Canon PIXMA TR7120 vs TR8620a: Which Fits Your Home Office?
The TR8620a is the feature-fit pick when fax or five individually replaceable ink tanks matter. The TR7120 can be the more convenient choice for larger simplex scan/copy batches because its ADF holds up to 35 Letter/A4 sheets versus 20 on the TR8620a, and its two cartridges are a PG-295 pigment-black tank plus a separate CL-286 dye-based color cartridge. RTINGS flags low page yield for both but gives the TR7120 a slight page-yield edge; that does not establish an operating-cost winner. Neither ADF automatically scans two-sided originals.
Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-09-27
Source checked 2026-09-27 13:18 UTC
Products compared
Product A · ASIN B0FMB4JBJ8
Canon PIXMA TR7120 (7178C002)
Last observed offer
$99.00 List Price: $172.99
Per listed package.
Offer eligibility must be confirmed on Amazon.
Checked 2026-10-19 19:07 UTC. Price and availability may change.
Product B · ASIN B09TRZLPXP
Canon PIXMA TR8620a (4451C032)
Last observed offer
$149.00 List Price: $215.99
Per listed package.
Offer eligibility must be confirmed on Amazon.
Checked 2026-10-19 19:07 UTC. Price and availability may change.
Pickoryx may earn a commission from qualifying purchases through the paid Amazon links on this page, at no added cost to you.
The buying question
Do fax, individually replaceable color cartridges, a second paper feed and a larger touchscreen justify choosing the TR8620a, or does the TR7120's larger ADF capacity and simpler two-cartridge system fit the workload better?
The TR8620a adds fax, five individual ink cartridges and front-plus-rear paper feeding, while the TR7120 pairs a PG-295 pigment-black tank with a separate CL-286 dye-based color cartridge and has a 35-sheet ADF versus 20 sheets on the TR8620a. Both ADFs require manual handling for double-sided originals.
Quick verdict
Choose Canon PIXMA TR7120 (7178C002) if
- You need an ADF load of up to 35 Letter/A4 pages and do not need fax.
- You prefer the TR7120's PG-295 pigment-black tank plus a separate CL-286 dye-based color cartridge.
Choose Canon PIXMA TR8620a (4451C032) if
- You need the TR8620a's built-in fax capability.
- You want five individual ink tanks so color tanks are separate, plus a 100-sheet rear feed in addition to its 100-sheet cassette.
When the recommendation changes
- If you scan double-sided originals frequently, neither model automatically scans both sides through its ADF; plan to turn pages manually or choose a duplex-scanning document scanner.
- If you print high monthly volumes, RTINGS flags low page yields for both exact models while its Canon roundup gives the TR7120 a slight yield edge. These observations do not establish a lower cost per page or total-cost winner; check current cartridge prices and your print mix.
- If your documents are legal size, each model's ADF accepts legal originals, but the TR7120 supports up to five legal sheets while its 35-sheet capacity applies to Letter/A4 plain paper.
The differences that matter
Fax Workflow
Canon PIXMA TR7120 (7178C002)
Canon lists TR7120 functions as print, copy, and scan, without fax.[1]
Canon PIXMA TR8620a (4451C032)
Canon lists TR8620a print, scan, copy, and fax.[3]
What this changes: Built-in fax is a deciding requirement that favors the TR8620a.[1, 3]
Adf Capacity And Scanning
What this changes: TR7120 accommodates a larger supported one-sided batch per load; neither model avoids turning double-sided originals manually.[1, 2, 3, 4]
Ink Replacement And Ownership
What this changes: The TR8620a provides individual ink tanks; the TR7120 uses a PG-295 pigment-black tank and separate CL-286 dye-based color cartridge. This describes cartridge configuration, not comparative waste or total ink cost.[1, 5, 3, 6]
Paper Input Flexibility
Canon PIXMA TR7120 (7178C002)
TR7120 has a 100-sheet cassette for supported plain paper.[1]
What this changes: Separate paper inputs may suit buyers switching among documented media without unloading the cassette.[1, 3, 4]
Cartridge Yield And Printing Volume
What this changes: RTINGS reports a slight page-yield advantage for TR7120, while flagging low page yields for both. Yield alone does not establish a lower cost per page or total ink cost because cartridge pricing and print mix also matter.[5, 6, 7]
Best for your routine
Fax-dependent home-office workflow
Best fit: Canon PIXMA TR8620a (4451C032)
Based on listed features, not comparative testing.
Canon documents fax on the TR8620a; the TR7120 is listed as print, copy, and scan only.
A larger single-sided Letter/A4 ADF batch
Best fit: Canon PIXMA TR7120 (7178C002)
Based on listed features, not comparative testing.
The TR7120 ADF holds up to 35 Letter/A4 sheets versus 20 on the TR8620a. Both require manual handling for double-sided originals.
Replace one depleted ink tank
Best fit: Canon PIXMA TR8620a (4451C032)
Based on listed features, not comparative testing.
The TR8620a has individual ink tanks, while Canon documents the TR7120 as a PG-295 pigment-black tank plus a separate CL-286 dye-based color cartridge. The configurations differ, but this does not prove lower total ink cost.
What the evidence cannot decide
- Frequent high-volume printing at low running cost: RTINGS flags low page yield for both exact models but reports a slight page-yield edge for TR7120. The available evidence does not establish which has lower cost per page or total ownership cost, or whether either fits a high-volume budget.
Value and trade-offs
One or both observed offers have eligibility conditions, so no unrestricted price difference is shown.
