 cm)
15.8" (40.2 cm)

In Use Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser In Use Picture
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW In Use Picture

Height When In Use 
 

12.8" (32.4 cm)
10.9" (27.7 cm)

Width When In Use 
 

17.2" (43.7 cm)
15.7" (39.9 cm)

Depth When In Use 
 

22.9" (58.2 cm)
19.6" (49.9 cm)

Weight 
 

40.3 lbs (18.3 kg)
34.0 lbs (15.4 kg)
Show Text 

Expected Maintenance 
 

5.0
7.5

Ink Related Maintenance 
 

Not Needed
Not Needed

Drum Unit 
 

A Separate Unit
A Separate Unit
Show Text 

Display Screen 
 

7.5
8.0

Display Screen Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Display Screen Picture
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW Display Screen Picture

Display Screen  

Yes
Yes

Display Screen Size 
 

2.6" (6.7 cm)
2.6" (6.7 cm)

Touchscreen  

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Cartridge 
 

9.3
8.7

Cartridge Picture In The Printer 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Cartridge Picture In The Printer
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW Cartridge Picture In The Printer

Technology  

Laser
Laser

SuperTank 
 

No
No

Photo Cartridge 
 

No
No

Color  

Yes
Yes

Number Of Color Cartridges 
 

3
3

Black Cartridge Model 
 

TN-223BK
TN229BK

Tested Black Page Yield 
 

75 prints
78 prints

Estimated Black Page Yield 
 

1,425 prints
1,482 prints

Color Cartridge Model 
 

TN-223C/M/Y
TN229C/M/Y

Tested Color Page Yield 
 

70 prints
57 prints

Estimated Color Page Yield 
 

1,604 prints
1,212 prints

Third Party Cartridge 
 

Purchased One Worked
Not Found At Time Of The Review

Ink Type 
 

Toner
Toner

High Yield Cartridge 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Scanner Features 
 

0.0
0.0

Scanner Flatbed Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Scanner Flatbed Picture
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW Scanner Flatbed Picture

Scanner 
 

No Scanner
No Scanner

ADF Capacity 
 

N/A
N/A

Scan Speed 
 

N/A
N/A

Duplex Scanning 
 

No
No Scanner

Max Flatbed Scan Size 
 

N/A
No Scanner

Max ADF Scan Size 
 

No Scanner
No Scanner

Flatbed Hinge Adjustability 
 

N/A
N/A

Fax 
 

No
No

Copy 
 

No
No

OCR Included 
 

No Scanner
No Scanner
Show Text 

Scan Quality 
 

N/A
N/A

Scan Quality Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Scan Quality Photo
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW Scan Quality Photo

Max Scan Resolution 
 

N/A
N/A

Max Scan Color Depth 
 

N/A
N/A

In The Box  

In the Box Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser In the Box Picture
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW In the Box Picture
Show Text 

Battery 
 

Advertised Battery Life 
 

N/A
N/A

Tested Charging Time 
 

N/A
N/A
Show Text 
Document

Black & White Documents 
 

9.5
9.5

B&W Document Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser B&W Document Picture
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW B&W Document Picture

Color Ink Needed For Black & White 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Color Documents 
 

9.0
9.5

Color Document Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Color Document Picture
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW Color Document Picture
Show Text 

Cost-Per-Print 
 

8.5
8.1

Printer Total Cost 
 

See details
See details
 Compare in Graph Tool

Black Cartridge Price 
 

57.49 US$
64.46 US$

Color Cartridge Price 
 

217.47 US$
209.97 US$

Black-Only Printing Cost 
 

0.040 US$/print
0.043 US$/print

Color Printing Cost 
 

0.136 US$/print
0.173 US$/print

Photo Printing Cost 
 

0.319 US$/print
0.460 US$/print

Ink Subscription 
 

Optional
Optional
Show Text 

Printing Speed 
 

8.6
8.9

Printing Speed Video  

Black Only Text Document 
 

25 PPM
28 PPM

Color Document 
 

26 PPM
28 PPM

Photo Printing Time 
 

18.0 s
15.0 s

Single Page Out Time (Black Only) 
 

