The catch
Brother HL-L2405W
It lacks automatic two-sided printing, a scanner and an Ethernet port.
Side by side
Brother HL-L2405W vs HL-L2460DW: The 2460 handles sheet reversal for you
Quick verdict
If you print two-sided documents or share the printer over Ethernet, the HL-L2460DW is the better choice. For occasional single-sided printing on Wi-Fi, the HL-L2405W works, as long as the saving is worth it to you.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
Moving to duplex costs you no extra desk space
Each body measures 14 by 14.2 by 7.2 inches. Automatic two-sided printing needs no bigger closed-body footprint.
Where this comes from
Same manufacturer dimensions, but duplex capability differs.
The catch
Brother HL-L2460DW
Paper originals need a different machine to scan them.
Brother HL-L2405W
- Why pick it
- You mostly print brief letters on one side
- Your connection will be Wi-Fi or USB
- The catch
- It lacks automatic two-sided printing, a scanner and an Ethernet port.
Brother HL-L2460DW
- Why pick it
- You regularly deal with two-sided paperwork
- A shared printer on Ethernet is what you need
- The catch
- Paper originals need a different machine to scan them.
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What this page compares
How do automatic duplex, Ethernet and desk space stack up? You will see when the HL-L2460DW saves you handling work and when the simpler HL-L2405W is enough.
If you print two-sided documents or share the printer over Ethernet, the HL-L2460DW is the better choice. For occasional single-sided printing on Wi-Fi, the HL-L2405W works, as long as the saving is worth it to you.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Every week, school packets on both sides
Because sheets reverse automatically, a repeated manual task disappears.
- Brother HL-L2405W
- Caution
- Brother HL-L2460DW
- Better fit
One laptop on USB printing letters
USB and black-and-white output are supported by both.
- Brother HL-L2405W
- Good
- Brother HL-L2460DW
- Good
Wall network socket in a shared office
Ethernet comes on the HL-L2460DW alone.
- Brother HL-L2405W
- Not suitable
- Brother HL-L2460DW
- Better fit
Signed forms to scan
Printing is all either machine does.
- Brother HL-L2405W
- Not suitable
- Brother HL-L2460DW
- Not suitable
In practice
Differences you will notice
Moving to duplex costs you no extra desk space
Each body measures 14 by 14.2 by 7.2 inches. Automatic two-sided printing needs no bigger closed-body footprint.
How we worked this out
Same manufacturer dimensions, but duplex capability differs.
Fifty printed sides might come to fifty sheets or to twenty-five
Printed two-sided, a 50-side document takes 25 sheets. The HL-L2460DW reverses the sheets by itself. The HL-L2405W can save the same paper, but you have to turn and reload the sheets correctly yourself.
How we worked this out
The worked example divides 50 sides by two and leaves out covers and blank-page rules.
Phones on Wi-Fi are no reason to ignore Ethernet
Phones on a reachable local network can still print to a printer that is wired to the router by Ethernet. With the HL-L2460DW the printer gets that wired connection, and no user has to plug in a cable.
How we worked this out
The HL-L2460DW offers Ethernet and AirPrint. The HL-L2405W offers Wi-Fi and USB and has no Ethernet.
Option A
Brother, HL-L2405W
HL-L2405W
A plain wireless printer for letters and the odd bit of household paperwork.
- Best for
- You mostly print brief letters on one side
Facts we checked
- Two-sided output: Done by hand
- Ethernet: No
- Print speed on Letter: Up to 30 ppm
- Body when closed: 14 x 14.2 x 7.2 inches
Option B
Brother, HL-L2460DW
HL-L2460DW
Prints two-sided and spares you the desk space a scanner takes.
- Best for
- You regularly deal with two-sided paperwork
Facts we checked
- Two-sided output: Hands-free
- Ethernet: Yes
- Print speed on Letter: Up to 36 ppm
- Body when closed: 14 x 14.2 x 7.2 inches
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Brother HL-L2405W | Brother HL-L2460DW | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two-sided output | Manual | Automatic | An automatic duplexer spares reports the turn-and-reload step. |
| Ethernet | No | Yes | For a wired office connection, it has to be the HL-L2460DW. |
| Letter print speed | Up to 30 ppm | Up to 36 ppm | Batches get more out of rated speed than one-page letters do. |
| Closed body | 14 x 14.2 x 7.2 inches | 14 x 14.2 x 7.2 inches | A bigger closed-body footprint is not needed for the extra functions. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Brother HL-L2405W
- A one-sheet manual feed, not a batch tray, takes supported special media.
With Brother HL-L2460DW
- Batches of supported alternate paper stock are less convenient with its one-sheet manual feed.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
You often print on more than one side of each sheet
Go with Brother HL-L2460DW. The upgrade worth having is automatic duplex.
All you print are short single-sided jobs over Wi-Fi
Go with Brother HL-L2405W. If it costs less to buy, the simpler model handles that workflow.
You have paper originals to scan
Neither model fits. Either pick a multifunction model or add a scanner of its own.
Decision guide
How to decide
Two-sided documents or an Ethernet-shared printer point to the HL-L2460DW. Occasional single-sided printing over Wi-Fi is where the HL-L2405W makes sense, provided the saving matters.
Pay for what you do over and over
Both handle a letter every few days just fine. Once you print a stack of two-sided documents each week, the HL-L2460DW saves you turning sheets over and reloading them. That repeated chore is what you are paying to avoid, and the six-ppm difference alone is not the reason.
Put the printer within reach of the network
Ethernet helps most when the printer is near a router or network outlet. Better printing performance in every house is not guaranteed, yet it does give you a way to connect that the HL-L2405W lacks.
Settle the scanner question first
Passport pages cannot be copied and signed paper forms cannot be turned into files on either model. If you do those jobs regularly, look at the DCP-L2640DW first, rather than paying for a print-only machine and then buying another device.
Check consumables and look past a subscription headline
Each one takes TN830-family toner and a separate DR830 drum. Toner yield and drum life describe different consumables, and a cheap-looking cartridge price does not by itself make a printer cheaper over the long run.
What this page can’t tell you
- The print speeds quoted come from manufacturers. No matched hands-on testing was done.
- Toner yields come from standardized test documents, and real content shifts them.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the laser printers we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brother HL-L2405W |
|
| |
| Brother HL-L2460DW |
|
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Brother HL-L2405W
You mostly print brief letters on one side
See price & reviews on AmazonBrother HL-L2460DW
You regularly deal with two-sided paperwork
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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