Evaluate any live TR8620a premium only against fax, individual color replacement, the second paper feed, and the larger display that the buyer will use; cartridge yield and current replacement-ink offers also matter.
No purchase-timing assessment: the current-only catalog observation is not a sufficient historical baseline. Recheck the live offer and ink prices before purchase.
Limitations
- Canon's TR7100-series manual is used for the assigned TR7120 because the exact 7178C002 model belongs to that documented product series; confirm the 7178C002 SKU when purchasing.
- The TR8600-series operating manual covers the assigned TR8620a; its Canon US support/specification page identifies TR8620a model 4451C032.
- The B&H direct comparison page is a qualitative comparison-intent signal, not measured demand. Its accessible comparison rows conflict with Canon's ADF and duplex-scan documentation, so this result relies on the exact Canon US specs/manuals for these facts.
- RTINGS tested each exact model separately; its Canon roundup reports a slight TR7120 page-yield edge. These sources do not establish a direct print-performance winner, cost-per-page winner, or total-cost winner.
- Offers and ink costs can change. This result does not establish current lowest price, historical-low status, or a preferred purchase date.
- No owner discussion research was collected for this assignment; no community claims are used.
Questions shoppers ask
Does the TR7120 have an ADF even though some comparison tables list it inconsistently?
Yes. Canon's PIXMA TR7120 specifications list a 35-sheet ADF for Letter/A4 plain paper, or five legal sheets. The TR8620a also has an ADF, rated for 20 Letter sheets or five legal sheets.
Can either printer scan both sides of a document automatically through the ADF?
No. Canon's TR7100- and TR8600-series manuals say a double-sided original cannot be scanned automatically with the ADF, so pages must be turned manually.
Which model lets me replace only an exhausted color?
The TR8620a has five individual ink tanks. The TR7120 uses a PG-295 pigment-black tank plus a separate CL-286 dye-based color cartridge. This describes cartridge configuration and does not prove which has lower ink cost.
Which is the better choice for high-volume printing?
RTINGS flags low page yield for both exact models and its Canon roundup reports a slight page-yield edge for the TR7120. That does not establish cost per page or total ownership cost; compare current cartridge prices and your print mix before choosing.
Methodology and sources
Compared assigned Amazon-linked model numbers against Canon US SKU pages, checked feeder and paper-handling limits in model-series manuals, used separate RTINGS exact-model reviews for cartridge-yield/ADF context, and retained the Canon roundup's slight TR7120 page-yield edge without translating it into an operating-cost conclusion. No matched bilateral print-performance winner is inferred.
Automation read the assigned live product records and the read-only refreshed catalog snapshot; model claims are grounded in cited Canon and RTINGS sources.
View 7 sources
- 1.PIXMA TR7120 Wireless Multi-Function Home PrinterCanon U.S.A. · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-09-27 13:18 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- SKU 7178C002; feature list; print and scan specification; paper capacity; ADF capacity; two-tank PG-295/CL-286 ink system: Canon's US product page identifies SKU 7178C002 and specifies the TR7120 as print/copy/scan with a 35-sheet Letter/A4 or five-sheet legal ADF, one 100-sheet cassette, and a two-tank hybrid PG-295/CL-286 system.
- 2.TR7100 series: Loading Documents in the ADFCanon · Official support · Source checked 2026-09-27 13:18 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- ADF handling note: double-sided original cannot be scanned automatically: Canon's TR7100 series manual documents the ADF workflow and states that the double-sided original cannot be scanned automatically by the feeder.
- 3.Canon Support for PIXMA TR8620aCanon U.S.A. · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-09-27 13:18 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- Model 4451C032; lines/spec sections for document feeder, scanner, fax, paper tray capacity, and five-color individual ink system: Canon's TR8620a US support/specification page identifies model 4451C032 and documents the 20-sheet Letter/five-sheet legal ADF, fax, 100-sheet front cassette plus 100-sheet rear tray, and five-color individual ink system.
- 4.TR8600 series: Loading Documents in the ADFCanon · Official support · Source checked 2026-09-27 13:18 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- ADF document handling; automatic duplex scan limitation: Canon's TR8600 series manual documents ADF loading and states that a duplex original cannot be scanned automatically through the feeder.
- 5.Canon PIXMA TR7120 Printer ReviewRTINGS · Independent testing · Source checked 2026-09-27 13:18 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- Review updated January 27, 2026; Test Bench 1.4.1 update September 25, 2026; overview, scanning, and page-yield sections: RTINGS identifies and tests the exact TR7120, reports its two-cartridge system and lack of fax, describes low page yield, and says the ADF cannot duplex scan. Used for exact-model observed handling/yield, not a bilateral winner.
- 6.Canon PIXMA TR8620a Printer ReviewRTINGS · Independent testing · Source checked 2026-09-27 13:18 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- Exact TR8620a review; overview, scanning, and page-yield sections; Test Bench 1.4.1 updated September 25, 2026: RTINGS identifies and tests the exact TR8620a, reports the five-cartridge PGI-280/CLI-281 ink system, ADF without duplex scanning, and low page yield. Used for exact-model handling/yield, not a bilateral winner.
- 7.The 5 Best Canon Printers of 2026: ReviewsRTINGS · Independent testing · Source checked 2026-09-27 13:18 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- Canon roundup entry comparing TR7120 with TR8620a; page-yield comparison and recommendation context: RTINGS describes the TR7120 as a good alternative when similarly priced and says it has slightly better page yields than the TR8620a. This is page-yield context only, not evidence of lower cost per page or total ownership cost.