Quick Pros
- 40ppm — extremely fast for monochrome
- Enterprise-grade reliability
- Low toner cost (~$0.02/page)
Quick Cons
- No WiFi (Ethernet/USB only on base model)
- No scan/copy — print only
- Monochrome only (no color)
The HP LaserJet Pro M404n is built for one purpose: printing thousands of black-and-white pages per month as quickly and cheaply as possible. At 40 pages per minute with enterprise-grade reliability and toner costs around $0.02 per page, it's the workhorse choice for offices, legal firms, accounting departments, and anyone who burns through documents at high volume. This is not an all-in-one. This is not a color printer. This is a print-only monochrome laser — and it's exceptional at that job.
Who Needs the M404n?
This printer targets offices and businesses printing 1,000+ pages per month. Law firms printing case files. Accounting offices running reports. Small businesses printing invoices, packing slips, and receipts. Real estate agents printing disclosure packets. At that volume, speed and cost per page are paramount — and the M404n delivers both. For home users printing 50 pages a month, this is overkill. For high-volume environments, this is essential.
Technical Specifications
| Print speed | 40ppm monochrome |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 1200 × 1200 dpi |
| Functions | Print only (no scan/copy) |
| Connectivity | Ethernet, USB (no WiFi on base model) |
| Monthly duty cycle | Up to 80,000 pages |
| Toner system | HP 58A / 58X cartridges |
| Paper capacity | 250-sheet input tray (expandable) |
| Duplex printing | Automatic (2-sided) |
Print Quality
At 1200×1200 dpi, text output is crisp and professional. Fine print, small fonts, and complex layouts reproduce cleanly with no fuzzing or dropout. This is a business laser — text quality is where it excels. Graphics and line art print sharply, though of course there's no color capability. For contracts, invoices, reports, and any text-heavy document, the M404n produces output indistinguishable from printers costing twice as much.
Speed — 40ppm Is Fast
40 pages per minute is genuinely impressive. A 100-page document takes about 2.5 minutes from click to last page. First-page-out from sleep is under 10 seconds. The M404n keeps up with busy office environments where multiple users are sending print jobs simultaneously over the network. Auto-duplex printing works reliably without slowing throughput significantly. The 250-sheet paper tray means fewer interruptions for refilling during large jobs.
Cost Per Page
Using the HP 58X high-yield toner cartridge (10,000 page yield at ~$110), cost per page works out to approximately $0.011. That's dramatically cheaper than inkjet — even EcoTank. For offices printing 2,000 pages per month, toner costs are roughly $22/month vs $160+ for an equivalent volume on a standard inkjet. The M404n pays for itself in toner savings alone within 6–12 months for high-volume users.
Connectivity — Ethernet, Not WiFi
The base M404n model has Ethernet and USB connectivity — no WiFi. For an office environment with wired network infrastructure, this is often preferable (faster, more reliable, more secure). For home users or offices relying on WiFi, you'll need the M404dw variant which adds wireless. The lack of WiFi on the base model keeps the price down and makes sense for the target market.
Pros
- 40ppm — one of the fastest in its class
- Extremely low cost per page (~$0.02)
- Enterprise-grade build quality and reliability
- 80,000 page/month duty cycle — built for heavy use
- Auto duplex, 250-sheet tray, fast first-page-out
- Gigabit Ethernet for fast network printing
Cons
- No WiFi on base model (need M404dw for wireless)
- Print only — no scan or copy capability
- Monochrome only — no color printing
- $249 is higher upfront than budget printers
Should You Buy the M404n?
Buy it if: You print 1,000+ pages per month in black and white and need speed, reliability, and low running costs. This is the printer for offices, legal practices, accounting firms, and small businesses where documents are the daily output. At that volume, the M404n is a no-brainer.
Skip it if: You print under 500 pages per month, need color printing, or need scan/copy functions. For those use cases, look at an all-in-one inkjet (Epson EcoTank ET-4850) or a color laser MFP (Brother MFC-L8900CDW). Also skip if you need WiFi and don't have Ethernet — get the M404dw instead.
Our Verdict: BEST HIGH-VOLUME LASER
If you print 1,000+ pages per month, the M404n pays for itself in months. Fast, reliable, cheap per page. The workhorse for document-heavy environments.
Check Price on Amazon →Frequently Asked Questions
Does the HP M404n have WiFi?
No — the base M404n model has Ethernet and USB only. If you need WiFi, buy the M404dw variant which adds wireless connectivity. For wired office networks, Ethernet is often preferable anyway (faster, more reliable).
What toner does the HP M404n use?
HP 58A (standard, 3,000 pages) and HP 58X (high-yield, 10,000 pages). Always buy the 58X for high-volume use — it costs roughly $110 but yields 10,000 pages, working out to about $0.011 per page.
Can the M404n scan or copy?
No. The M404n is a print-only device. If you need scan/copy functions, look at the HP LaserJet Pro MFP M428dw or similar all-in-one laser printers.
How fast is 40 pages per minute really?
Very fast. A 100-page document prints in about 2.5 minutes. First page out from sleep is under 10 seconds. This is enterprise-class speed that keeps up with busy office workflows.
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