14.0 s
12.0 s

Duplex Printing 
 

Automatic
Automatic

Input Tray Capacity 
 

250 pages
250 pages
Show Text 

Document Printing Sizes 
 

Letter (8.5" x 11")  

Yes
Yes

Legal (8.5" x 14")  

Yes
Yes

Tabloid (11" x 17")  

No
No

A6 (105mm x 148mm)  

Yes
Yes

A5 (148mm x 210mm)  

Yes
Yes

A4 (210mm x 297mm)  

Yes
Yes

Max Paper Weight 
 

163 g/m²
163 g/m²
Show Text 
Photo

Color Gamut 
 

4.0
4.0

Parrots Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Parrots Picture
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW Parrots Picture

Color Range Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Color Range Picture
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW Color Range Picture
Show Text 

Color Accuracy 
 

6.4
5.5

Friends Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Friends Picture
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW Friends Picture

Color dE Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Color dE Picture
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW Color dE Picture

Color dE Graph 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Color dE Graph
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW Color dE Graph

Average Color dE 
 

7.42
9.16
Show Text 

Small Details 
 

5.0
4.5

Small Details Photo 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Small Details Photo
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW Small Details Photo

Max Print Resolution (DPI) 
 

600 x 2400
600 x 2400
Show Text 

Photo Printing Sizes 
 

0.0
0.0

Glossy Paper (4" x 6")  

No
No

Glossy Paper (5" x 7")  

No
No

Glossy Paper (8" x 10")  

No
No

Glossy Paper (8.5" x 11")  

No
No

Glossy Paper (13" x 19")  

No
No

Borderless Printing 
 

No
No
Show Text 
Mobile App And Connectivity

Connectivity 
 

8.0
8.0

Inputs Picture 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser Inputs Picture
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW Inputs Picture

Ethernet 
 

Yes
Yes

USB Input To Computer 
 

Yes
Yes

Bluetooth 
 

No
No

Wireless 
 

Yes
Yes

Wi-Fi via Router 
 

Yes
Yes

Wi-Fi Direct 
 

Yes
Yes

External Storage Support 
 

No
No

Apple AirPrint 
 

Yes
Yes

Mopria Print Service 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Mobile App 
 

10
9.5

App Printscreen 
 

Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser App Printscreen
Compare High-Res
Brother HL-L3280CDW App Printscreen

Mobile App  

Yes
Yes

App Name  

Brother iPrint&Scan
Brother Mobile Connect

iOS  

Yes
Yes

Android  

Yes
Yes

Photo (JPEG, PNG) 
 

Android and iOS
Android and iOS

PDF 
 

Android and iOS
Android and iOS

Microsoft Office Files 
 

Android and iOS
Android and iOS

Text Files (TXT) 
 

Android and iOS
Android and iOS

Webpages (HTML) 
 

Android and iOS
No
Show Text 

OS Compatibility 
 

Windows  

Fully
Fully

macOS  

Fully
Fully

Chrome OS  

Fully
Fully
Show Text 

Check Price

Black/Gray
HL-L3210CW
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
White
HL-L3280CDW
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black/White
MFC-L3270CDW
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
White
HL-L3220CDW
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
White
HL-L3295CDW
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
 
White
HL-L3240CDW
SEARCH
Amazon.com
Back to Top

Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser

Brother HL-L3280CDW

Comments

  1. Comparison
 • Posted 1 year ago

Brother HL-L3270CDW Laser vs Brother HL-L3280CDW: Main Discussion

What do you think of these products? Let us know below.


Looking for a personalized buying advice from the RTINGS.com experts? Insiders have direct access to buying advice on our insider forum.

0 
PreviewBack to editorFormat guide
No comments yet, refresh to see new ones
We make money directly from you via Insider access (which gives you access to extra features) and when you buy a product after clicking a link to a retailer. Learn more about how we work.
We buy our own products, just like you, mostly from the United States. When a product is discontinued or no longer popular, we sell the review units locally. See what products we currently have for sale.
© 2025 9298-5266 Quebec Inc. All Rights Reserved.