Brother DCP-L2640DW Review (2026): Honest Pros, Cons & Who It's Really For

Last updated: October 25, 2026.

Heads up: this post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, Castle Ink may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Castle Ink also sells compatible Brother TN830 toner and DR830 drum units. This review is based on owner reviews, published expert reviews and manufacturer specifications, not on our own lab testing; see how we rank printers. Pricing and availability change frequently — always check the current price before buying.

Looking for more options? Check out our full roundup: 10 Best Laser Printers (2026).

Quick Verdict

The Brother DCP-L2640DW is the multifunction version of Brother's best-selling mono laser, the HL-L2460DW: the same 36 ppm engine and automatic two-sided printing, plus a flatbed scanner, copier and a 50-page automatic document feeder, in a box that still fits on a normal desk. At about $210 it costs roughly $30 more than the print-only model, which is a small premium for scanning and copying you will almost certainly use.

Owners rate it well — between 4.3 and 4.4 stars across the big retailers — and the praise is consistent: sharp text, fast first page, easy setup, cheap toner. The complaints are also consistent: a minority of owners fight Wi-Fi dropouts or a printer that will not wake from deep sleep, the ADF scans one side only, and the two-line LCD is dated. Running costs are where it earns its keep: about 4 cents a page on genuine Brother toner and drum, or about 2.5 cents a page on compatible supplies.

→ Check the current price of the Brother DCP-L2640DW on Amazon

Brother DCP-L2640DW Specifications

Type	Monochrome laser all-in-one (print, copy, scan — no fax)
Print speed	Up to 36 ppm (single-sided); first page out in about 8.5 seconds
Resolution	1200 x 1200 dpi
Auto duplex printing	Yes
Document feeder	50 sheets, single-sided (no duplex scanning or copying)
Scanner	Flatbed, 1200 x 1200 dpi optical; up to 23.6 ipm mono / 7.9 ipm color
Paper handling	250-sheet tray, 1-sheet manual feed, 100-sheet output tray
Connectivity	Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, Ethernet, USB 2.0
Display	2-line mono LCD (not a touchscreen)
Mobile printing	Brother Mobile Connect, Apple AirPrint, Mopria
Monthly volume	Recommended up to 2,500 pages; maximum duty cycle 35,000 pages
Toner	Brother TN830 (1,200 pages) or TN830XL (3,000 pages); 700-page starter cartridge in the box
Drum	Brother DR830, about 15,000 pages
Size and weight	16.1" W x 15.7" D x 12.5" H, about 25 lb
Warranty	1-year limited
Typical price	$209.99 at Brother, Best Buy, Staples and B&H (October 2026); refurbished units around $150–$170

Who This Printer Is For

• Home offices and small teams that print mostly text and need occasional scanning or copying without buying a second device.
• Anyone who liked the HL-L2460DW but realized they would miss a flatbed and a document feeder.
• People who scan multi-page documents regularly. The 50-page ADF is the single biggest reason to pick this over the print-only models.
• Offices that want a wired option. Ethernet alongside dual-band Wi-Fi is rare at this price and fixes most of the connectivity complaints below.

Who Should Skip It

• Anyone who needs color. This is a monochrome machine and will never print a color page. Our Brother MFC-L3780CDW review covers Brother's color all-in-one for small offices.
• Anyone who needs fax. The DCP line drops it; the MFC-L2820DW adds it back.
• Anyone who scans two-sided documents in bulk. The ADF is single-sided. You scan the stack, flip it and scan again, then merge — or step up to a printer with a single-pass duplex ADF.
• Anyone who wants a big color touchscreen. The control panel is a small two-line LCD with symbol-driven menus.
• Very high-volume printing. Above roughly 2,500 pages a month, a workgroup laser with bigger toner and paper capacity costs less per page.

What Owners Say

We read through the review pools at Staples, Lowe's, Target, Adorama, Best Buy and B&H in October 2026. Several retailers syndicate the same Brother-sourced reviews, so the counts overlap; the ratings are the useful part.

