MFC-J480DW
The MFC-J480DW takes LC201 standard ink (260 pages per cartridge, ISO/IEC 24711) and LC203 high-yield ink (550 pages per cartridge) — black LC203BK, cyan LC203C, magenta LC203M, yellow LC203Y. LC203 fits this printer in every slot; no super-high tier reaches this model. The compatible cartridges and sets for this printer are below.
| Cartridge | Type | Color | Approx. Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brother LC201BK (compatible) | Standard-Yield ink cartridge | Black | 260 pages |
| Brother LC201C (compatible) | Standard-Yield ink cartridge | Cyan | 260 pages |
| Brother LC201M (compatible) | Standard-Yield ink cartridge | Magenta | 260 pages |
| Brother LC201Y (compatible) | Standard-Yield ink cartridge | Yellow | 260 pages |
| Brother LC201 Set of 4 (compatible) | Full cartridge set | Black / Cyan / Magenta / Yellow | 260 black, 260 per color |
| Brother LC203BK (compatible) | High-Yield ink cartridge | Black | 550 pages |
| Brother LC203C (compatible) | High-Yield ink cartridge | Cyan | 550 pages |
| Brother LC203M (compatible) | High-Yield ink cartridge | Magenta | 550 pages |
| Brother LC203Y (compatible) | High-Yield ink cartridge | Yellow | 550 pages |
| Brother LC203 Set of 4 (compatible) | Full cartridge set | Black / Cyan / Magenta / Yellow | 550 black, 550 per color |
| Brother LC203 Set of 9 (compatible) | Bulk cartridge set (3 Black + 2 per color) | Black / Cyan / Magenta / Yellow | 550 black, 550 per color |
Brother MFC-J480DW Ink
MFC-J480DW Ink — LC201 Standard, LC203 High-Yield
Owners of the MFC-J480DW sit in the WorkSmart six-model group of this platform — for them the refill ladder runs standard LC201 (260 pages) under high-yield LC203 (550 pages) — and nothing above LC203. The sharing rule of this family runs one way: LC203 works everywhere LC201 works, but LC201 works only here, on the six WorkSmart models — the Business Smart six never accept it. A second honesty note: LC201 singles in our range are fulfilled with LC203-bodied cartridges (same case, same slot) labeled for LC201, and the product pages state that openly. One more caution from Brother's own support pages: the LC203 Starter cartridges supplied with a new printer are not the retail high-yield specification and can produce 'Cannot Detect' messages — do not judge this printer's retail cartridges by its setup set.
An MFC-J480DW stays useful for years when each slot is fed on its own schedule — and the menu is short: LC201 standard ink (260 pages per cartridge, ISO/IEC 24711) or LC203 high-yield ink (550 pages per cartridge) — black LC203BK, cyan LC203C, magenta LC203M, yellow LC203Y. LC203 fits every slot here; no super-high tier reaches this model.
Which LC201 or LC203 should you buy?
- LC201 singles, one color at a time: black, cyan, magenta and yellow — $8.24 each, the standard-yield singles for topping up one empty slot at a time.
- LC201 full set, all four slots: the Set of 4 ($29.94) brings one cartridge of each color together when every slot is due at once.
- LC203 singles, one color at a time: black, cyan, magenta and yellow — $8.99 each, the high-yield singles that stretch the time before the next swap.
- LC203 full set, all four slots: the Set of 4 ($31.44) restocks all four slots at the longer 550-page yield in a single carton.
- Print every week: the Set of 9 ($59.94) stocks three blacks alongside two of each color for homes and offices that print every week.
Chip, ink and everyday use
Long service depends on how each cartridge is treated. Every cartridge in this range carries a new compatible chip and sits in its own slot, so one color can be changed without touching the rest. Grip the housing and keep fingers off the green chip contacts; if a firmware update ever causes a recognition hiccup, reseat the cartridge firmly and restart the printer. Every Clever Supplies cartridge here carries a lifetime warranty with 1-year free returns.
More printers that use LC201/LC203 ink
MFC-J4320DW · MFC-J4420DW · MFC-J460DW · MFC-J4620DW · MFC-J485DW · MFC-J5520DW · MFC-J5620DW · MFC-J5720DW · MFC-J680DW · MFC-J880DW · MFC-J885DW