Estimate everyday printing
Estimate normal monthly pages, colour use, scans and paper sizes.
Expert reviews. One COR Score.
Brother MFC-L8970CDW reviews
Brand: Brother More Brother printers reviews →
Current — New UK retailer availability verified. Checked 2 Nov 2026, 20:33 UTC
tbd
Compare Brother MFC-L8970CDW reviews, specifications and available UK retailer offers. Check the details for this exact model and follow the original critics’ findings.
Manufacturer codeMFC-L8970CDW
The product, explained
About the Brother MFC-L8970CDW
Brother MFC-L8970CDW is listed in the multifunction printers category. The recorded specifications include print technology: Laser; colour printing: Yes; duplex printing: Yes; wi-fi: Yes. This entry covers manufacturer code MFC-L8970CDW. Specifications relate to this exact source record; other editions or packages may differ.
The listed print technology is Laser. Compare replacement consumable prices and expected page volumes alongside the purchase price. Features such as duplex printing or a scanner should be confirmed independently in the specification table.
- Print technology
- Laser
- Colour printing
- Yes
- Maximum resolution
- 2400 x 600 DPI
- Duplex printing
- Yes
- Black print speed (normal A4/Letter)
- 31 ppm
- Largest ISO paper size
- A4
Make it work for you
Before choosing the Brother MFC-L8970CDW
Price exact consumables
Price current replacement ink or toner by exact part number.
Separate duplex functions
Confirm duplex printing, duplex scanning and document feeder separately.
Measure operating footprint
Measure the printer with trays and lid open.
Independent perspectives
Expert reviews 1
Independent ratings, converted to the same five-point scale. Each card links to the original review and identifies the available evidence.
IT Pro
4.00 / 5Original rating: 4 / 5
Review identifies this exact manufacturer code.
Read the full review ↗Checked 30 Sep 2026
More expert reviews
TechRadar
Brother MFC-L8970CDW color laser printer review: A downsized, upgraded spin on the company's best enterprise printer
By Jim Hill. Read the publisher’s assessment of this model.
Read the full review ↗Review link · Not included in the COR Score
Independent reviews, made comparable
What does the COR Score mean?
One consistent scale makes different publishers’ ratings easier to compare. The original review still tells you why a critic reached that verdict.
Read our scoring methodology →Scale conversion · example
8/ 104.00/ 5
An illustration of conversion, not this product’s rating.
Check the match
Identify the exact model and the version reviewed. Check the manufacturer code, configuration and supplied accessories.
Compare on one scale
Convert usable ratings to five points, count each publisher once and give each critic equal weight.
Require three critics
Show the average to two decimal places after three distinct critics. Otherwise display tbd, keeping individual reviews visible.
Find the best fit by considering the score alongside the critic count, review dates, tested version and the strengths that matter to you. Eligible model-level reviews identify the tested configuration. Reviews of different hardware are shown separately and do not enter this product’s COR Score.
Know exactly what you’re buying
Brother MFC-L8970CDW specifications
Manufacturer code: MFC-L8970CDW · Icecat product 139989928 · Checked 23 Sep 2026. Specifications belong to this exact model.
Key specifications
The main features to compare for this exact model. Missing details are not assumed.
| Print technology | Laser |
|---|---|
| Colour printing | Yes |
| Maximum resolution | 2400 x 600 DPI |
| Duplex printing | Yes |
| Black print speed (normal A4/Letter) | 31 ppm |
| Largest ISO paper size | A4 |
| Scanning | Colour scanning |
| Copying | Colour copying |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| Ethernet LAN | Yes |
More product specifications
Open a section for the details that matter to you.
