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Canon PIXMA MP480 Review
Reviewer: Tim
Benson
Printer Type:
All-in-One - Wireless/Inkjet
Overall
Rating: 
At this point, the Canon PIXMA MP480
Photo All-In-One Printer is if nothing else an extremely affordable unit, and as such it’s not a bad option,
despite its problems, for users on a budget and/or those who don’t expect too much in terms of
performance. There certainly are much better printers available currently, even within the MP480’s
general class, though.
Get The Best Deal On The Canon MP480
Here
If you’re going to purchase a
value-priced printer, you’ll likely expect that it won’t be too fussy, and the MP480 certainly isn’t.
Like most Canons, the MP480 is very easy to assemble, with only a couple of simple steps necessary, and to
install. The packaged software is decent if not spectacular. It’s also a reasonably well built unit
despite its low price, and also very small and lightweight. Of course, you might want to make sure that
it’s not in an area where you’re going to be bumping into it, as it does have some flimsy points, especially
the output tray.
The print quality and speed provided
by the MP480 are adequate. Its photo print quality stands up especially well, despite the “value” nature
of the printer. You can expect to get very accurate, vivid colors, although some users do complain about
slightly disappointing color fidelity in portraits. The text print quality of the MP480 is also very good
overall.
As an all-in-one, the MP480 comes
with an integrated scanner and copier, which are also adequate unto themselves. It doesn’t have fax
capability, though, as some all-in-ones, even value-priced ones, do. Again, though, the main point in the
MP480’s favor is value, as you can find this printer now for well under $100.
The MP480 does have its share of
problems, though. Its print speed was mediocre even when it was first released, and that’s even compared
to its contemporary budget printers. The graphics print quality is also somewhat disappointing, and any
kind of intensive graphics will see significant amounts of color bleed.
The MP480’s LCD display, at 1.8
inches, looks even smaller than that, and it is so hard to read and use that it’s virtually useless. The
MP480 is also plagued by very loud warmup noises, and almost-as-loud printing volume. It doesn’t have an
input tray, which is an amazing omission for even such a basic package.
The MP480 offers only 24-bit
scanning, which isn’t really up to current standards. Its copier is decent in terms of function, but does
tend to make images a little darker, rendering them unreadable in rare cases. Its two-tank ink system has
its problems as well. The MP480 isn’t expensive on its own, but printer ink still is, and you might end
up paying a lot more over the long term, even with a relatively moderate amount of
printing.
Of course, the most important point
about the MP480 is its price, and that’s probably what really matters if you’re even considering this
printer. The MP480 shouldn’t give you too much to worry about – it’ll do the job well enough for casual
users, and it’s still adequate in the role of a family printer, as long as you’re not going to be doing too
much printing.
On the other hand, even in this
reduced capacity, you may still notice some inadequacies in the MP480, especially if you’re printing things
like graphs. You may want to consider a unit such as the Canon PIXMA MP490, which is also well within the
“affordable” range, but performs significantly better in just about every way.
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