BLI Comparative Performance Evaluation: September 2017 HP … · 2017-09-15 · HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 Brother MFC-J5330DW Brother MFC-J5720DW Brother MFC-J6530DW Test Objective Keypoint

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BLI Comparative Performance Evaluation: September 2017

HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 vs. Competitive Inkjet Models

HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 Brother MFC-J5330DW Brother MFC-J5720DW Brother MFC-J6530DW

Test Objective

Keypoint Intelligence - Buyers Lab was commissioned by HP Inc. to conduct a comparative evaluation of performance, including image quality, usability (from the desktop, at the panel and using the mobile print/scan app), feature set and cost, of the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 inkjet model versus the Brother MFC-J5330DW, Brother MFC-J5720DW and Brother MFC-J6530DW. BLI used its proprietary image quality test targets printed and copied in default mode and compared density readings and the visual quality across the samples.

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Executive Summary

BLI’s analysts found that the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 had the greatest advantage in print quality, delivering sharp text, clean lines and vibrant colors. Key advantages of the OfficeJet Pro 7720 include brighter colors, smoother lines and text, more consistent ink fill and better clarity of fine details, while output from the Brother units appeared fuzzy, washed out and flat/lacking definition. In addition, though all devices were easy to use, BLI technicians noted that changing the paper size from letter to tabloid on the HP model was easier, thanks to the drawer design. Using the HP Smart app was also easier, providing at-a-glance status and customization to eliminate the need to navigate through multiple menus. And while cost of ownership of the OfficeJet Pro 7720 is comparable to the other inkjet models tested, BLI estimates that operating costs are about half the cost of in-class color laser all-in-ones. Based on the results of this test, the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 is a great choice for small and home office users looking for vibrant and affordable output with support for up to tabloid-size paper. Watch the BLI test summary video here: http://www.keypointintelligence.com/hpojp7720v.

OVERALL PERFORMANCE RATINGSHP OfficeJet Pro

7720Brother MFC-

J5330DWBrother MFC-

J5720DWBrother MFC-

J6530DWFeature Set Cost of Ownership = = = =Color Print Quality Black Print Quality Color Copy Quality Black Copy Quality Mobile App Ease of Use = = = =

indicates an advantage; = indicates parity. Ratings above are with respect to each other.

Features Assessment

When compared to the three Brother inkjet models, the OfficeJet Pro 7720 offers the highest memory, the fastest rated copy speeds, the ability to print double-sided borderless brochures (the Brother models will only support plain paper for borderless duplex pages) and the highest capacity inks (this is true of black and color in-box and color aftermarket inks), which contributes to less frequent intervention rates. The Brother MFC-6530DW supports scanning of up to 11" x 17" output; the OfficeJet Print 7720 has a legal-size platen, while the other Brother models only have a letter-size platen and support legal-size scanning via the document feeder. The MFC-J5330DW and MFC-J6530DW have the fastest rated first-page times, all three Brother models have a faster rated color print speed and the MFC-J5720DW has the largest touchscreen and highest paper capacity.

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Manufacturer Specifications Comparison (US Market)HP OfficeJet Pro

7720Brother MFC-

J5330DWBrother MFC-

J5720DWBrother MFC-

J6530DWEstimated Street Price

(US $)$199.99 $199.99 $249.99 $229.99

Maximum Monthly Duty

Cycle30,000 impressions 30,000 impressions 30,000 impressions 30,000 impressions

System Memory 512 MB 128 MB 256 MB 128 MB

Print speed

(Black/Color; ppm)22/18 22/20 22/20 22/20

Copy speed

(Black/Color; ppm)18/13 12/9 12/9 12/9

First-page out

(Black/Color)9 seconds/10 seconds 5.5 seconds/6 seconds Information not available 5.5 seconds/6 seconds

Control Panel 2.65-inch color touchscreen 2.7-inch color touchscreen3.7-inch color touch-

screen 2.7-inch color touchscreen

Swipe Control Panel Yes No No No

Borderless Duplex Print-

ing on Brochure PaperYes No No No

Scan to Cloud Google Drive, Dropbox preinstalled

Yes (Web Connect) Yes (Web Connect) Yes (Web Connect)

Maximum Scan/Copy

Size8.5" x 14" (platen and ADF)