Audio & listening1 detail
| Noise level | 49 dB |
|---|
Display4 details
| Built-in display | Yes |
|---|---|
| Display | LCD |
| Screen size | 17.8 cm (7") |
| Colour display | Yes |
Processor, memory & storage5 details
| Memory (RAM) | 1024 MB |
|---|---|
| Built-in processor | Yes |
| Processor frequency | 1200 MHz |
| Storage temperature (T-T) | 0 - 40 °C |
| Storage relative humidity (H-H) | 36 - 85% |
Camera, image & video1 detail
| Image formats supported | TIFF, JPEG |
|---|
Printing, scanning & paper50 details
| Duplex printing mode | Auto/Manual |
|---|---|
| Printing | Colour printing |
| Print speed (colour, normal quality, A4/US Letter) | 31 ppm |
| Duplex print speed (black, normal quality, A4/US Letter) | 20 ppm |
| Duplex print speed (colour, normal quality, A4/US Letter) | 20 ppm |
| N-in-1 print function | Yes |
| N-up printing | 2, 4, 9, 16, 25, 6 |
| Barcode printing | Yes |
| Watermark printing | Yes |
| Secure printing | Yes |
| Poster printing function | Yes |
| Duplex copying | Yes |
| Duplex copying mode | Auto |
| Maximum copy resolution | 1200 x 600 DPI |
| Maximum copy size | A4 |
| Copy speed (black, normal quality, A4) | 31 cpm |
| Time to first copy (black, normal) | 12.5 s |
| Time to first copy (colour, normal) | 12.5 s |
| N-in-1 copy function | Yes |
| N-in-1 copy function (N=) | 2, 4 |
| Duplex scanning | Yes |
| Duplex scanning mode | Auto |
| Optical scanning resolution | 19200 x 19200 DPI |
| Optical scanning resolution (ADF) | 600 x 600 DPI |
| Maximum scan area | 215.9 x 355.6 mm |
| Scanner type | Flatbed & ADF scanner |
| Scan technology | Dual CIS |
| Scan to | USB, E-mail Server, Network folder, FTP, Image, OCR, E-mail, HTTP |
| Scan drivers | WIA, TWAIN, SANE |
| Duplex faxing | Yes |
| Faxing | Mono faxing |
| Fax resolution (black) | 203 x 392 DPI |
| Fax transmission speed | 2.5 sec/page |
| Fax memory | 500 pages |
| Fax forwarding | Yes |
| Duplex functions | |
| Printing colours | Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow |
| Printer fonts | PostScript, PCL, Bitmap |
| Total number of input trays | 1 |
| Total output capacity | 150 sheets |
| Auto document feeder (ADF) | Yes |
| Auto document feeder (ADF) input capacity | 80 sheets |
| Paper tray media types | Thin paper, Plain paper, Thick paper, Recycled paper, Bond paper, Labels, Envelopes, Glossy paper |
| Non-ISO print media sizes | Letter, Legal, Executive |
| Paper tray media weight | 60 - 105 g/m² |
| Multi-Purpose Tray media weight | 60 - 163 g/m² |
| Direct printing | Yes |
| Mobile printing technologies | Apple AirPrint, Brother Mobile Connect, Mopria Print Service |
| Power consumption (printing) | 540 W |
| Power consumption (copying) | 540 W |
Connections & wireless8 details
| USB port | Yes |
|---|---|
| USB 2.0 ports quantity | 2 |
| Ethernet LAN data rates | 10,1000,100 Mbit/s |
| Wi-Fi standards | 802.11a, 802.11b, Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), 802.11g |
| Wi-Fi Direct | Yes |
| NFC | Yes |
| Supported network protocols (IPv4) | ARP, RARP, BOOTP, DHCP, APIPA (AutoIP), WINS/NetBIOS name resolution, DNS resolver, mDNS, LLMNR receiver, LPR/LPD, custom raw port/Port9100, SMTP client, IPP/IPPS, FTP client, FTP server, CIFS client, TELNET server, SNMPv1/v2c/v4, HTTP/HTTPS server, TF |
| Supported network protocols (IPv6) | NDP, RA, DNS Resolver, mDNS, LLMNR Receiver, LPR/LPD, Custom Raw Port / Port9101, IPP/IPPS, SMTP Client, FTP Client, FTP Server, CIFS Client, TELNET Server, SNMPv1/v2c/v4, HTTP/HTTPS Server, TFTP Client, TFTP Server, ICMPv7, Web Services (Print), Web Services (S) |
Power & battery8 details
| Power consumption (PowerSave) | 330 W |
|---|---|
| Power consumption (ready) | 60 W |
| Power consumption (standby) | 8.4 W |
| Power consumption (sleep) | 0.53 W |
| Power consumption (off) | 0.04 W |
| Energy Star Typical Electricity Consumption (TEC) | 0.43 kWh/week |
| AC input voltage | 220 - 240 V |
| AC input frequency | 50/60 Hz |
Controls & features2 details
| Control type | Touch |
|---|---|
| Operating temperature (T-T) | 10 - 32.5 °C |
Design & dimensions10 details
| Input colour depth | 48 bit |
|---|---|
| Output colour depth | 24 bit |
| Input greyscale depth | 16 bit |
| Output greyscale depth | 8 bit |
| Custom media width | 76.2 - 216 mm |
| Product colour | Grey |
| Width | 454 mm |
| Depth | 505 mm |
| Height | 460 mm |
| Weight | 26.7 kg |
Software & compatibility7 details
| Document formats supported | |
|---|---|
| Windows operating systems supported | Windows 10, Windows 10 Education, Windows 10 Education x64, Windows 10 Enterprise, Windows 10 Enterprise x64, Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Home x64, Windows 10 IOT Core, Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Pro x64, Windows 10 x64, Windows 11, Windows 11 Enterprise, Windows 11 Enterprise x64, Windows 11 Home, Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11 x64 |
| Mac operating systems supported | Mac OS X 13.0 Ventura, Mac OS X 14.0 Sonoma, Mac OS X 15.0 Sequoia |
| Linux operating systems supported | Yes |
| Server operating systems supported | Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016 |
| Other operating systems supported | ChromeOS |
| Compliance certificates | GS mark |
Further product details28 details
| Time to first page (black, normal) | 9.9 s |
|---|---|
| Maximum number of copies | 999 copies |
