Canon PIXMA MX700

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By Felisa Yang, CNET.com
Nov 07, 2007

The Canon PIXMA MX700 is a double threat of a multifunction inkjet, combining high-quality output with fast task speeds. Though it lacks some options that would make it even more compelling as an office workhorse--advanced fax features and a duplexer, to name two--when compared to other US$200 office-oriented inkjet multifunctions such as the Lexmark X9350, it comes out on top with the best combination of features and performance.

It even improves on Canon's last-generation office multifunction, the Canon PIXMA MP530, by adding an LCD, networking, and media card slots. Due to the somewhat limited fax functions and task speeds, the PIXMA MX700 is best suited for offices with light print needs and those who can take advantage of non-office features such as photo printing. Small offices that need faster, high-volume text prints and more basic office functionality should look into low-cost laser multifunctions such as the Lexmark X340n or the Canon ImageClass MP4690, though you'll have to spend more money.

Design

The Canon PIXMA MX700's dark-gray exterior looks serious and ready for work. It stands 480 x 463 x 239mm and weighs 10.4kg. A 30-sheet automatic document feeder (ADF) tops the A4 flatbed scanner; using the ADF, you can scan legal documents too. The ADF's paper support folds forward to cover the paper feed when you're not using it--a nice design touch that keeps dust and debris out the feed area. Mounted on the front are two memory card slots and a PictBridge-enabled USB port that let you print directly off memory cards or PictBridge devices such as cameras and camera phones.

For more details on the PIXMA MX700's design, click on the image.

The control panel is busy but well organized and easy to navigate. The centerpiece is a 1.8-inch color LCD mounted on a pivoting panel. While the LCD is small for previewing photos, it's fine for perusing menus. Next to the LCD are menu and settings buttons, a four-way navigation button, and OK and back buttons for scrolling through menus. An alphanumeric keypad lets you enter fax numbers. And four task buttons--copy, fax, scan, and memory card--let you switch functions. Dedicated enlarge/reduce and fax quality buttons let you make those adjustments, and a feed switch button allows you toggle between the front and rear inputs.

You get your choice of two paper inputs: the rear input holds as many as 150 sheets of plain paper and can be used with all of the recommended paper types. The front input resides under the output tray and holds up to 110 sheets of plain paper. Canon recommends using the front input for plain paper only, as media entering the printer through the front bends around a roller--a potential problem for thick media such as photo paper or very thin media like t-shirt transfers. Both trays have extension flaps that support and corral the paper.

The PIXMA MX700 uses a four-ink system with individual ink tanks. The black is a pigment-based ink, ideal for text prints. The three color inks are dye-based, better suited for graphics and photos. The black tank costs $16.25 to replace, while each color tanks costs $14.25. Canon estimates that it costs 3 cents to print a black page and 6 cents to print a full-color page--both are reasonable costs for a small office.

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