8.5" x 11.7" (platen); 8.5" x 14" (ADF)

8.5" x 11.7" (platen); 8.5" x 14" (ADF)

11" x 17" (platen and ADF)

Standard Paper Ca-

pacity250 sheets 250 sheets 580 sheets 250 sheets

In-box Ink Yield 1,000 pages black/700 pages color

358 pages black/358 pages color



Aftermarket Ink Yield 3,000 pages black/1,600 pages color

3,000 pages black/1,500 pages color



Cost of Ownership Assessment

When comparing the OfficeJet 7720 to the three Brother inkjets, running costs are comparable across the four devices, though the Brother MFC-J5330DW has a very slight advantage. However, when compared to the TCO of in-class laser MFPs, the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 offers running costs that are about half the average.

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36-Month Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Comparison (In US $)

Based on an average monthly volume of 500 impressions over the course of 36 months, assuming 30% of pages printed are in color and 70% are in black mode. The pricing included in this Total Cost of Ownership is provided from the manufacturer/distributor or obtained from the manufacturer’s/distributor’s web-site. Buyers Laboratory has made reasonable efforts to ensure that the information provided is complete and accurate. Pricing is to be used as a comparative price estimate and may not represent the prevailing price of the unit, accessories and supplies/consumables in a particular location on any particular day.

Image Quality Assessment (Print Mode)

Business users want vibrant colors and clean text and to get the results they expect the first time; if users have to reprint a page because colors are wrong or quality is lacking, they’re wasting valuable time and resources. BLI evaluated image quality of all the devices using a series of BLI proprietary targets, as well as the ISO 24712 test suite, printed in default mode on 24-lb. multipurpose paper with ColorLok technology.

In BLI’s assessment, the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 had the best overall print quality, with more vibrant colors, smoother coverage in shaded areas, better clarity of fine details and cleaner lines and text. Specific examples can be seen on the following pages.

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Color Text Comparison (Magnified to show detail)


When producing red text on a light blue background, the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 produced darker, sharper text. Text from all three Brother units was lighter with some visible jagged edges.

Color Graphics Comparison (Magnified to show detail)


When producing business graphics, the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 provided the most vibrant output and best clarity of fine details. In the graphic above, you can clearly see two distinct shades of green in the pie chart produced by HP, but those from the Brother units lack the difference in shading.

Black Text Comparison (Magnified to show detail)


Black text printed by the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 was clean with smooth edges. Text produced by the Brother units was not nearly as cleanly formed and edges of text appeared jagged.

Line Quality Comparison (Magnified to show detail)


The HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 was also significantly better when printing fine lines, which were smooth and fully formed. Lines produced by all three Brother inkjet models were jagged and broken.

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Color Photo Output Comparison (Magnified to show detail)


In the photo of the car printed by the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720, the yellow car is most vibrant with realistic looking highlights and the roofline is clearly delineated from the dark background. Colors from the Brother units, especially the dark background, look washed out and some banding is visible.


A photo of pink and yellow flowers printed by the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 was vibrant with clear details and depth, but output from the three Brother inkjets looked flat and washed out.

PRINT DENSITY READINGS

(Best Mode)


(Default Mode)


(Draft Mode)

Density readings taken in best, normal and draft modes show that the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 delivered the highest black density readings in best and normal modes, but the MFC-J6530DW delivered the highest black density in draft mode.

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Water and Highlighter Smearfastness

Black WaterfastnessDrip 1 Drip 2 Average

HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 0.07 0.07 0.07

Brother MFC-J5330DW 0.08 0.08 0.08

Brother MFC-J5720DW 0.07 0.07 0.07

Brother MFC-J6530DW 0.07 0.07 0.07

This test measures the amount of colorant transferred from a printed to an unprinted area when a drip of distilled water is allowed to run across five parallel bars. Five density readings are averaged for two separate drips. The sample is allowed to dry for one hour before the test is performed. One sample is tested at default quality.


There was no visible smearing when water was dripped across output from all four models.

