The cost per page works out to 10 to 13 cents. For fanfold paper, the list prices range from $95.29 for one pack of 1,000 sheets to $209.56 for 32 packs of 50 three-hole-punch sheets. Premium paper, with a 20-year life, comes in fanfold format, in standard and perforated rolls, and in letter and legal-size cut sheets. Standard paper, which promises a seven-year archivability, comes in standard or perforated rolls at list prices that range from $43.66 for a pack of six 100-sheet rolls to $244.28 for a pack of 36 100-sheet rolls. Paper options for the PJ722-BK include variations in type, size, format, and image life. For the PJ722-BK, that cost per page ranges between 7 and 15 cents at list price for all but one choice of paper. That effectively makes the paper the equivalent to ink for inkjets or toner for lasers, and it means that the cost per page for thermal printers depends entirely on the cost of the paper. Plenty of Paper Choices Thermal printers work only with specially treated paper that reacts to heat to draw text and images.
Happily, the files are small enough that the download doesn't take long. For my tests, I downloaded the Windows version and installed it on a system running Windows Vista.
The site offers drivers for Windows Vista through Windows 10 plus Server 20, Mac OS X 10.8 through 10.10, and Linux.
In addition, you need to download and install the appropriate driver for your operating system from Brother's website. If you've installed the optional battery, you also need to let it fully charge, which Brother says should take about three hours. Just connect the AC adapter and USB cable.
The AC adapter adds 1 pound with its power cord and measures 2 by 1.3 by 4.3 inches (HWD). The optional battery, which slides into the printer, bumps the weight up to 1 pound 6 ounces. Portability and Setup The PJ722-BK is certainly portable, weighing only 1 pound 2 ounces and measuring 1.2 by 10 by 2.2 inches (HWD). Other possibilities include: three choices for car adapters ($19 to $22.50 each) an extension cable for DC power ($8.40) two vehicle mounts ($110 and $144) a paper guide ($45) and an assortment of cases ($6.50 to $100), some of which hold paper, along with the printer. If neither of these kits meets your needs, you can also pick from a relatively long list of accessories, starting with the rechargeable lithium-ion battery ($125) if you want the additional portability that comes with battery power. The Brother PJ722-VK has its own set of extras appropriate to the task, including a DC car adapter instead of an AC adapter, and a package of roll paper instead of fanfold paper. The other choice is the Vehicle Kit, or Brother PJ722-VK ($359), which is aimed at users who need to mount the printer in a car or truck. The PJ722-BK (BK is short for Basic Kit), which is aimed at mobile professionals who print from a laptop or PC, also includes a USB cable, an AC power supply, 100 sheets of fanfold paper, and documentation. Variations and Accessories Strictly speaking, the actual printer in the PJ722-BK package is the PJ722, which is available either by itself ($299) without a power adapter or battery, or with either of two kits.
The company says the PocketJet 7's optional battery can print up to 600 pages on a full charge, which is far more than the 70-page battery life for the Brother PocketJet 6's internal battery. The PJ722-BK and the Brother PJ723-BK are part of a new generation of PocketJet models that Brother rates as 33-percent faster than the aforementioned PocketJet 6 printers, although we didn't see that significant a difference in our tests. All of these models are similar in size and weight, and all use a thermal print head.
The PJ722-BK ($222.99 at Amazon) is similar in many ways to the Brother PocketJet 6 PJ662-K, the Brother PocketJet 6 Plus PJ663-K, and the Brother PocketJet 7 PJ723-BK, our Editors' Choice portable printer. On the other hand, they're a lot smaller and lighter than inkjets. If maximum portability is your key concern, you should take a look at a thermal printer. Compared with their inkjet counterparts, they can only print in monochrome and are limited to using thermal paper, which-depending on the paper stock-can have a distinct, unpleasant odor. Portable thermal printers like the Brother PocketJet 7 PJ722-BK ($379) are more of a niche product than even portable inkjet printers, making them easy to overlook.