More Features
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Cortana. The presence of one or more of these names in the specs of the MFP means that the device is compatible with the corresponding
voice assistant — a system that allows you to give commands to various devices using your voice and receive voice notifications. Note that this is usually not about the presence of an assistant in the MFP itself, but about the ability to connect the device to a gadget equipped with a voice assistant — for example, a smartphone or laptop. However, this feature provides additional convenience — it allows you to control the MFP with just your voice, without using the control panel or touch screen, in particular, to send various files to print. At the same time, you should note that the functionality of the voice assistant and the possibilities for connecting it may be limited. For example, Amazon Alexa is able to print only content directly associated with the assistant (shopping lists, calendar templates, coloring books, and some other types of materials) and does not allow you to randomly select a file for printing from a third-party source, and you need to connect a device with such a voice assistant via a local network — this cannot be done directly via USB.
— Keyboard. In this case, we are talking about a full-fledged QWERTY keyboard, like those used in computers and laptops. For basic tasks, such equipment is not required, so the keyboard is a sign of a fairly
...advanced device. Models with this function, usually, provide a network connection (via LAN and/or Wi-Fi), and also have additional tools for managing materials (sorting, sending by fax or e-mail, etc.).
— Built-in fax. Allows the MFP to receive and send faxes. Two devices are involved in such a transfer: the first scans the document and transmits information via the telephone network, and the second prints a copy of the document based on this information. Despite the popularity of Internet technologies, fax communication is still quite widely used in business. Therefore, the MFP with built-in fax can be recommended primarily for use in the office. Fax is often combined with a telephone.
— Disc label printing. This function allows you to arrange the recorded disc (Printable CD-R/RW and DVD-R/RW) as you wish. Special software can be included to the package of the MFP with such a feature to create layouts for label printing.Scanner Colour Depth
The colour depth supported by the MFP scanner. This setting determines the number of colour shades that the device can recognize. Therefore, the overall quality of the scan directly depends on it (although other features of the device also affect this quality).
Of course, it makes sense to be focused primarily in colour depth if you plan to intensively use the scanner for full-colour images like photos, paintings, etc. If the MFP is purchased mainly for documents, where the maximum variety of colours is the logo on the letterhead or the stamp, it barely makes sense to pay special attention to this spec.
As for the colour depth, we note that the total number of recognizable shades can be determined using the formula “two to the power of the number of bits”. For example, a 24-bit scanner will recognize 2^24 = 16.7 million colours (approximately). This value is considered quite sufficient for everyday use, and 36-bit is also sufficient for relatively simple work tasks such as printing brochures and other images that do not require high colour fidelity. But for professional work with colour, you should choose more impressive scanners; in the most advanced models, the colour depth can reach 60 bits.
Noise level
The maximum noise level coming from the MFP during operation. The smaller this value, the more comfortable the use of the device. For office use, this parameter is not so important, but you should pay attention to it if you are going to use the device at home. It is easiest to evaluate a specific noise level using special comparative tables. For example, the quietest modern MFPs can operate with 34-35 dB noise level which is approximately corresponds to a muffled conversation, and the heaviest and most performant models give out up to 75 dB — this is comparable to a scream or a loud laugh at a distance of 1 m.
Power consumption
The maximum power consumed by the MFP during operation. The lower this indicator, the more energy-efficient the device is.