Black Highlighter SmearfastnessAlkaline (Dennison/Avery

HI-LITER)Acid (Sanford/Major ACCENT

highlighter)HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 0.00 0.04

Brother MFC-J5330DW 0.01 0.05



This test measures the amount of colorant transferred from a printed to an unprinted area when briefly contacted by two types of highlighters. Density readings are taken for each highlighter before and after vertically crossing five printed parallel horizontal bars to determine the amount of black ink transferred. The sample is allowed to dry one hour before the test is performed. One sample is tested at default quality.


Some slight ink transfer was visible from all four machines when an acid-based highlighter marker was used on black output. There was also slight smearing when an alkaline marker was used on output from the MFC-J5330DW and MFC-J6530DW.

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Image Quality Assessment (Copy Mode)

In copy mode, the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 produced more vibrant colors, smoother coverage in shaded areas, better clarity of fine details and cleaner lines and text. Specific examples can be seen below and on the following pages.

Color Text Comparison (Magnified to show detail)


When producing copied red text on a shaded background, the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 produced darker, sharper text. Text from all three Brother units was lighter with some visible jagged edges.

Color Graphics Comparison (Magnified to show detail)


When copying color business graphics, the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 provided the most vibrant output with smoother transitions across color bands. In the graphic above, you can clearly see each color of the rainbow in the HP output, whereas the Brother’s output lacks clear transitions and colors appear washed out.

Solid Color Accuracy (Magnified to show detail)


The HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 also provided the best color accuracy in copy mode, as seen here in a copy of a blue square. Two of the Brother units produced a shade of blue that looked almost navy blue. While the MFC-J5720DW produced a blue closer to the original, the output had noticeable mottling.

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Black Text Comparison (Magnified to show detail)


Copied text from the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 was dark and clean, with minimal jaggedness. Text produced by the Brother units was not nearly as cleanly formed and edges of text appeared jagged.

Line Quality Comparison (Magnified to show detail)


The HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 also produced better fine lines in copy mode, which were darker with smoother edges than what was produced by the Brother units. Lines produced by all three Brother inkjet models were lighter and jagged.

Density readings taken from copied output in normal mode show that the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 delivered the highest black and color density readings, and colors from the HP model were more saturated than what was seen from the Brother models.

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Mobile Print/Scan App Assessment

Modern office workers need to remain productive, even when they are away from their PC, often relying on smartphones and tablets to access and print files remotely. So it’s important to have access to an intuitive and feature rich mobile app. BLI found the HP Smart app to be an intuitive and flexible choice for mobile printing and scanning. The HP interface is more modern and graphical than the Brother iPrint&Scan app. Users can also customize the main screen of the HP Smart app to have one-touch access to their most common functions, making for fast and easy selection of desired func-tions. HP users can see at-a-glance status of ink levels on the main screen of the app and printing requires fewer steps.

The main screen of the HP Smart App can be customized with features and functions, providing one-touch shortcuts to most common functions. The HP Smart app is robust and easy to use, supporting a wide array of choices (selections include Print Photos, Camera Scan to Email, Print Facebook Photos, Print Documents, Printer Settings, Get HP Help and Support, How to Print, Scan to Email, Scan to Cloud, Camera Scan to Cloud, Scan, Camera Scan, Print from Google Drive and Print from Dropbox). The main screen also provides at-a-glance toner/ink status for the selected device.

The main screen of the Brother iPrint&Scan app includes se-lections for Print, Scan, Copy Preview, Fax and Machine Sta-tus. Users must select the icon to see ink/toner status (a step not required for HP, as status is visible on the main screen).

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The HP Smart app offers a good range of file format support (PDF, JPG, PNG, DOCx, XLSx). When a document is selected for printing, a preview is opened onscreen. You can scroll through the entire document using the preview function. Print settings can easily be changed using the touch screen icons located at the bottom of the page. Print settings include num-ber of copies (1-5), Print Quality (Draft, normal and best), Color option (color or grayscale), Paper size selection (Legal, letter or A4), Page range selection (allows user to select all pages of a doc or allows selection of individual pages), Du-plex printing (Off, short edge or long edge) and resize (origi-nal size, fit to page or fill page).

The Brother iPrint&Scan app supports the same file formats as HP’s app, plus PPT. When users select print, they can choose files from photos or documents stored on the mobile device, or activate the camera to take a photo, as well as choosing a web page or printing content that’s been copied to the clipboard. Settings include Paper Size, number of cop-ies, layout (multi-up printing) and 2-sided.

