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Head-to-head · Best Document Scanners For Home Office

Brother ADS-4900W vs Ricoh ScanSnap iX2500

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Ricoh ScanSnap iX2500 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.3 vs 4.6). The gap is mostly about busy home office users — read the strengths below before deciding.

Brother ADS-4900W
Ranked #3 in Best Document Scanners For Home Office
Brother ADS-4900W
3 sources$779.99as of Aug 1

The Brother ADS-4900W sets a high standard for desktop scanning: 60ppm scan speed, a 100-page ADF capacity, and strong wireless connectivity. PCMag and IT Pro reviewers praised the performance, easy installation, and a software bundle that spans OCR tools and cloud integration capabilities. It connects to SharePoint, Dropbox, and Google Drive among other major cloud services, which suits SMBs that need reliable, high-speed scanning. The gaps are a missing NFC chip and a daily duty cycle below some competitors'.

Strengths
  • — Scans at 60ppm for both color and mono at 300dpi resolution
  • — Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) holds 100 pages
  • — Supports 802.11a/n 5GHz wireless networking
Watch-outs
  • — No NFC chip included (replaced by external IC card reader support)
  • — Limited to 9,000 pages daily duty cycle
$779.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Ricoh ScanSnap iX2500
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Document Scanners For Home Office
Ricoh ScanSnap iX2500
5 sources

The Ricoh ScanSnap iX2500 scans fast, feeding from a 100-page auto-feeder and running duplex at 90 IPM. TechRadar liked the large touchscreen and the range of connectivity, which covers Wi-Fi 6, USB-C, and Bluetooth. PCMag found it handled mixed-size batches and creased documents effectively. On the other hand, there's no flatbed scanning, and photo resolution at maximum settings is mediocre. Home offices and small businesses digitizing documents will get good use out of it; anyone who needs flatbed functionality won't.

Strengths
  • — High-speed duplex scanning at 90 IPM
  • — 100-page auto-feeder handles mixed-size batches
  • — Large touchscreen interface for easy navigation
Watch-outs
  • — No flatbed scanning capability
  • — Photo resolution is mediocre at maximum settings
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How they stack up

Brother ADS-4900W

The Brother ADS-4900W leads in wireless connectivity with 5GHz support and comprehensive cloud integration, something the Ricoh iX2500 and Epson models lack. It's faster than the Epson FastFoto FF-680W for document scanning and offers a better software bundle with OCR tools, but it's less portable than the Brother DS-940DW and lacks NFC support. Unlike the Epson Perfection V39 II, it doesn't offer flatbed scanning, but it's more suited for SMBs requiring high-volume scanning.

Ricoh ScanSnap iX2500

The Ricoh ScanSnap iX2500 stands out with its impressive 90 IPM duplex scanning speed and 100-page auto-feeder, making it faster than the Epson Perfection V39 II and Brother DS-940DW for high-volume document processing. Unlike the Epson models, it lacks flatbed scanning but offers superior connectivity with Wi-Fi 6 and USB-C, features the Brother ADS-4900W doesn't have. While the Epson FastFoto FF-680W provides better photo quality, the iX2500 excels in efficiency for busy home offices and small businesses.

Specs side-by-side

SpecBrother ADS-4900WRicoh ScanSnap iX2500
Scan Speed60ppm at 300dpi color/mono45 PPM simplex, 90 IPM duplex
ADF Capacity100 pages100 pages
Resolution600dpiUp to 600 dpi
ConnectivityEthernet, 802.11a/n 5GHzWi-Fi 6, USB-C, Bluetooth
Scanner TypeSheetfedCIS x2
Supported PlatformsWindows, iOS, AndroidWindows 10/11, Android, macOS 10.15>, iOS
Dimensions7.8"D x 11.6"W x 9.2"H6.26"D x 11.5"W x 6.34"H
Wattage—17 watts
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