Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Brother - MFC-L8905CDW | Pantum - BM5100ADW |
|---|---|---|
| Pages/min (mono) | 33 | 40 |
| Color | true | false |
| Pages/min (color) | 33 | 0 |
Between the MFC-L8905CDW and BM5100ADW, the MFC-L8905CDW comes out ahead in color / pages/min (color), while the BM5100ADW wins on pages/min (mono). Overall, the MFC-L8905CDW scores 78.3 and the BM5100ADW scores 82.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The BM5100ADW edges ahead on the Mars Score (78.3 vs 82.7), but the 4.4-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the MFC-L8905CDW if you care most about color / pages/min (color). The biggest gaps in its favor are color, pages/min (color). The single most decisive one: Has Color.
Pick the BM5100ADW if you care most about pages/min (mono). Its strongest claims are pages/min (mono). The single most decisive one: Pages/min (mono) — 21.21% more. 40 vs 33.
Both ship with comparable auto duplex, adf, airprint, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Brother - MFC-L8905CDW or Pantum - BM5100ADW?
Pantum - BM5100ADW leads the current Mars Score by 4.4 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare pages/min (mono), pages/min (color), color against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Brother - MFC-L8905CDW if…
Brother - MFC-L8905CDW has the measurable edge on color, ppm color.
Choose Pantum - BM5100ADW if…
Pantum - BM5100ADW has the measurable edge on ppm mono.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Brother - MFC-L8905CDW wins
- ▲Has Color.
- ▲Pages/min (color): 33 vs 0.
Why Pantum - BM5100ADW wins
- ▲Pages/min (mono) — 21.21% more. 40 vs 33.
Spec comparison
Spec
| Spec | Brother - MFC-L8905CDW | Pantum - BM5100ADW |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Laser AIO (color) | Laser AIO |
| Color | truelead | false |
| Pages/min (mono) | 33 | 40lead |
| Pages/min (color) | 33lead | 0 |
| Resolution | 2400x600 dpi | 1200x1200 dpi |
| Max paper size | Letter | Letter |
Features
| Spec | Brother - MFC-L8905CDW | Pantum - BM5100ADW |
|---|---|---|
| Auto duplex | true | true |
| ADF | true | true |
| Wi-Fiⓘ | true | true |
| AirPrint | true | true |