Design & Build Quality

Both printers follow Brother’s familiar compact monochrome laser design. They feature a sturdy black plastic body that fits comfortably on a desk without occupying excessive space.

The HL-L2480DW is slightly shorter due to the absence of an automatic document feeder. This gives it a cleaner, more compact appearance that suits home offices where desk space is limited.

The DCP-L2640DW, however, is slightly taller because of the integrated 50-page ADF. While it occupies a bit more vertical space, the added functionality far outweighs the minor increase in size for most office users.

The most noticeable design difference is the control interface. The HL-L2480DW features a 2.7-inch color touchscreen, making navigation easy and intuitive. Users can quickly access settings, cloud services, and maintenance options with simple touch controls.

The DCP-L2640DW uses physical buttons and a simpler display. It works well but isn’t as modern or convenient as the touchscreen interface.

Winner: HL-L2480DW

Print Speed & Print Quality

Printing performance is virtually identical.

Both printers deliver:

• Up to 36 pages per minute
• 1200 × 1200 dpi resolution
• Automatic duplex printing
• Sharp monochrome text
• Excellent graphics for business documents

Whether printing reports, invoices, school assignments, or legal documents, both printers produce crisp black text with excellent consistency.

Neither printer has an advantage in print quality.

Winner: Tie

Scanning & Copying Performance

This is where the comparison changes dramatically.

The HL-L2480DW includes only a flatbed scanner. It’s excellent for:

• Books
• IDs
• Photos
• Single-page documents

However, scanning multiple pages requires lifting the lid and replacing each sheet manually.

The DCP-L2640DW includes both:

• Flatbed scanner
• 50-page Automatic Document Feeder

The ADF can automatically scan or copy dozens of pages without user intervention. This feature greatly improves productivity for businesses and anyone handling frequent paperwork.

Brother also rates the DCP-L2640DW for scan speeds up to 23.6 ipm (black), making document digitization much quicker.

Winner: DCP-L2640DW

Duplex Printing

Both printers support automatic double-sided printing.

This feature reduces paper consumption and creates professional-looking documents without manually flipping pages.

Students, professionals, and offices all benefit from automatic duplex printing.

Neither model has an advantage here.

Winner: Tie

Connectivity & Wireless Features

Connectivity options are identical.

Both printers include:

• Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz & 5GHz)
• Ethernet
• USB connection
• Brother Mobile Connect App
• Cloud printing
• Mobile printing
• Alexa compatibility

Wireless setup is straightforward, and both printers work well with smartphones, tablets, and computers.

Users can also monitor toner usage and manage printing remotely using Brother’s mobile app.

Winner: Tie

Paper Handling

Both printers include:

• 250-sheet paper tray
• Manual feed slot
• Envelope printing
• Legal-size paper support (up to 8.5 × 14 inches)

This capacity is sufficient for most home offices and small businesses.

Paper handling performance is essentially identical.

Winner: Tie

User Interface

The HL-L2480DW clearly stands out here.

Its 2.7-inch touchscreen makes it easier to:

• Configure settings
• Access cloud services
• Navigate menus
• Scan to cloud apps
• Perform maintenance

Touch navigation feels modern and reduces the learning curve for new users.

The DCP-L2640DW relies on traditional buttons, which are functional but slower for advanced settings.

If ease of use is your priority, the HL-L2480DW has the advantage.

Winner: HL-L2480DW

Toner & Operating Costs

Both printers use:

• Brother TN830
• Brother TN830XL High-Yield Toner

Both also support Brother’s Refresh subscription service for automatic toner replenishment.

Since they share the same toner cartridges and print engine, ongoing printing costs are virtually identical.

Winner: Tie

Home Office Performance

For remote workers who mainly print reports, school assignments, forms, or occasional scans, the HL-L2480DW performs exceptionally well.

Its touchscreen makes operation simple, and the compact footprint fits neatly on smaller desks.

Users who rarely scan large stacks of paper won’t miss the ADF.

Winner: HL-L2480DW

Small Business Performance

The DCP-L2640DW is built for heavier document workflows.

The 50-page automatic document feeder dramatically speeds up:

• Client paperwork
• Contracts
• Invoices
• Financial records
• Legal documents

Combined with fast printing, duplex capability, and Ethernet networking, it becomes the better productivity machine.

Winner: DCP-L2640DW

Price & Value for Money

This is one of the easiest categories to judge.

The DCP-L2640DW saves you $40 while adding a valuable productivity feature—the 50-page ADF.

Unless you specifically want the touchscreen interface, the DCP-L2640DW delivers significantly better value.

Winner: DCP-L2640DW

Final Verdict

Both printers are excellent monochrome laser all-in-one printers with reliable performance, sharp print quality, fast 36 ppm printing, duplex support, wireless connectivity, and Brother’s dependable print engine.

However, for most buyers, the Brother DCP-L2640DW is the stronger choice. It offers the same printing performance as the HL-L2480DW while adding a 50-page Automatic Document Feeder and costing $40 less. That combination makes it the better option for productivity and overall value.

Choose the Brother HL-L2480DW if you prefer a 2.7-inch touchscreen, primarily print documents, and only occasionally scan single pages.

Choose the Brother DCP-L2640DW if you regularly scan or copy multi-page documents, want a more efficient workflow, and are looking for the best value. For most home offices and small businesses, it is the printer that delivers the best balance of features, performance, and price.