Ease of Use Assessment

BLI technicians found all of the devices easy to use. Though small, HP’s intuitive smartphone style screen with touch and swipe scrolling makes menu navigation simple. Two of the Brother screens rely on the user pressing the arrows to navigate, but the menus are intuitive. BLI technicians preferred the Brother print drivers, thanks to their graphical de-sign; the HP driver is very basic and text-based. One area where the HP model stood out was in the level of guidance when removing misfeeds or changing ink; the HP control panel displays video help messages to walk the user through the process. BLI technicians also felt changing the paper drawer from letter to tabloid-size paper was easier due to the design of the tray.

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Appendix A: Test Methodology

Test Environment

Testing was conducted under ambient conditions of 68F to 78F and 45% RH (+/- 10%), monitored daily by an Extech RH520 temperature/humidity digital recorder and Honeywell Model 61 Seven-Day Temperature/Humidity Chart Record-er, in BLI’s test facility located at 80 Little Falls Road, Fairfield, NJ (U.S.A).

Test Equipment

BLI’s dedicated test network, consisting of Windows 2003 servers, Windows 10 Professional workstations, 10Ba-seT/100BaseTX network switches and CAT5 cabling, Yokogawa WT210 power meter, Powerstat voltage regulator and ESP D5143NT Transient Voltage Surge Supressor.

Tested Models

HP OfficeJet Pro 7720, Brother MFC‐J5330DW, Brother MFC‐J5720DW and Brother MFC‐J6530DW.

Appendix B: Full-Page Image Quality Thumbnails

Color Image Quality Samples

HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 Color Print Samples

Color output produced by the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 were more vibrant than output produced by any of the Brother models. Color text was dark, sharp and smooth.

Brother MFC-J5330DW Color Print Samples

Color output produced by the MFC-J5330DW was washed out and lacked vibrancy and definition. Color text on shaded backgrounds appeared fuzzy due to jagged edges caused by ink wicking.

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Color output from the MFC-J5720DW was the least vibrant of the group, showing light streaking in some shaded areas.


Color output from the MFC-J6530DW was not as bright or clean as the HP output.

Color Photo Quality Samples

HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 Color Print Samples

Color output produced by the HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 were more vibrant than output produced by any of the Brother models. Color text was dark, sharp and smooth.


Color output produced by the MFC-J5330DW was washed out and lacked vibrancy and definition.

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Brother MFC-J5720DW Color Photo Print Samples

Color output from the MFC-J5720DW was the least vibrant of the group, showing light streaking in some shaded areas. Images were washed out and lacked depth.

Brother MFC-J6530DW Color Photo Print Samples

Photos printed by the MFC-J6530DW were somewhat washed out and not as bright or clean as the HP output.

Color Photo Quality Samples

HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 Color Photo Print Samples Brother MFC-J5330DW Color Photo Print Samples

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Brother MFC-J5720DW Color Photo Print Samples Brother MFC-J6530DW Color Photo Print Samples

Color Copy Quality Samples

HP OfficeJet Pro 7720 Color Copy Samples Brother MFC-J5330DW Color Copy Samples

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Brother MFC-J5720DW Color Copy Samples Brother MFC-J6530DW Color Copy Samples

About Buyers Lab

Since 1961, Keypoint Intelligence - Buyers Lab (BLI) has been the leading global independent office-equipment test lab. In addition to publishing the industry’s most comprehensive and accurate test reports on office document imaging de-vices, each representing months of exhaustive hands-on testing in BLI’s US and UK laboratories, the company has been the leading source for extensive runnability testing on imaging media and consumables, as well as extensive specifica-tions/pricing databases on MFPs, printers, scanners and fax machines. BLI also has a long-standing reputation for being the industry’s most trustworthy and complete source for quality testing services and global competitive intelligence.

In addition to testing over 200 office document imaging devices and related consumables annually for its subscribers, BLI provides consulting services to buyers and a range of private testing services that include document imaging device beta and pre-launch testing, performance certification testing, consumables testing (including toner, ink, fusers and photoconductors), solutions evaluations, and imaging media runnability testing.

For more information on BLI, call (973) 797-2100, visit www.keypointintelligence.com, or email [email protected].