Verdict
The Canon MAXIFY GX2050 combines ink tank print with a compact design and a nice set of feature . It ’s not that expensive by refillable printer standard , and it ’s extremely cheap to run . This multifunction is to a great extent focused on household offices rather than general - purpose employment , so it ’s not idealistic for help oneself the kidskin with their homework . But if you ’re running a small stage business or you do a lot of printing from home , it does offer great note value .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Probably the GX2050 ’s most noteworthy feature of speech is its refillable ink tanks . Rather than expensive and stingy cartridges , ink derive in large , relatively tawdry bottle . You get a full set in the box that lasts for age , and when they ’re done you ’ll pay up small more than a penny per page to keep on printing . Over time , that ’s likely to countervail this multifunction ’s higher purchase terms .
Design and features
I ’m not sure where it say that business printer have to be chunky , but the GX2050 lives up to expectations . There ’s not much wrong with the expression of its blank and black plastics , but the pronounced whole tone between wider printing machine and more shallow image scanner seems awkward . It ’s here that you ’ll find its colour touchscreen ascendancy panel , which looks comely if a little small . Unfortunately , it ’s not on especially potent hinges , so I ascertain it often angle backwards when I tapped the screenland or buttons .
This printer get in without its mark heads fitted . That ’s a reasonably simple job , after which you ’ll need to load it up with ink from the four supply bottles . It ’s a fairly unfailing process , with the only likely problems come if you gouge the ink nursing bottle . Be patient , lease them empty in their own time , and you should n’t spill a drop – you physically ca n’t put the improper gloss in the wrong tank .
Once fulfill , you ’ll need to look around 10 moment for the printing machine to complete a one - off priming coat process . This drinks a portion of the supply ink , but even so , the bottles in the boxful should last you for more than 2,000 varlet of black or colour office printing . Canon state you ’ll get 3,000 pages from a newfangled set , or 4,500 if you print in Economy way . Stick to normal timber and that works out as 1.24p per page of mixed text and graphics .
Generally utter , the more Page you print over a printer ’s lifetime , the more likely it is that a refillable twist will work out cheaper to own . The GX2050 cost at least double as much as I ’d expect to ante up for an equivalently specified , cartridge - based inkjet , but its run costs are at least five time cheaper .
It ’s soft to show how this works out if you think buying the GX2050 for £ 350 , and printing 2,500 or so pages until its supplied ink run out . Spending £ 150 on a cartridge - based equivalent would save you £ 200 up - front , but you ’ll expend all or most of those delivery on ink before you get to 2,500 prints . Go beyond it – and a regularly used home office printer probably will – and the magazine printer begin to work out much more expensive .
The one caution is that , in a family spot , this could take a couple of year , so it ’s good to know that the GX2050 come with a three - year warranty , provided you remember to register for it .
Elsewhere , this MFP has a decent set of features . you’re able to connect to it using Wi - Fi or an Ethernet cable . Either fashion that let multiple users share it , and also allow you to link it to the swarm , enable feature such as scan to or printing from a Dropbox folder . The electronic scanner also has a 35 - sheet automatic document birdfeeder ( ADF ) , which is great for making multi - page copies or fax . Unfortunately , it ’s single - sided only , so you ’ll take to re - scan double - sided original .
Print speed and quality
Like theMAXIFY GX6550 , the GX2050 has a mates of simple but brilliant usability features I wish all multifunctions shared . When it ’s printing , you may still use it for certain jobs , such as scanning to a microcomputer or a swarm divine service – great if you ’re busy , or sharing with other users . The GX2050 also severalise you how many pages remain of a multi - page photographic print or copy job , so you’re able to judge if you ’ve start metre to do something else while waiting .
Canon ’s print number one wood is easy to use , and its scan port remains the good . In Basic mode , you’re able to get at all the requirement without nonplus too confused , while Advanced way allow you pull off thing to get exactly the results you want .
When it comes to scanning , the GX2050 is acceptably speedy , needing just 14 seconds to capture an A4 document at a low - ish 150 dots per in ( dpi ) resolution . It took 19 moment on the same occupation with the solution nudge up to a middling 300dpi . scan a postal card - sized photo at 600dpi took 30 seconds , but at a high 1,200dpi this needed a minute and a one-half .
Mono photocopies were flying , too , with a single page completed in just 10 second gear . Using the ADF to make 10 copies take 87 arcsecond . semblance copies were obtuse , but still acceptable – a single varlet needing 20 second , and 10 Page just over two instant .
This is n’t an especially degenerate printer , though . It reached just 5.3 pages per minute ( ppm ) when print text , and a upper limit of 6.9ppm on colour graphics . It was n’t too tedious when duplexing , though , printing a 20 - page document onto 10 sheets of A4 in four proceedings .
It ’s authoritative to understand that the GX2050 ’s office focus hold out beyond its extract of features . It use pigment ink , which work well on plain newspaper , but they ca n’t grow mythologic calendered photos . This MFP ca n’t even print without borders on photo newspaper publisher . It take just two and a half minutes to publish our A4 photo tryout , but with borders this time is n’t directly comparable to other printer .
The MAXIFY GX2050 produced crisp , dark text edition prints , but I was a bit disappointed by its colour graphics . In color fill like you might see in the background of a presentation slide there was some thin banding – subtle stripe visible when two flip of the photographic print head do n’t quite delineate up perfectly . Photos did n’t have this problem , but they were n’t great for the reasons I already observe .
I was impressed by the caliber of this MFP ’s scanner . Whether on business papers or photos , it did a corking task of capturing crisp detail and accurate colours . The GX2050 also produced fantabulous photocopies , maintain colors fair exact and preventing blue regions from sprain into a muddy , featureless mess .
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Should you buy it?
With abject track cost and sensitive office features , the Canon MAXIFY GX2050 MFP is a adequate alternative for a relatively busy home worker . It ’s stark if you expect to impress in fair book , but you ’re not after the fastest gimmick .
With a relatively high purchase cost , the Canon MAXIFY GX2050 is unlikely to shew good value than a pickup - free-base inkjet if it ’s only used thinly . It ’s also not idealistic for more originative exercise like photo printing process .
Final Thoughts
By the standard of refillable ink tank printer , the Canon MAXIFY GX2050 is quite good time value . It ’s got almost all the feature you could want in a home office , and it generally produces decent resultant role – even if its speeds and colour graphics could have been better . Factor in its impressively low run cost and it becomes a good choice for a interfering homeworker , even if it ’s not exactly a superb MFP overall .
If you ’re unlikely to print thousands of page , or if you ’re after something with a more originative bent , why not moderate out ourbest pressman 2023guide , where you ’ll find a printer or MFP for every purpose .
Trusted Score
How we test
Every printer we review goes through a series of consistent checks plan to gauge key things including print lineament , speed and price .
We ’ll also compare the features with other printers at the same price point to see if you ’re getting good value for your money .
FAQs
Canon ’s two primary inkjet ranges have different focuses . PIXMA printers and multifunctions are aimed at rest home user , with a bias towards creative jobs like printing process or scanning photo . MAXIFY printers and MFPs are geared towards small-scale business sector users , so they usually have office staff lineament like reflex papers feeders or faxes . Generally speaking , you’re able to find great models in either range .
Yes , most MAXIFY gimmick expend pigmented ink . They ’re better than dye - base ink on plain paper , which is where they ’ll spend most of their time , but not so peachy for photos .
Test Data
Full Specs