Retailer	Rating	Reviews
Staples	4.4 / 5	1,150+
Lowe's (Brother syndicated)	4.3 / 5	720
Target (Brother syndicated)	4.3 / 5	720
Adorama	4.0 / 5	365
Best Buy	91% would recommend	350+

What people love:

• Print quality is the single most-mentioned strength — sharp, dark text at speed. It tops Best Buy's tagged themes with more than 130 mentions.
• Setup is described as plug-and-play by most owners, including on home Wi-Fi.
• Value and toner cost. Owners specifically call out how little it costs to run compared with an inkjet, and a few describe it as paying for itself inside a year.
• Speed. 36 ppm with a sub-9-second first page means one-off documents are out before you reach the printer.
• The 50-page ADF turns multi-page copying and scanning into a real time-saver rather than a spec-sheet line.

The legitimate complaints:

• Wi-Fi dropouts. Most owners say Wi-Fi connects and stays put, but a meaningful minority report the printer falling off the router and having to be re-added. If you can run Ethernet, do.
• Deep sleep. A recurring Lowe's complaint: the printer does not always wake when a job is sent and needs a button press. Lengthening the sleep timer in the menu helps.
• Single-sided ADF. Brother confirms the feeder cannot scan or copy both sides automatically; Best Buy reviewers flag it repeatedly.
• Small screen and menus. The two-line LCD and symbol menus frustrate owners who expected a friendlier panel.
• Noise. Reports conflict — Best Buy's summary calls it quiet, Lowe's reviewers call it loud. It is a laser; expect fan and feed noise while it runs.
• Brother Refresh. Brother's optional toner subscription is pitched hard during setup and in the Brother app. The trial terms state that a subscription cartridge is deactivated if you cancel, so read them before enrolling. It is entirely optional, and the printer accepts standard TN830 toner without it.

How It Compares

	Brother HL-L2460DW	Brother DCP-L2640DW	Brother MFC-L2820DW
Price	~$180	~$210	~$280 list
Functions	Print only	Print, copy, scan	Print, copy, scan, fax
Print speed	Up to 36 ppm	Up to 36 ppm	Up to 34 ppm
Document feeder	None	50-page ADF	50-page ADF
Auto duplex printing	Yes	Yes	Yes
Display	1-line LCD	2-line LCD	2.7" color touchscreen
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB	Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB	Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB
Toner / drum	TN830 / TN830XL, DR830	TN830 / TN830XL, DR830	TN830 / TN830XL, DR830

Against other brands: the HP LaserJet MFP M234dw (~$215) is slower at 30 ppm, has a 150-sheet tray and no document feeder at all. The Canon imageCLASS MF275dw (~$237) adds fax and a 35-sheet ADF but is also 30 ppm with a 150-sheet tray. The Brother wins on speed, paper capacity, ADF size, 5 GHz Wi-Fi and a 35,000-page duty cycle; it loses only on fax and the screen.

Cheaper Alternative: Brother HL-L2460DW

If you genuinely never scan or copy, our Brother HL-L2460DW review covers the print-only version of the same engine for around $30 less, using identical TN830 toner. If you can also live without automatic duplex and Ethernet, the Brother HL-L2405W drops to about $140 on the same toner.

Upgrade Pick: Brother MFC-L2820DW

If you still need fax or want a proper color touchscreen, our Brother MFC-L2820DW review covers the fax-equipped step-up in the same family. It is rated slightly slower at 34 ppm and lists for $279.99, but it runs on the same TN830 toner and DR830 drum.

Toner Costs: What the DCP-L2640DW Really Costs Per Page

The DCP-L2640DW uses a two-part system: a TN830 (1,200 pages) or TN830XL (3,000 pages) toner cartridge, and a separate DR830 drum unit rated for about 15,000 pages — roughly one drum for every five XL cartridges. The 700-page starter cartridge in the box runs out early, so plan on buying toner within the first couple of months.

