Review: Canon PIXMA TS3720 Wireless All-in-One Printer – A Basic, Budget-Friendly Workhorse
The Canon PIXMA TS3720 Wireless All-in-One Printer, presented in a clean white finish, is squarely aimed at the basic home printing market. In an era dominated by feature-heavy machines, the TS3720 distinguishes itself by focusing on simplicity, compact design, and core functionality at an affordable price point. This review dives into whether this budget-friendly inkjet truly delivers on its promise for students, small home offices, and casual users.
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| Review: Canon PIXMA TS3720 Wireless All-in-One Printer – A Basic, Budget-Friendly Workhorse |
🎨 Design and Build Quality: Compact and Functional
The TS3720 adheres to a very compact and lightweight design (approx. 17.2" W x 12.9" D x 5.8" H and 8.7 lbs), making it an excellent choice for tight desk spaces or apartments. The white color is sleek and unobtrusive, easily blending into most modern home environments.
It functions as a 3-in-1 device: Print, Copy, and Scan. The control panel is minimal, featuring a small 1.5-inch Segment LCD screen and basic physical buttons for black and color copies, setup, and power. This simplicity contributes to its ease of use but also limits advanced configuration directly on the device.
A notable design element is the rear paper tray, which holds up to 60 sheets of plain paper. While this design is space-saving, a slight drawback mentioned by users is that the paper sits at an angle, meaning the printer cannot be placed flush against a wall during operation. The output is handled by a small, fold-out tray in the front.
⚙️ Features and Connectivity: Essential Wireless Hub
For a basic printer, the TS3720 offers surprisingly robust connectivity options:
Wireless Connectivity: This is the machine's primary strength. It supports Dual Band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz or 5GHz), which generally provides a stable connection for seamless printing from various devices.
Mobile Printing: Users can easily print from smartphones and tablets using the Canon PRINT app, Apple AirPrint, or Mopria Print Service. This mobile compatibility is a huge plus for modern home use.
USB 2.0: A standard USB port is included for a hardwired connection, offering reliability when a wireless network is unavailable.
Scanner: The flatbed scanner, while basic (lacking an Automatic Document Feeder), is functional for letter/A4-sized documents and images, providing a resolution of up to $600 \times 1200$ dpi.
The easy setup process is frequently praised by users, making the printer highly accessible even for those who are "not a technology person," as one reviewer noted.
🖨️ Performance: Quality Over Speed
The print performance of the Canon PIXMA TS3720 is a story of trade-offs:
Print Quality
The printer utilizes a 2-Cartridge FINE (Full-photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering) Hybrid Ink System—one black (pigment-based for sharp text) and one tri-color cartridge (dye-based for vivid images).
Text: Black text documents are consistently sharp and clear, suitable for reports, schoolwork, and everyday paperwork.
Photos: When using compatible Canon photo paper, the printer delivers good quality color photos with accurate colors and detail, with a maximum resolution of $4800 \times 1200$ dpi. It also supports borderless printing up to $5" \times 7"$.
Print Speed
This is where the TS3720 shows its budget nature. The print speeds are on the slower side compared to some competitors:
Black Document: Approximately 7.7 ipm (images per minute).
Color Document: Approximately 4.0 ipm.
While slow, many users find that the good final print quality justifies the wait for basic home tasks. The printer also operates with a "Quiet Mode" setting, which can be useful but may further slightly reduce the speed.
💲 Ink and Operation Cost: A Key Consideration
The TS3720 uses two cartridges: PG-275 (Black) and CL-276 (Color).
Pros of the 2-Cartridge System:
Ease of Replacement: Changing only two cartridges is straightforward and less messy than dealing with multiple individual color tanks.
Cons of the 2-Cartridge System:
Efficiency: Because the color cartridge combines Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow, if you run out of just one color (e.g., Yellow), you have to replace the entire tri-color cartridge, which can lead to higher long-term operational costs compared to printers with individual color tanks.
Potential buyers, especially those who print color frequently, must factor in the cost and frequency of cartridge replacement. For a user with very minimal, intermittent printing needs, this system might be perfectly acceptable.
⭐ Conclusion: A Reliable Choice for the Essentials
The Canon PIXMA TS3720 Wireless All-in-One Printer is an excellent piece of equipment for its intended audience: the casual home user, student, or small business owner who needs a reliable, easy-to-use device for printing, scanning, and copying basic documents and occasional photos.
What We Love:
✅ Ease of Use and Setup: Simple, intuitive interface and fast wireless configuration.
✅ Compact Design: Fits easily into any home office or small space.
✅ Good Print Quality: Delivers sharp text and vivid photos, especially considering the price.
✅ Wireless Versatility: Robust mobile and dual-band Wi-Fi support.
Areas for Improvement:
❌ Slow Print Speed: Not ideal for high-volume or urgent printing.
❌ 2-Cartridge System: Can increase the cost per page for heavy color users.
❌ No ADF: Scanner is strictly flatbed, limiting multi-page scanning/copying.
If your primary need is a simple, reliable, and space-saving all-in-one printer for school reports, occasional documents, and mobile photo prints, and you are not concerned with high-speed production, the Canon PIXMA TS3720 is a highly recommended, budget-conscious option.