How to Choose a Monochrome Printer: 5 Models Compared

A good monochrome printer should match your monthly page volume, need for scanning or copying, duplex and network requirements, and the ongoing cost and availability of supplies. Purchase price alone can hide the cost of toner, drums, ink bottles, printheads, and downtime.

The models below are retained as examples from the original comparison, but the old “under 5 million VND” promise and reference prices have been removed. Availability, bundles, warranty, operating-system support, and local prices change; verify the exact regional model before ordering.

Start with these buying decisions

1. Brother HL-L2321D: fast USB print-only laser

The HL-L2321D is a compact, print-only monochrome laser with automatic two-sided printing and a 250-sheet main tray. Brother specifies up to 30 A4 pages per minute and a USB 2.0 connection for this regional model.

Choose it when: one computer needs fast text printing and automatic duplex, but Wi-Fi, Ethernet, scanning, and copying are not required.

Check before buying: current driver support for your operating system, the inbox toner yield for your country, and local pricing for both the replacement toner and separate drum unit. Do not assume the tray protects paper from humidity; store paper correctly even when it remains loaded.

2. Canon imageCLASS MF241d: print, scan, and copy

The MF241d adds a flatbed scanner and copier to monochrome laser printing. Canon lists automatic duplex printing and up to 27 A4 pages per minute, but the MF241d is the USB-oriented member of a family that includes models with different networking and feeder features.

Choose it when: a small office needs copying and flatbed scanning as well as two-sided document printing.

Check before buying: whether you need an automatic document feeder. A flatbed requires placing multipage originals one sheet at a time. Also confirm the exact interfaces; do not infer Wi-Fi from a related model with “w” in its name.

3. Canon LBP2900: simple legacy USB laser

The LBP2900 is a compact, older single-function laser that remains familiar in some markets. Its strengths are a simple USB workflow and widely known service procedures; its trade-offs include modest speed, no built-in automatic duplex, and driver compatibility that should be checked carefully on a new computer.

Choose it when: a supported USB-only setup and local cartridge/service availability matter more than network features or modern workflow integration.

Check before buying: whether Canon currently supplies a driver for your exact operating system and architecture, and whether the unit is genuinely new, refurbished, or old stock. If you already own one, TipsMake has a separate Canon LBP 2900 installation guide.

4. Canon PIXMA GM2070: refillable monochrome ink tank

The GM2070 represents a different approach: a refillable black-ink printer intended for high-yield monochrome document work, with wireless connectivity and automatic two-sided printing in supported regional configurations. It may also support an optional color-cartridge workflow, but the cartridge type and capabilities are region-specific and should be verified rather than assumed.

Choose it when: the office prints enough pages to benefit from refillable ink, needs network convenience, and can use the printer regularly enough to keep its ink system healthy.

Check before buying: black bottle and optional cartridge cost, printhead and maintenance-component policy, borderless and media limitations, mobile-app support, and the effect of long idle periods. Laser and inkjet speed figures use different test conditions, so avoid comparing unqualified “pages per minute” numbers.

5. HP Laser 107a: compact USB laser

HP lists the Laser 107a as a compact monochrome laser with USB, manual duplex support, a 150-sheet input tray, and print speeds up to 20 A4 pages per minute. It is designed for relatively light personal or small-office use rather than a shared high-volume network.

Choose it when: space, simple USB operation, and basic single-sided text output are the priorities.

Check before buying: the exact inbox-cartridge yield, replacement toner price, current operating-system support, and whether you actually need the Wi-Fi features found on a different 107-series variant. A maximum duty cycle is not a recommended workload.

Side-by-side fit

Calculate operating cost properly

1. Estimate realistic pages per month and average page coverage.
2. Divide the local cartridge or bottle price by its declared yield, then add drum, printhead, waste-toner, and maintenance items where applicable.
3. Check whether the inbox supply is full-yield or introductory.
4. Include paper waste, duplex use, warranty length, and downtime.
5. Print a sample of your smallest text, forms, graphics, and envelopes before committing several workstations to the model.

For a broader laser shortlist, compare the selection factors in laser printers for home and office. After setup, use How to print documents for basic connection and test-print checks.