Canon PIXMA TS6520 vs Brother DCP-L2640DW: Which Paperwork Fits?
Choose the Canon PIXMA TS6520 for color printing with occasional, manually placed scans. Choose the Brother DCP-L2640DW for monochrome paperwork and batches of loose originals. Brother can save color scans, but its automatic two-sided printing does not include two-sided scanning.
Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-10-05
Source checked 2026-10-05 17:11 UTC
Products compared
Product A · ASIN B0FMBTJLX6
Canon PIXMA TS6520 (White)
Last observed offer
$140.00
Per listed package.
Offer eligibility must be confirmed on Amazon.
Checked 2026-10-19 07:07 UTC. Price and availability may change.
Product B · ASIN B0CPLFTPCV
Brother DCP-L2640DW
Last observed offer
$209.99
Per listed package.
Offer eligibility must be confirmed on Amazon.
Checked 2026-10-19 15:14 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 you need color on the printed page, or does handling stacks of monochrome paperwork matter more?
Canon supplies color output with a flatbed scanner; Brother combines monochrome output with an automatic document feeder and a larger paper tray.
Quick verdict
Choose Canon PIXMA TS6520 (White) if
- You need color documents or photos printed at home.
- You are comfortable putting each scan original on the flatbed.
Choose Brother DCP-L2640DW if
- Black-and-white printed pages meet your needs.
- You want a document feeder for suitable loose originals and a larger paper tray.
When the recommendation changes
- If every printed page can be monochrome, the document feeder may matter more than color output.
- If you need both color printing and an automatic document feeder, choose a different model.
- If unattended scanning of both sides is essential, neither meets that requirement.
The differences that matter
Color Output And Supply System
What this changes: Choose Canon when the printed page must retain color. Brother fits monochrome paperwork, including a workflow that saves color scans digitally. Compare the required replacement supplies; these different systems alone do not establish which costs less to run.[2, 4, 5, 6]
Scanning Batches And Paper Handling
What this changes: Brother suits batches of suitable loose originals and a larger paper load. Canon suits individual originals when manual placement is acceptable. For documents printed on both sides, neither provides automatic scanning of both sides; plan to turn originals yourself or choose another scanner.[1, 3, 5, 6]
Best for your routine
Printing documents that need color, with occasional scans
Best fit: Canon PIXMA TS6520 (White)
Based on listed features, not comparative testing.
Canon supplies color output; its flatbed asks you to handle each original. Brother cannot produce color printed pages.
Scanning stacks of suitable one-sided paperwork for a monochrome printing routine
Best fit: Brother DCP-L2640DW
Based on listed features, not comparative testing.
Brother adds an automatic document feeder and more paper capacity. Its color scanner also preserves color in digital files, despite monochrome output.
Value and trade-offs
One or both observed offers have eligibility conditions, so no unrestricted price difference is shown.
If Brother costs more, its document feeder and larger tray are concrete reasons to consider the difference. They do not replace color printing. Compare current printer offers and the exact ink, toner and drum supplies your workload will require; this article does not calculate total ownership cost.
There is not enough verified price history here to recommend buying now or waiting.
Community discussions
Questions and individual experiences add context, not controlled-test results, failure rates, or owner consensus.
A DCP-L2640DW user asks about scanning both sides
The poster asks how to handle double-sided documents on a Mac. Replies mix other Brother models, software suggestions and an unrelated HP example; three replies are truncated. This illustrates a purchase question, not verified instructions or a test of either printer.
Reddit discussion · Applies to Brother DCP-L2640DW · Source checked 2026-10-05 17:05 UTC
Limitations
- Pickoryx has not tested these printers. No print-quality, real-world speed, reliability, ink-drying or running-cost winner is established.
- Paper capacities depend on suitable media. Color printing is not a guarantee that a particular invitation stock will feed or print correctly.
- Optional supply plans are not included in the purchase assumed here. Compare any plan separately from buying cartridges or toner.
Questions shoppers ask
Can the Brother scan a color document even though it is a monochrome printer?
Yes. Brother explicitly lists color and black-and-white scanning. A saved scan can retain color, while printed pages and photocopies from this machine are black and white.
Does automatic two-sided printing also scan both sides?
No. Brother explicitly lists duplex scanning as unavailable. Canon uses a flatbed without an automatic document feeder. Both support two-sided printing, but scanning both faces of an original requires manual handling.
Can the Canon create one PDF from several originals?
Yes. In Canon’s operation-panel PDF workflow, scan an original, confirm that you want to continue, and place the next one on the glass. Ending the sequence sends one PDF. Multipage PDF support describes the file, not automatic paper feeding.
Does black-and-white printing use only the Canon’s black cartridge?
Not necessarily. Canon says color ink can be used even for monochrome documents, and cleaning uses both black and color ink. That is a supply-planning detail, not enough evidence to calculate which printer is cheaper to run.
Methodology and sources
Compared the White US Canon TS6520 and standard US Brother DCP-L2640DW for printed color, replacement supplies, original-document handling and paper capacity. Manufacturer specifications support feature fit, not measured performance.
AI assisted with source comparison and drafting.
View 6 sources
- 1.PIXMA TS6520 support and technical specificationsCanon U.S.A. · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-05 17:09 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- Product Info: Print, Scan, Ink Information; paper capacity and replenishment options: The exact TS6520 page lists color printing, a 100-sheet plain-paper cassette, flatbed scanning with no ADF capacity, and individual ink purchase alongside optional replenishment plans.
- 2.PIXMA TS6520 Technical Specifications, version 1.0Canon U.S.A. · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-05 17:10 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- PDF page 1: Print, Scan, Ink Information and Box Contents: The exact-model sheet identifies two cartridges, PG-295 black and CL-286 color, duplex printing, a flatbed and a 100-sheet plain-paper cassette. Its ADF capacity field is N/A.
- 3.TS6500 series: Using Operation Panel to ScanCanon · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-05 17:10 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- UG121: steps 2 and 7; PDF or Compact PDF continuation; manual landing page explicitly includes TS6520: For a multipage PDF, place an original on the platen, scan it, confirm continuation, and place the next original. Ending the sequence sends the scanned data as one PDF.
- 4.TS6500 series: Replacing a FINE CartridgeCanon · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-05 17:10 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- S309: separate black and color cartridge slots; maintenance notes; TS6520 is listed on the manual landing page: The manual describes separate black and color cartridge replacement. It also states that color ink can be consumed in monochrome printing and that both inks are used for cleaning. No running-cost or idle-life conclusion is drawn.
- 5.DCP-L2640DW Wireless Monochrome Laser All-in-One PrinterBrother USA · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-05 17:03 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- Specifications: Consumable Type, Scanning Capability, Duplex Scanning, Copy Capability, paper handling; Supplies & Accessories: The exact US model uses toner and a separate drum, prints and copies in black and white, and scans in color or black and white. It supports automatic duplex printing but lists Duplex Scanning as No.
- 6.DCP-L2640DW Monochrome Laser Multi-Function Printer brochureBrother USA · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-05 17:10 UTC
Evidence used on this page
- PDF page 2: Scan, Paper Handling, General, Replacement Supplies; footnote 8: Lists a 50-page ADF and 250-sheet tray, with maximum capacities based on 20 lb paper. Duplex capability is printing only; Duplex Scan is No. Supplies include TN830-family toner and the separate DR830 drum.