Pantum Printer BP2300W & BM2300AW Review: Surprisingly Good (and 1 Minor Flaw)

Printers aren’t the most exciting gadgets to review. Let’s be honest, most iterations offer incremental improvements – a tad faster printing, slightly better quality – but rarely do we see truly innovative features. I’m not expecting a printer that brews coffee anytime soon. Therefore, for a printer to pique our interest, it needs a compelling selling point.

The Pantum BP2300W and BM2300AW certainly have one: price. While other brands offer similar functionality in the RM1,000 range, Pantum delivers it for around RM600.

This raises the obvious question: does this significantly lower price come at the cost of performance or features? That’s exactly what we intend to find out in this review.

Overview

We’re taking a look at two models: the baseline BP2300W and the more advanced BM2300AW. Both share identical printing specifications, but the key difference lies with the BM2300AW’s integrated automatic document feeder (ADF) scanner module.

BP2300W

Design-wise, the BP2300W sports a compact footprint, typical of most personal laser printers, and features a simple three-button control scheme.

The BP2300W is priced at RM324 listed at their official Shopee page.

BM2300AW

The BM2300AW, on the other hand, boasts a more sophisticated design reminiscent of a mid-size office printer.

Larger in size to accommodate the ADF scanner, it also features a more comprehensive control panel with eleven buttons, many dedicated to scanner functions.

A small LED display provides status updates, enabling standalone operation without a PC connection.

The BM2300AW cost RM594 on their official Shopee store, which is a generous price for a printer with ADF function included.

Setting up the printers

Let me be frank, I dread setting up printers. From wrestling with our old Canon inkjet at home to configuring entire blocks of office printers, the process has always been a source of frustration. 

Simple point-to-point USB setups are usually manageable, but network configurations?  Forget about it.  Even following the official guides often leads to detection issues.  And even when it does connect, a dropped network connection can mean a world of pain trying to reconnect. 

There’s always something that goes wrong, and when it miraculously works, you’re too scared to touch anything for fear of breaking the spell.

But, setting aside the standard USB setup, which is generally straightforward, the Pantum printers’ network configuration was surprisingly simple.  Just power on the printer, launch the setup wizard, and select the Wi-Fi option.  I encountered absolutely no issues or complications; it just worked. 

Frankly, I’m almost incredulous at how easy it was, but I’m certainly not complaining. It was a welcome change and a chance to finally put my printer setup traumas behind me.

Printing with Pantum printer

While there’s not a lot to elaborate on here, the printing speed is definitely decent and fast.  It’s also worth noting that there’s no discernible difference in print quality between USB and wireless connections.  The printed output is sharp, detailed, and pleasing to the eye. 

Printing Test

One feature Pantum highlights is the machine’s ability to handle various paper types, even damaged ones like wrinkled, creased, or torn paper.  We put this claim to the test with four levels of paper damage: wrinkles, creases, tears, and a combination of all three. 

The first test with wrinkled paper resulted in a jam, but the second attempt printed successfully. 

The crease-marked paper printed normally on both tests. 

The torn paper, in the third test, printed fine on the first attempt, though some of the torn edges folded over. The second attempt printed normally.

Finally, we faced the “final boss”: a sheet with wrinkles, creases, and tears.  Unsurprisingly, the printer tore the paper in half and failed to print.

While the combined damage paper was a predictable failure, the fact that the printer handled the other three damaged paper types so well was a pleasant surprise.

However, despite the printer’s relatively large size, both models require the paper tray to be extended for loading, rather than keeping it fully enclosed within the machine.  Duplex (double-sided) printing is also available, but only in manual mode.

Scanning Document with Pantum Printer

Pantum provides a scanning software for PC scanning, and it functions as expected.  It’s a standard scanning software experience, nothing particularly noteworthy. The same software would work for both wireless and USB connection.

However, one frustrating omission is the lack of support for duplex scanning via the automatic document feeder. While manual duplex scanning is possible, the absence of automatic duplex scanning with the ADF is a definite drawback.

The Pantum app on phone

I have to emphasize just how effortlessly the Pantum app for Android connects to the printer. It’s ridiculously easy. All printer functions are accessible from the user’s phone, including the added bonus of mobile scanning. This feature allows users to take a picture of a document and print it directly from their phone.

Consumable

Both the BP2300W and BM2300AW share the same toner cartridge: the TL-2310H. This cartridge is rated for approximately 1,600 pages, and at just under RM200, it represents excellent value. Of course, for those willing to explore alternative options, compatible cartridges are available at significantly lower prices.

Conclusion

Overall, the Pantum BP2300W and BM2300AW offer compelling value, especially given their competitive price point and reasonable consumable costs. The shared TL-2310H toner cartridge, with its decent page yield and sub-RM200 price tag, further sweetens the deal.

While the lack of automatic duplex scanning with the ADF on the BM2300AW is a notable drawback, the ease of setup, fast printing speeds, and ability to handle various paper types are significant advantages. For users seeking a reliable and affordable printing solution, particularly in home or small office environments, the Pantum printers are definitely worth considering.

The BP2300W comes in at a very budget-friendly RM329, while the BM2300AW, with its added ADF scanner, is priced at RM594. We recommend both printer and award it with our bronze metal, for those who want to purchase the printers, check out our affiliation link below.

Help support us!

If you are interested in the Pantum Printers, we would really appreciate if you purchase it via the links below. The affiliate links won’t cost you any extra, but it will be a great help to keep our lights on here at HelloExpress.

BM2300AW (Shopee): https://s.shopee.com.my/4L4Jh3tgUz?share_channel_code=1
BP2300W (Shopee): https://s.shopee.com.my/Vrb83cCP4?share_channel_code=1