The catch
Brother HL-L2460DW
Paper originals need a different machine to scan them.
Side by side
Brother HL-L2460DW vs DCP-L2640DW: Scanning is DCP’s addition, with no faster print engine
Quick verdict
If you have signed forms, invoices or book pages to copy or scan, the DCP-L2640DW is the pick. The HL-L2460DW prints at the same rated 36-ppm speed but comes in a lower, smaller print-only body.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
About 27% more closed footprint comes with the scanner
Multiplying the listed width by depth gives 198.8 square inches for the HL-L2460DW and 252.8 for the DCP-L2640DW. That works out to about 27% more surface area. The figure leaves out clearance for access and cables.
Where this comes from
14 x 14.2 = 198.8 and 16.1 x 15.7 = 252.77. Dividing the difference by 198.8 gives 27.15%.
The catch
Brother DCP-L2640DW
No fax, and the feeder reads only one side per pass.
Brother HL-L2460DW
- Why pick it
- Your files start out digital
- You would trade copying for desk space
- The catch
- Paper originals need a different machine to scan them.
Brother DCP-L2640DW
- Why pick it
- Stacks of one-sided forms need scanning
- Book pages or ID cards get copied
- The catch
- No fax, and the feeder reads only one side per pass.
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What this page compares
Is a scanner worth the desk space? Set the larger footprint and feeder of the DCP-L2640DW next to the HL-L2460DW, and think about digital files versus printed forms.
If you have signed forms, invoices or book pages to copy or scan, the DCP-L2640DW is the pick. The HL-L2460DW prints at the same rated 36-ppm speed but comes in a lower, smaller print-only body.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Printing from files saved on a laptop
Rated print speed is the same on the print-only model, which comes in a smaller body.
- Brother HL-L2460DW
- Better fit
- Brother DCP-L2640DW
- Good
Twenty single-sided invoices to scan
The stack goes into the DCP feeder.
- Brother HL-L2460DW
- Not suitable
- Brother DCP-L2640DW
- Better fit
Pages to copy out of a bound manual
Go with the DCP flatbed.
- Brother HL-L2460DW
- Not suitable
- Brother DCP-L2640DW
- Better fit
A large stack of forms archived on both sides
The DCP scans, yet you have to deal with the reverse sides yourself.
- Brother HL-L2460DW
- Not suitable
- Brother DCP-L2640DW
- Caution
In practice
Differences you will notice
About 27% more closed footprint comes with the scanner
Multiplying the listed width by depth gives 198.8 square inches for the HL-L2460DW and 252.8 for the DCP-L2640DW. That works out to about 27% more surface area. The figure leaves out clearance for access and cables.
How we worked this out
14 x 14.2 = 198.8 and 16.1 x 15.7 = 252.77. Dividing the difference by 198.8 gives 27.15%.
Loose papers benefit from a feeder, a bound notebook does not
You can load up to 50 suitable sheets as a stack in the DCP-L2640DW. A book still goes on the flatbed, page by page.
How we worked this out
The DCP offers a 50-sheet ADF and flatbed, and the HL has no scanner.
Printing two-sided gives you no two-sided scanning
Each can turn printed sheets over on its own. The DCP-L2640DW, though, does not capture the backs of scanned originals automatically, which means a stack of double-sided forms still takes extra handling.
How we worked this out
Both print duplex automatically. DCP duplex scan is expressly listed as No.
Option A
Brother, HL-L2460DW
HL-L2460DW
Prints two-sided and spares you the desk space a scanner takes.
- Best for
- Your files start out digital
Facts we checked
- Scanning: None
- Print speed on Letter: Up to 36 ppm
- Width and depth when closed: 14 x 14.2 inches
- Height when closed: 7.2 inches
Option B
Brother, DCP-L2640DW
DCP-L2640DW
Where to start if your day involves printing and scanning routine office forms.
- Best for
- Stacks of one-sided forms need scanning
Facts we checked
- Scanning: 50-sheet feeder plus flatbed
- Print speed on Letter: Up to 36 ppm
- Width and depth when closed: 16.1 x 15.7 inches
- Height when closed: 12.5 inches
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Brother HL-L2460DW | Brother DCP-L2640DW | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scanning | None | Flatbed and 50-sheet feeder | Whether the larger model deserves its space depends on your paper originals. |
| Letter print speed | Up to 36 ppm | Up to 36 ppm | Getting the scanner will not raise the rated printing speed. |
| Closed body width and depth | 14 x 14.2 inches | 16.1 x 15.7 inches | More surface area goes to the multifunction model. |
| Closed height | 7.2 inches | 12.5 inches | Even with the lid closed, the scanner makes the machine taller. |
| Two-sided scanning | Unavailable | Manual handling required | Only one side is read at a time by the DCP feeder. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Brother HL-L2460DW
- Batches of supported alternate paper stock are less convenient with its one-sheet manual feed.
With Brother DCP-L2640DW
- With a one-sheet manual feed, batches of supported special media have to be loaded over and over.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
Paperwork keeps arriving that has to be turned into a file
Go with Brother DCP-L2640DW. A separate scanning device is not needed with the feeder and flatbed.
Digital documents are all you print
Go with Brother HL-L2460DW. That job has no use for the added scanner.
Both sides have to be scanned automatically for you
Neither model fits. Better suited is a model with a single-pass duplex ADF.
Decision guide
How to decide
The DCP-L2640DW is the choice when signed forms, invoices or book pages have to be copied or scanned. When you only print, the HL-L2460DW gives the same 36-ppm rated speed in a smaller, lower body.
Paper coming in versus paper going out
The HL-L2460DW turns digital files into paper. The DCP-L2640DW does that too and also goes the other way. Thinking in those terms beats labeling one a home printer and the other a business printer.
Low height helps on a crowded worktop
Closed, the print-only unit stands 5.3 inches lower. That helps under an open shelf, though it does not promise a fit inside a cabinet. The manual’s ventilation and tray-access space still has to be left free.
Consider the original itself
Loose sheets of a supported type can run through the DCP feeder, while books and fragile originals have to go on the flatbed. A big feeder capacity and automatic duplex printing still do not let you walk away from a double-sided scan stack.
Printing is no reason to step up
Each is rated at 36 Letter ppm, with automatic duplex printing, Wi-Fi and Ethernet. The DCP is worth choosing for the scanning. It does not print reports any faster.
What this page can’t tell you
- Speeds listed are manufacturer ratings, never matched hands-on test results.
- Standardized test documents set the toner yields, which vary with content.
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-L2460DW |
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| |
| Brother DCP-L2640DW |
|
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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-L2460DW
Your files start out digital
See price & reviews on AmazonBrother DCP-L2640DW
Stacks of one-sided forms need scanning
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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