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Brother MFC-J4540DW — Inkjet AIO · 2023
Brother

Brother MFC-J4540DW

Inkjet AIO · 2023

82
/ 100
From $229
VS
HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw wins by 2
HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw — Color laser AIO
HP

HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw

Color laser AIO

84
/ 100
From $649
Specdex verdict

HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, Brother MFC-J4540DW lands at 82 and HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw at 84. That puts HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw ahead by 2 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.

Pick Brother MFC-J4540DW if…

  • ✓Wireless printing (most)
  • ✓Current-gen firmware
  • ✓Mature driver support

Pick HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw if…

  • ✓Wireless printing
  • ✓AirPrint/Mopria compatible
  • ✓Good first-page-out time (laser models)
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Winner by scenario

Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test

Quality

HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw

Compared on the quality sub-score

HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw leads on quality (84 vs 82).

Cost

HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw

Compared on the cost sub-score

HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw leads on cost (82 vs 80).

Reliability

HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw

Compared on the reliability sub-score

HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw leads on reliability (82 vs 80).

Value for money

Brother MFC-J4540DW

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

Brother MFC-J4540DW more score per dollar ($229 vs $649).

Brother MFC-J4540DW 82
vs
84 HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw

Score breakdown

Brother MFC-J4540DW
82
speed 78
quality 82
cost 80
reliability 80
HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw
84
speed 80
quality 84
cost 82
reliability 82

Specs side-by-side

Brother MFC-J4540DW versus HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw — full spec comparison
Spec Brother MFC-J4540DW HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw
Type
Inkjet AIO
Color laser AIO
Release year
2023
—

Brother MFC-J4540DW

Pros
  • +Wireless printing (most)
  • +Current-gen firmware
  • +Mature driver support
Cons
  • −Ink/toner subscriptions (HP)
  • −Noisy under heavy loads
  • −Paper path varies

HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw

Pros
  • +Wireless printing
  • +AirPrint/Mopria compatible
  • +Good first-page-out time (laser models)
Cons
  • −Ink subscription lock-in (HP)
  • −Drum/toner replacement cost
  • −Slow photo print on some inkjets

FAQ: Brother MFC-J4540DW vs HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw

Which is better, Brother MFC-J4540DW or HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw? +

HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw scores 84 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 2. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.

Is Brother MFC-J4540DW worth the price? +

At $229, Brother MFC-J4540DW delivers a Specdex score of 82 — strongest in quality.

Is HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw worth the price? +

At $649, HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw delivers a Specdex score of 84 — strongest in quality.

Does Brother MFC-J4540DW or HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw last longer? +

Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.

Which is better for quality, Brother MFC-J4540DW or HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw? +

HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw — leads on quality (84 vs 82). Compared on the quality sub-score.

Which is better for cost, Brother MFC-J4540DW or HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw? +

HP Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw — leads on cost (82 vs 80). Compared on the cost sub-score.