Here is the math using ISO yields and October 2026 prices (Brother's prices from brother-usa.com and Staples; Castle Ink's from our product pages):

Supply	Price	Rated yield	Cost per page
Brother TN830 (genuine)	$60.99	1,200	5.1¢
Brother TN830XL (genuine)	$98.29	3,000	3.3¢
Brother DR830 drum (genuine)	$157.99	15,000	1.1¢
Castle Ink TN830 compatible	$39.95	1,200	3.3¢
Castle Ink TN830XL compatible	$59.95	3,000	2.0¢
Castle Ink DR830 compatible drum	$75.95	15,000	0.5¢

All-in cost per page (toner + drum): about 4.3¢ on genuine TN830XL and DR830, or about 2.5¢ on Castle Ink's compatible TN830XL and DR830. At 500 pages a month, that is roughly $260 a year on genuine supplies versus about $150 on compatibles. Either way, the high-yield cartridge is the one to buy — the standard TN830 costs more per page whichever brand you choose.

Two practical notes. Brother's "Toner Low" message only resets with a new, unused cartridge, so do not expect to clear it by reseating the old one. And if you run compatible toner, consider turning off automatic firmware updates in the printer menu; we cover why in our What Toner Does the Brother DCP-L2640DW Use? guide.

Setup Tips That Prevent the Most Common Complaints

• Use Ethernet if you can. Nearly every connectivity complaint goes away on a wired connection.
• On Wi-Fi, use 5 GHz. The DCP-L2640DW is dual-band; the 5 GHz band is usually less congested than 2.4 GHz.
• Lengthen the sleep timer. If jobs stall until you press a button, raise the Sleep Time setting (General Setup → Ecology) and turn off Deep Sleep.
• Change the default speed setting. Brother notes the printer ships in a quality mode; the 36 ppm figure applies once you switch it in the driver.
• Decline the Refresh trial unless you have read the terms. You can always enroll later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Brother DCP-L2640DW print in color?

No. It is a monochrome laser printer; every page prints in black and white.

Does it have a fax?

No. The DCP line is print, copy and scan only. If you need fax, the Brother MFC-L2820DW adds it on the same engine and toner.

Does the ADF scan both sides?

No. The 50-page feeder is single-sided. The printer prints double-sided automatically, but two-sided scanning and copying are manual.

What toner does the DCP-L2640DW use?

Brother TN830 standard-yield (1,200 pages) or TN830XL high-yield (3,000 pages) toner, plus a DR830 drum unit (about 15,000 pages). The box includes a 700-page starter cartridge.

Does it support automatic double-sided printing?

Yes. Automatic duplex printing is built in; you do not flip pages manually.

Is the DCP-L2640DW the same as the HL-L2460DW?

Same print engine, speed, duplexer, tray and toner. The DCP adds a flatbed scanner, copier and a 50-page document feeder for about $30 more.

Should I sign up for Brother Refresh?

Only if you have read the terms. It is convenient, but it is a subscription with its own cartridges, and the trial terms say a subscription cartridge is deactivated if you cancel. The printer works normally on regular TN830 toner without it.

Bottom Line

The Brother DCP-L2640DW is the version of Brother's best-selling mono laser most people should actually buy. You get the same fast, cheap-to-run 36 ppm engine and automatic duplex as the print-only model, plus scanning, copying and a 50-page document feeder for a modest premium. Know going in that the ADF is single-sided, that Wi-Fi stability is the one area where owner reports diverge (use Ethernet), and that the Refresh subscription is optional.

→ Check the current price of the Brother DCP-L2640DW on Amazon

Shop Compatible Toner at Castle Ink

Save on replacement supplies for the DCP-L2640DW: Brother TN830XL High-Yield Toner ($59.95) · Brother TN830 Toner ($39.95) · Brother DR830 Drum Unit ($75.95) · All Brother toner

See Also

• What Toner Does the Brother DCP-L2640DW Use?
• Brother HL-L2460DW Review (2026)
• Brother HL-L2405W Review (2026)
• Brother MFC-L2820DW Review (2026)
• Best Laser Printer for Home Use in 2026
• 10 Best Laser Printers (2026)
• PrinterIQ Finder — find your next printer in about 60 seconds

This review is part of our Best Printers Buying Guide, covering top picks for every use case and budget.

By William Elward, Founder of Castle Ink — 20+ years helping people solve printer and ink problems. Last updated October 25, 2026.