A Long-Form Review: Canon PIXMA TS3720 Wireless All-in-One Printer for Basic Home Printing, White
In the modern home, a printer remains a vital piece of technology, bridging the digital and physical worlds for everything from school assignments to travel documents. The market is flooded with options, but for users seeking a straightforward, reliable, and space-saving solution for basic home printing, the Canon PIXMA TS3720 Wireless All-in-One Printer in White makes a compelling case. This review delves into its features, performance, and overall value proposition.
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| A Long-Form Review: Canon PIXMA TS3720 Wireless All-in-One Printer for Basic Home Printing, White |
🖨️ Design and Build: Compact Simplicity
The first thing you notice about the PIXMA TS3720 is its design. Clad in a clean white finish, the unit is remarkably compact and low-profile, a significant advantage for those with limited desk space in a home office or student room. Its dimensions allow it to tuck neatly away, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic.
Being an All-in-One (AiO) device, it integrates three core functions: printing, scanning, and copying. The build feels sturdy enough for its price point, though it is clearly designed for light to moderate use, not the rigors of a bustling office. It features a rear paper tray, which is excellent for quickly loading different media types (like photo paper or envelopes) and helps minimize the overall footprint when not in use.
User interaction is facilitated by a small, clear 1.5-inch segment LCD screen and intuitive buttons, which simplify basic operations like copying or checking the printer's status.
📶 Connectivity: Embracing the Wireless Age
Connectivity is a strong suit for the TS3720, fitting its "Wireless All-in-One" moniker. Setting up the Wi-Fi connection is generally reported as being simple and quick, which is crucial for non-tech-savvy users.
Key connectivity features include:
Dual-Band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz & 5GHz): Provides a more stable and reliable connection, minimizing frustrating drop-offs during print jobs.
Mobile Printing: Compatibility with the Canon PRINT app, Apple AirPrint, and Mopria Print Service allows users to effortlessly print and scan directly from smartphones and tablets.
Chromebook Compatibility: The printer is also ready for use with Google Chromebooks, catering to a growing segment of the home and education market.
This array of wireless options means you can place the printer virtually anywhere in your home without being tethered to a computer, truly delivering on the convenience factor.
🎯 Performance and Quality: Meeting Basic Needs
The TS3720 is an inkjet printer designed for the everyday user, and its performance reflects this.
Printing Speed
It offers respectable speeds for a budget home printer: up to 7.7 images per minute (ipm) for black and 4.0 ipm for color. This is perfectly adequate for printing short documents, recipes, or a few pages of homework, though it won't break any speed records for large print jobs.
Print Quality
Text Documents: Text output is crisp and clear, suitable for all standard documents, school reports, and invoices.
Photos and Graphics: While it's not a dedicated photo printer, the TS3720 uses a 2-Cartridge FINE Hybrid Ink System (one black, one color) and offers a maximum print resolution of 4800 dpi. This is enough to produce decent quality snapshots and color graphics for home use.
Scanning and Copying
The flatbed scanner allows for high-quality digital capture of documents and photos. The copying function is straightforward, making quick duplicates with just a few button presses. For basic document processing, the AiO functionality is robust and highly convenient.
💲 The Ink Factor: Cartridges and Value
As a cartridge-based printer using the Canon PG-275 (Black) and CL-276 (Color) ink system, the cost of ink is an important consideration.
The Hybrid Ink System means that when one color runs out, the entire color cartridge needs replacing. For users who print frequently, particularly in color, the cost-per-page can become relatively high over time compared to higher-end EcoTank or MegaTank systems.
However, for the target user—someone who prints infrequently or in low volume—the low initial purchase price of the TS3720 often outweighs the higher running cost of the cartridges. Canon does offer an optional PIXMA Print Plan, a subscription service that may help manage ink costs for those with a more predictable, moderate print volume.
✅ Pros and ❌ Cons Summary
| Feature | Pros | Cons |
| Design | Highly compact, attractive white finish, space-saving. | Build quality is entry-level; limited paper capacity (60 sheets). |
| Connectivity | Excellent wireless options (Dual-Band Wi-Fi, AirPrint, Mopria). | No dedicated wired Ethernet port. |
| Performance | Easy setup, good quality text and decent color output. | Slow print speeds, especially for color. |
| Ink System | Simple 2-cartridge replacement. | Higher cost-per-page for heavy users; ink cartridges can be costly. |
| Functionality | All-in-One (Print, Scan, Copy) convenience. | Does not include an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF). |
🧑💻 Conclusion: The Perfect Basic Home Companion
The Canon PIXMA TS3720 Wireless All-in-One Printer is a textbook example of a great entry-level home printer.
It is best suited for the user who values simplicity, ease of use, and a small footprint over high-volume efficiency or the lowest cost-per-page. It shines for tasks like:
Occasional document printing.
Printing school assignments.
Quick home scanning and copying.
Printing snapshots from a mobile device.
The combination of its low initial price, excellent wireless features, and straightforward operation makes the Canon PIXMA TS3720 a highly recommended choice for anyone needing a reliable, no-fuss printer for basic home printing tasks. If you are a heavy user, you should look elsewhere, but for light use, the TS3720 hits the sweet spot of functionality and value.