Choosing between the Brother MFC-L3720CDW and the Canon MegaTank MAXIFY GX2020 can be challenging because both are feature-rich all-in-one printers designed for home offices and small businesses. However, they use completely different printing technologies. Brother uses a color laser engine, while Canon relies on an ink tank (MegaTank) inkjet system.
If your priority is fast business printing with sharp text and minimal maintenance, one printer clearly stands out. On the other hand, if you print thousands of pages every month and want the lowest possible running cost, the other model offers incredible long-term value. Here’s a detailed comparison to help you decide.
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Brother MFC-L3720CDW vs Canon MegaTank MAXIFY GX2020 Printer: Specs Comparison
Feature | Brother MFC-L3720CDW | Canon MegaTank MAXIFY GX2020 |
Print Technology | Laser | Ink Tank Inkjet |
Print Speed (Black) | 19 ppm | 15 ppm |
Color Print Speed | 19 ppm | 10 ppm |
Paper Tray | 250 sheets | Smaller capacity |
Auto Document Feeder | 50 sheets | 35 sheets |
Display | 3.5-inch Color Touchscreen | 2.7-inch Color Touchscreen |
Duplex Printing | Yes | Yes |
Best For | Business offices | High-volume economical printing |
Price | $290 | $264 |
Which is Better Brother MFC-L3720CDW or Canon MegaTank MAXIFY GX2020?
The Brother MFC-L3720CDW is the better printer for most small businesses and professional offices.
Although it costs about $130 more, it delivers faster print speeds, significantly better text quality, a larger paper capacity, a larger automatic document feeder, more onboard memory, and a workflow that’s designed for demanding office environments.
The Canon GX2020 shines when printing huge numbers of pages because its refillable MegaTank system dramatically reduces printing costs. However, for everyday productivity and professional documents, Brother provides the better overall experience.
Winner: Brother MFC-L3720CDW
Top 3 Reasons to Choose Brother MFC-L3720CDW
1. Much Faster Printing
Brother prints at 19 pages per minute in both black and color.
Canon reaches only 15 ppm black and 10 ppm color, making Brother noticeably faster for large print jobs.
2. Better Office Productivity
Brother includes:
- 250-sheet paper tray
- 50-sheet ADF
- Automatic duplex printing
- 512MB memory
- Large touchscreen
Everything is designed for busy office workflows.
3. Superior Laser Text Quality
Laser printers produce:
- sharper text
- waterproof toner output
- smudge-resistant documents
- crisp invoices
- professional contracts
For business documents, laser printing still has an advantage over inkjet.
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Design & Build Quality
Both printers target home offices and small businesses, but they follow different design philosophies.
The Brother MFC-L3720CDW is built like a traditional office laser printer. It is larger and heavier at 44 pounds, reflecting its durable internal laser engine and higher-duty construction. The sturdy chassis, spacious paper tray, and robust document feeder make it ideal for offices where the printer is used throughout the day.
The Canon MegaTank MAXIFY GX2020 is far more compact, weighing just 17.8 pounds. Its smaller footprint makes it easier to place on a desk or shelf, especially in home offices with limited space. The front-facing refillable ink tanks are easy to monitor and refill, reducing mess and making maintenance straightforward.
If space is your biggest concern, Canon is easier to accommodate. However, if durability and heavy office use matter more, Brother feels more like a professional office machine.
Winner: Brother MFC-L3720CDW
Print Quality & Performance
The biggest difference between these printers is their printing technology.
Brother uses laser technology, which excels at producing razor-sharp black text, fine lines, and professional-looking business documents. Reports, contracts, spreadsheets, invoices, and presentations all benefit from the crisp output. Laser printing is also resistant to smudging and is ready to handle large print volumes with consistent speed.
Canon uses an inkjet MegaTank system, which produces vibrant colors and smooth gradients. It is better suited for brochures, colorful graphics, and occasional photo printing. However, plain-text documents may not appear quite as sharp as those produced by a laser printer.
For office documents, Brother has the edge. For colorful marketing materials, Canon performs well.
Winner: Brother MFC-L3720CDW
Print Speed
Speed is one of Brother’s strongest advantages.
The Brother MFC-L3720CDW delivers up to 19 pages per minute in both monochrome and color. This consistent speed makes it well-suited for offices that print throughout the day.