| Copier resize | 25 - 400% |
| Greyscale levels | 256 |
| Modem speed | 33.6 Kbit/s |
| Auto-redialing | Yes |
| Speed dialling | Yes |
| Auto reduction | Yes |
| Error Correction Mode (ECM) | Yes |
| Recommended duty cycle | 0 - 7500 pages per month |
| Maximum duty cycle | 80000 pages per month |
| Page description languages | BR-Script 3, PDF, PCL 6 |
| Number of PCL fonts | 73 |
| Number of PostScript fonts | 66 |
| Number of barcode fonts | 16 |
| Number of bitmap fonts | 12 |
| Total input capacity | 250 sheets |
| Multi-Purpose tray | Yes |
| Multi-Purpose tray input capacity | 50 sheets |
| ISO A-series sizes (A0...A9) | A4, A5, A6 |
| Envelopes sizes | C5, Com-10, DL, Monarch |
| Custom media length | 116 - 355.6 mm |
| Cabling technology | 10/100/1000Base-T(X) |
| Security algorithms | SSL/TLS, 802.1x RADIUS, EAP-FAST, PEAP, EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS, SNMP, IPSec, 64-bit WEP, 128-bit WEP, WPA-PSK, TKIP, AES, WPA2-PSK, WPA3-SAE |
| Market positioning | Business |
| Operating relative humidity (H-H) | 20 - 80% |
| Sustainability certificates | Blue Angel, Nordic Swan Ecolabel |
| User guide | Yes |
Packaging & supplied accessories6 details
| Package width | 650 mm |
|---|---|
| Package depth | 610 mm |
| Package height | 643 mm |
| Package weight | 34.7 kg |
| Cables included | AC |
| Warranty card | Yes |
Specifications describe the supplied product data, not measured review results. Battery life, range and performance figures are source claims and can vary with use.
Build your shortlist
Compare other printers
More products in this category. Compare their exact features, original reviews and available offers alongside the Brother MFC-L8970CDW.
| Product | Brand | Shown model | COR Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brother MFC-J6940DW reviews → | Brother | MFCJ6940DWZU1 | tbd0 critic reviews · Available after 3 |
| Brother PJ-883 reviews → | Brother | PJ883Z1256 MB RAM; 64 MB flash (30 MB user area) RAM | tbd0 critic reviews · Available after 3 |
| Polaroid Lab reviews → | Polaroid | 009019 | tbd1 critic reviews · Available after 3 |
| Canon MAXIFY GX1051 with 3 extra black ink bottles reviews → | Canon | 6169C032 | tbd0 critic reviews · Available after 3 |
Your questions, answered
Brother MFC-L8970CDW FAQs
How many expert reviews are available for Brother MFC-L8970CDW?
This page currently includes 1 scored critic review. Each publisher counts once. Follow the review cards for the original verdict and the version that was tested.
What is the COR Score for Brother MFC-L8970CDW?
The COR Score is tbd. We publish a combined score only after at least three distinct critics have usable ratings. Any individual reviews already available remain visible.
Which exact version does this page cover?
This page identifies Brother MFC-L8970CDW using manufacturer code MFC-L8970CDW. Check that reference, configuration and supplied accessories against the retailer listing. Related-version reviews are labelled separately and do not contribute to this version’s score.
What is the listed print technology for Brother MFC-L8970CDW?
The source specification records print technology as Laser. This is a specification, not an independent performance measurement. Check the exact model and the original critic reviews for real-world results.
What is the listed colour printing for Brother MFC-L8970CDW?
The source specification records colour printing as Yes. This is a specification, not an independent performance measurement. Check the exact model and the original critic reviews for real-world results.
Where can I compare prices for Brother MFC-L8970CDW?
Use the retailer-offer section on this page for available matched offers. If no offer is shown, we do not currently have a verified price. Confirm model, stock, delivery and the final total at the retailer; coverage does not include every seller.
Are cartridge yields guaranteed?
No. They are standardised comparison figures; actual yield depends on coverage, jobs and maintenance.
Is Wi-Fi printing less secure?
It can be safe when the printer and network are kept updated and secured. Use manufacturer setup guidance and protect the network.
Does a scanner mean it has an automatic document feeder?
No. Check the specification for both features.
How should I use the specifications alongside reviews?
Use the recorded features to check compatibility and make a shortlist. Read the original reviews for measured performance, everyday use and the tested configuration.
Understand your options
Printer buying guides
Explore one topic in depth before making your shortlist.
Start with the complete buying guide →Inkjet vs laser printers: choosing by what you printLaser printers are often associated with office documents and inkjets with photos, but current ranges overlap. The better choice depends on what is printed, how often the device sits idle and what each…How to estimate printer running costsCalculate cost for the household’s actual mono, colour and photo pattern, including maintenance and idle use.Printer ADF and duplex scanning features explainedChoose document handling from page volume, paper types and whether originals must be scanned on both sides.Home-office printer or photo printer?Choose around the dominant output, paper handling and scanning rather than expecting one device to excel at every job.