The catch
Brother HL-L3220CDW
Lacks both a scanner and Ethernet.
Side by side
Brother HL-L3220CDW vs HL-L3280CDW: A shared printer gets Ethernet with 3280
Quick verdict
A wired shared network or regular color batches call for the HL-L3280CDW. If you only print color documents now and then over Wi-Fi and the lower purchase cost matters, the HL-L3220CDW is enough.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
More speed brings no extra paper capacity
Rated speed is higher on the HL-L3280CDW, yet each has a 250-sheet cassette and a one-sheet manual feed. That lets it finish supported jobs sooner, with no change to how long you go between paper refills.
Where this comes from
27 ppm against 19 ppm, rated. Input is 250+1 on both.
The catch
Brother HL-L3280CDW
It only prints, so paper documents stay on paper.
Brother HL-L3220CDW
- Why pick it
- Color printing is occasional and goes over Wi-Fi
- No Ethernet socket is needed
- The catch
- Lacks both a scanner and Ethernet.
Brother HL-L3280CDW
- Why pick it
- Your setup demands a wired network connection
- Color handouts go out in repeated batches
- The catch
- It only prints, so paper documents stay on paper.
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What this page compares
Color batch speed, Ethernet and paper handling are what set these printers apart. See whether stepping up to the HL-L3280CDW does anything for the printing your office really does.
A wired shared network or regular color batches call for the HL-L3280CDW. If you only print color documents now and then over Wi-Fi and the lower purchase cost matters, the HL-L3220CDW is enough.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Each week, five color handouts sent over Wi-Fi
Light color output works on both.
- Brother HL-L3220CDW
- Good
- Brother HL-L3280CDW
- Good
A network wall port serving a shared printer
Ethernet is on the HL 3280.
- Brother HL-L3220CDW
- Not suitable
- Brother HL-L3280CDW
- Better fit
Hundred-page color batches, again and again
Long jobs are when the higher rated output starts to count.
- Brother HL-L3220CDW
- Good
- Brother HL-L3280CDW
- Better fit
Signed contracts to scan
A scanner comes with neither.
- Brother HL-L3220CDW
- Not suitable
- Brother HL-L3280CDW
- Not suitable
In practice
Differences you will notice
More speed brings no extra paper capacity
Rated speed is higher on the HL-L3280CDW, yet each has a 250-sheet cassette and a one-sheet manual feed. That lets it finish supported jobs sooner, with no change to how long you go between paper refills.
How we worked this out
27 ppm against 19 ppm, rated. Input is 250+1 on both.
A bigger batch widens the speed gap
Run 100 pages at their rated continuous simplex speeds and you get about 3.7 minutes versus 5.3 minutes. Warm-up, first-page delay, duplexing, processing and pauses are left out, so treat it as an illustration of scale and not a stopwatch prediction.
How we worked this out
100/27=3.70 minutes, and 100/19=5.26 minutes. Rates are the manufacturer’s maximum for Letter.
Ethernet can settle the choice ahead of color speed
Should your office insist on a wired network for the printer, the HL-L3220CDW is out, however few pages you print. A laptop on Wi-Fi does not force the printer to use Wi-Fi as well.
How we worked this out
The HL 3280 has Ethernet and local network printing, and the HL 3220 has no Ethernet.
Option A
Brother, HL-L3220CDW
HL-L3220CDW
Wireless-network printing for color handouts and two-sided documents.
- Best for
- Color printing is occasional and goes over Wi-Fi
Facts we checked
- Color speed on Letter: Up to 19 ppm
- Ethernet: No
- Two-sided printing: Hands-free
- Paper input: A 250-sheet cassette and a one-sheet feed
Option B
Brother, HL-L3280CDW
HL-L3280CDW
Color documents on a network that is shared, wired or wireless.
- Best for
- Your setup demands a wired network connection
Facts we checked
- Color speed on Letter: Up to 27 ppm
- Ethernet: Yes
- Two-sided printing: Hands-free
- Paper input: A 250-sheet cassette and a one-sheet feed
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Brother HL-L3220CDW | Brother HL-L3280CDW | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter color speed | Up to 19 ppm | Up to 27 ppm | The higher rated output pays off more on longer batches. |
| Ethernet | No | Yes | Direct connection to a network cable is possible only on the HL-L3280CDW. |
| Two-sided printing | Automatic | Automatic | Duplex by itself is no reason to upgrade. |
| Paper input | 250-sheet cassette plus one-sheet feed | 250-sheet cassette plus one-sheet feed | Special media still cannot be fed in bulk on either. |
| Scanning | None | None | Paper originals need a different device with either. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Brother HL-L3220CDW
- Batches of supported alternate stock mean loading the one-sheet manual feed again and again.
With Brother HL-L3280CDW
- Handling batches of supported special media is limited by a one-sheet manual feed.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
The printer has to be on Ethernet
Go with Brother HL-L3280CDW. The missing port comes with the HL 3280.
Your color jobs are short, and Wi-Fi is fine
Go with Brother HL-L3220CDW. If it costs less, the lower-tier print-only unit meets that brief.
You have originals to scan or copy
Neither model fits. A multifunction model is the better pick.
Decision guide
How to decide
Go with the HL-L3280CDW if the network is wired and shared, or if you print color in regular batches. Occasional color documents over Wi-Fi are within reach of the HL-L3220CDW, and it costs less to buy.
Each one suits a different workload
A household does not necessarily find the 19-ppm unit too slow. Where the 27-ppm unit gets more attractive is when several people send longer batches and the waiting adds up.
Paper handling is identical
A 250-sheet cassette and a one-sheet manual feed come with both models. Printing faster does not let you load a stack of envelopes or other supported special media through that single-sheet slot automatically.
Each one is an LED color printer
Both are electrophotographic LED printers, which fall in the laser-class category. The name difference says nothing about which one prints better, so compare the connections and the paper workflow you need.
Add up cartridge and drum costs as a pair
Brother lists both toner and a drum system that is separate. Your documents’ use of cyan, magenta and yellow also drives the cost of owning a color printer. Quoting a precise cost per month would be misleading without a defined workload and current supply prices.
What this page can’t tell you
- The manufacturers rated the print speeds. No matched hands-on tests were run.
- Toner yields rest on standardized test documents and change with your 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-L3220CDW |
|
| |
| Brother HL-L3280CDW |
|
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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-L3220CDW
Color printing is occasional and goes over Wi-Fi
See price & reviews on AmazonBrother HL-L3280CDW
Your setup demands a wired network connection
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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