Main trade-off
Brother HL-L3220CDW
No Ethernet port or scanner.
Head-to-head
Brother HL-L3220CDW vs HL-L3280CDW: 3280 adds Ethernet for a shared printer
The short answer
Choose the HL-L3280CDW for a wired shared network or regular color batches. The HL-L3220CDW is enough for occasional color documents over Wi-Fi when its lower purchase cost matters.
Before you choose
The reasoning and the trade-offs
A faster printer does not hold more paper
The HL-L3280CDW has a higher rated speed, but both have a 250-sheet cassette and one-sheet manual feed. It can finish supported jobs sooner without extending the interval between paper refills.
What this is based on
Rated 27 versus 19 ppm. Both 250+1 input.
Main trade-off
Brother HL-L3280CDW
A print-only machine, so it will not digitize your paperwork.
Brother HL-L3220CDW
- Choose it for
- You print occasional color documents over Wi-Fi
- You do not need an Ethernet socket
- Main trade-off
- No Ethernet port or scanner.
Brother HL-L3280CDW
- Choose it for
- A wired network connection is required
- You print color handouts in repeated batches
- Main trade-off
- A print-only machine, so it will not digitize your paperwork.
About this comparison
Compare color batch speed, Ethernet and paper handling. Find out whether the HL-L3280CDW upgrade helps your actual office printing workload.
Choose the HL-L3280CDW for a wired shared network or regular color batches. The HL-L3220CDW is enough for occasional color documents over Wi-Fi when its lower purchase cost matters.
Winner by situation
Start with what you need it to do
Five color handouts a week over Wi-Fi
Either covers light color output.
- Brother HL-L3220CDW
- Good
- Brother HL-L3280CDW
- Good
Shared printer connected to a network wall port
The HL 3280 has Ethernet.
- Brother HL-L3220CDW
- Not suitable
- Brother HL-L3280CDW
- Better fit
Repeated hundred-page color batches
The higher rated output is relevant once jobs are long.
- Brother HL-L3220CDW
- Good
- Brother HL-L3280CDW
- Better fit
Scanning signed contracts
Neither includes a scanner.
- Brother HL-L3220CDW
- Not suitable
- Brother HL-L3280CDW
- Not suitable
What matters in practice
The differences that matter
A faster printer does not hold more paper
The HL-L3280CDW has a higher rated speed, but both have a 250-sheet cassette and one-sheet manual feed. It can finish supported jobs sooner without extending the interval between paper refills.
How we reached this conclusion
Rated 27 versus 19 ppm. Both 250+1 input.
The speed gap grows with the batch
At their rated continuous simplex speeds,100 pages imply about 3.7 minutes versus 5.3 minutes. This excludes warm-up, first-page delay, duplexing, processing and pauses, so it is a scale illustration rather than a stopwatch prediction.
How we reached this conclusion
100/27=3.70 minutes and 100/19=5.26 minutes. Manufacturer maximum Letter rates.
Ethernet can decide before color speed does
If your office requires the printer on a wired network, the HL-L3220CDW is excluded regardless of how few pages you print. Wi-Fi on a laptop does not mean the printer itself has to use Wi-Fi.
How we reached this conclusion
HL 3280 Ethernet plus local network printing. HL 3220 lacks Ethernet.
Choice A
Brother, HL-L3220CDW
HL-L3220CDW
Color handouts and two-sided documents over a wireless network.
- Best matched use
- You print occasional color documents over Wi-Fi
Checked facts
- Letter color speed: Up to 19 ppm
- Ethernet: No
- Two-sided printing: Automatic
- Paper input: 250-sheet cassette plus one-sheet feed
Choice B
Brother, HL-L3280CDW
HL-L3280CDW
Color documents for a shared wired or wireless network.
- Best matched use
- A wired network connection is required
Checked facts
- Letter color speed: Up to 27 ppm
- Ethernet: Yes
- Two-sided printing: Automatic
- Paper input: 250-sheet cassette plus one-sheet feed
Meaningful differences
What changes the fit
| What changes | Brother HL-L3220CDW | Brother HL-L3280CDW | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter color speed | Up to 19 ppm | Up to 27 ppm | Longer batches benefit more from the higher rated output. |
| Ethernet | No | Yes | Only the HL-L3280CDW can connect directly to a network cable. |
| Two-sided printing | Automatic | Automatic | Duplex alone does not justify the upgrade. |
| Paper input | 250-sheet cassette plus one-sheet feed | 250-sheet cassette plus one-sheet feed | Neither gains bulk special-media feeding. |
| Scanning | None | None | Both require another device for paper originals. |
What you give up
Every choice has a cost
If you choose Brother HL-L3220CDW
- The one-sheet manual feed needs repeated loading for supported alternate-stock batches.
If you choose Brother HL-L3280CDW
- A one-sheet manual feed limits batch handling of supported special media.
Recommendation switch
The decision flips if...
Your printer must use Ethernet
Choose Brother HL-L3280CDW. HL 3280 supplies the missing port.
Color jobs are short and Wi-Fi is acceptable
Choose Brother HL-L3220CDW. The lower-tier print-only unit meets that brief if priced lower.
You need to scan or copy originals
Choose neither. Choose a multifunction model instead.
What matters in practice
How to make the call
Treat the two models as different workloads
The 19-ppm unit is not automatically too slow for a household. The 27-ppm unit becomes more compelling when several people send longer batches and waiting time accumulates.
Paper handling limits stay the same
Each model has a 250-sheet cassette and a one-sheet manual feed. A higher print rate does not automate loading a stack of envelopes or other supported special media through that single-sheet slot.
Both are LED color printers
These are electrophotographic LED printers in the laser-class category. That naming distinction does not establish superior print quality for either model. Compare the connections and paper workflow you need.
Check cartridge and drum costs together
Brother lists toner and a separate drum system. Color ownership costs also depend on how much cyan, magenta and yellow your documents use. Without a defined workload and current supply prices, a precise cost-per-month claim would be misleading.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- Rated print speeds are manufacturer figures, not matched hands-on tests.
- Toner yields use standardized test documents and vary with content.
What the facts say
What the comparison shows
Useful conclusions from the current laser printers comparison, followed by the checked facts used to reach them.
See the checked facts and calculation notes
| Product | Needs matched | Checked facts | Source records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brother HL-L3220CDW |
|
| |
| Brother HL-L3280CDW |
|
|
Ready to choose?
Check the price. Read the owner reviews.
Open either model on Amazon to check the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Brother HL-L3220CDW
You print occasional color documents over Wi-Fi
See price & reviews on AmazonBrother HL-L3280CDW
A wired network connection is required
See price & reviews on AmazonLinks open in a new tab.