Canon’s MegaTank GX2020 prints up to 15 ppm in black and 10 ppm in color. While respectable for an inkjet printer, it is noticeably slower than Brother, particularly when handling larger color jobs.
Businesses with frequent print demands will appreciate Brother’s faster output.
Winner: Brother MFC-L3720CDW
Running Cost
This is where Canon completely changes the game.
Its MegaTank system is designed for exceptionally low printing costs. A single set of ink bottles can print approximately 3,000 black-and-white pages and 3,000 color pages, making it an excellent choice for users with very high monthly print volumes.
Brother’s toner cartridges provide reliable performance and long life, but replacement toner is generally more expensive than bottled ink over the long term.
If your main goal is minimizing cost per page, Canon is the clear winner.
Winner: Canon MAXIFY GX2020
Paper Handling
Brother is built for higher productivity.
It includes:
- 250-sheet paper tray
- 50-sheet Auto Document Feeder
- Automatic duplex printing
This allows users to complete larger print, copy, and scan jobs without frequent paper refills.
Canon also supports automatic duplex printing and includes a 35-sheet ADF, but its smaller feeder requires more frequent reloading during multi-page scanning or copying.
For offices processing large document batches, Brother is more efficient.
Winner: Brother MFC-L3720CDW
Connectivity & Networking
Both printers support modern wireless printing.
Brother offers:
- Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz & 5GHz)
- Wi-Fi Direct
- USB 2.0
- Mobile printing app
- Cloud service integration
Canon includes:
- Wi-Fi
- Wired Ethernet
- USB
- Wireless printing
- Mobile support
Brother’s cloud integrations and customizable shortcuts improve workflow efficiency, while Canon’s Ethernet port can be beneficial in shared office environments.
Overall, Brother provides a more feature-rich connectivity experience.
Winner: Brother MFC-L3720CDW
Display & Ease of Use
Brother features a larger 3.5-inch color touchscreen with 48 customizable shortcuts, enabling quick access to common functions and cloud services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneNote.
Canon offers a 2.7-inch color touchscreen that is simple to navigate and sufficient for everyday printing, scanning, and copying tasks.
Brother’s larger interface and workflow shortcuts make it more convenient for users who frequently access advanced features.
Winner: Brother MFC-L3720CDW
Scanning, Copying & Fax
Both printers are all-in-one devices capable of printing, scanning, copying, and faxing.
Brother includes a 50-sheet ADF, making multi-page scanning and copying faster and more efficient. Combined with its faster print engine, it is well suited for handling office paperwork.
Canon includes a 35-sheet ADF, which works well for moderate document volumes but is less efficient for heavy workloads.
For businesses that regularly scan or copy multi-page documents, Brother offers a smoother experience.
Winner: Brother MFC-L3720CDW
Value for Money
Canon has a lower upfront price of $329, making it more accessible for budget-conscious buyers. When combined with its extremely low ink costs, it offers outstanding long-term savings for users who print large numbers of pages.
Brother costs $459, but the higher price brings faster performance, laser-quality output, greater paper capacity, more memory, and stronger office-focused features. For businesses that value productivity and professional document quality, the additional investment is worthwhile.
If you prioritize the lowest total cost of ownership, Canon provides exceptional value. If you prioritize performance and efficiency, Brother justifies its higher price.
Winner: Tie (depends on your priorities)
Final Verdict
The Brother MFC-L3720CDW is the better overall printer for most users. Its laser technology delivers faster printing, sharper business documents, a larger paper tray, a higher-capacity automatic document feeder, and a more advanced touchscreen interface, making it an excellent choice for small businesses and busy offices that need reliable, professional performance.
The Canon MegaTank MAXIFY GX2020 is the better choice if your primary goal is reducing printing costs. Its refillable MegaTank system offers remarkably low cost per page, making it ideal for users who print thousands of pages each month and want to minimize ongoing expenses.
Choose the Brother MFC-L3720CDW if:
- You want the best business printer
- You print large document volumes
- You need faster print speeds
- You value laser-quality text
- You require higher paper handling capacity
Choose the Canon MegaTank MAXIFY GX2020 if:
- You print very high monthly volumes
- You want the lowest running costs
- You prefer refillable ink tanks
- You need a compact printer
- You occasionally print colorful graphics or photos
Overall Winner: Brother MFC-L3720CDW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
For most home offices and small businesses, the Brother MFC-L3720CDW delivers the best combination of speed, print quality, productivity, and professional features, making it the stronger all-around choice.
