🖨️ A Deep Dive Review: Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer (Black)
The Canon PIXMA MG3620, a sleek and compact wireless all-in-one printer, has carved out a niche for itself as a highly accessible and user-friendly device for the home or small-scale user. Positioned as a budget-friendly multifunction tool, it promises the essential trifecta of printing, scanning, and copying, coupled with modern mobile and tablet printing capabilities. This review will take an extensive look at its design, performance, features, and the often-overlooked long-term running costs, to help potential buyers determine if this "bare-bones" workhorse is the right fit for their needs.
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| A Deep Dive Review: Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer (Black) |
Design and Build Quality: Compact Utility
The PIXMA MG3620 boasts a minimalist and utilitarian design, often available in a classic black finish. Its most defining characteristic is its compact footprint, making it ideal for cramped desks or shelving units.
Aesthetic and Size: The all-black chassis is understated and should blend into most home office environments. Its dimensions are significantly smaller than many competitors, prioritizing space-saving over an elaborate design.
User Interface: In a clear nod to cost-saving and simplicity, the printer lacks an LCD control panel. All operations, aside from the few physical buttons for power, Wi-Fi, and function selection, are largely managed via the connected computer or, more importantly, the Canon mobile application. While this keeps the front panel clean, it can be a minor frustration for standalone troubleshooting or copying.
Paper Handling: The printer utilizes a simple, integrated front-loading input tray that also acts as the output tray. While functional, its capacity is modest, meaning users printing large documents will need to monitor and refill the paper supply frequently.
🌐 Connectivity and Mobile Printing: The Core Strength
The "Wireless" aspect is arguably the PIXMA MG3620's main selling point, catering perfectly to the modern, untethered user.
Wireless Setup: Setting up the Wi-Fi connection can sometimes be the most challenging part of the initial installation process. However, once connected, the printer offers a robust range of wireless features.
Mobile and Tablet Integration: This is where the MG3620 truly shines. It offers seamless compatibility with major mobile printing platforms:
Apple AirPrint: For iOS devices, printing is effortless and direct.
Mopria Print Service: Provides easy printing for Android users.
Canon PRINT Inkjet/SELPHY App: Canon's proprietary app allows users to print documents and photos directly from social media platforms and cloud services, as well as providing access to maintenance features and troubleshooting guides.
Other Options: In addition to Wi-Fi, a standard USB-A port is available for a direct connection to a PC, providing a reliable backup. Notably, it lacks features like Ethernet or Wi-Fi Direct (for printing without a router), underscoring its focus on home Wi-Fi networks.
🚀 Performance: Quality Over Speed
The performance of the MG3620 is a study in trade-offs, where excellent quality is achieved at the expense of speed.
| Metric | Performance Overview | Detail |
| Print Quality (Text) | Good to Acceptable | Text is generally sharp and legible for everyday documents, though it may not be as crisp or dark as high-end laser printers, and some users report minor shadowing. |
| Print Quality (Graphics/Photos) | Impressive | Utilizing a high print resolution (up to $4800 \times 1200$ DPI), the printer delivers vibrant colors and sharp details. For its price class, it is a surprisingly capable photo printer, particularly on glossy paper. |
| Print Speed (Text) | Slow | Text printing speeds are notably below the average for inkjet printers in its class (around 6.4 pages per minute). Duplex (two-sided) printing is even slower, often taking several minutes for a multi-page document. |
| Copy and Scan Speed | Mixed | While black-and-white copies are made at a respectable pace, color copying is surprisingly fast, often beating out more expensive competitors. The flatbed scanner captures images and text effectively up to $1200$ DPI. |
| Duplex Printing | Automatic | A major advantage at this price point is automatic two-sided printing, saving paper and time, though it significantly slows the printing process. |
💰 Running Costs: The Budget Trap
One of the most critical considerations for any budget printer is the ongoing expense of ink cartridges. For the PIXMA MG3620, the low initial purchase price is largely offset by high running costs.
Low Page Yield: The standard ink cartridges (one black, one tri-color) offer a very low page yield—typically around 225 pages for black and 210 pages for color.
High Cost Per Page (CPP): Due to the low yield, the cost per page is relatively high compared to other models, especially those utilizing high-yield cartridges or ink tank systems. This makes the MG3620 uneconomical for users with high-volume printing needs.
Target User: This cost structure firmly places the MG3620 as a device for light-use families or students who print occasionally, perhaps only a few pages or photos per week, where the convenience and low upfront cost outweigh the high CPP.
Verdict and Conclusion
The Canon PIXMA MG3620 Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer is a classic example of a budget all-in-one: it sacrifices features and speed to deliver a low purchase price and surprisingly high-quality output.
Who is it for?
The Casual Home User: Someone who needs a scanner/copier occasionally and prints only a handful of pages per week.
The Mobile-Centric User: Someone who relies heavily on printing directly from their smartphone or tablet via Wi-Fi.
The Budget-Conscious Buyer: Anyone looking for the absolute lowest upfront cost for a multifunction device.
Who should look elsewhere?
The Volume Printer: Students or home office workers who print hundreds of pages per month. The high running costs will quickly become prohibitive.
The Need for Speed: Users who require fast text document output for business or time-sensitive projects.
The Power User: Those who require an ADF (Automatic Document Feeder), an LCD screen for standalone operation, or advanced features like Ethernet.
In summary, the Canon PIXMA MG3620 is an ultra-affordable, compact, and wireless all-in-one that excels in delivering pleasing photo and document quality with superior mobile connectivity. However, its slow speed and expensive ink cartridges serve as a necessary reminder that its true purpose is for the family with modest, occasional printing requirements. It’s a great value for the initial investment, but buyers must be aware of the long-term cost commitment of the ink.