Customers are enthusiastic about the DS-640 Compact Mobile Document Scanner for its portability, ease of use, and good quality scans. Many users appreciate its compact size and the convenience of being able to plug and go, making it ideal for mobile use. The scanner's user-friendly design and simple setup process are also highlighted as positive aspects. While some users mentioned the need for a USB connection, the overall sentiment towards the scanner's features is positive.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 151 reviews
Pros mentioned:
Portable
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Compact, Get's the Job Done, Don't Use 1200dpi
|
|
Posted . Owned for 2 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Put this little scanner to good use with a goal to convert paper to digital copies for clutter cleaning, it did the job quite well. My only gripe is the 1200dpi resolution option available. Many times I would get a "Memory Full" error which wouldn't take the scan or allow me to save the file. Sometimes it would allow me to bypass by scanning the same sheet a few times until the scan took or for some magical reason it could now save. It was annoying and made my little fun project into a chore. Long story short, great little scanner for home use. Has various settings for document size, color, and resolution. I've only had the "Memory Full" error while using 1200dpi (dropping down to 600dpi no issues), all other setting variations no issues. Even scanned carbon paper and the quality comes up very legible, love it. Best feature straight plug and go, small and compact, love love love.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Good quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Perfect Scan
|
|
Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Purchased this scanner to assist in my work from home and my personal use also. Best purchase ever, sleek, nice looking and works well. Would recommend this brand and item.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Portable
Cons mentioned:
Connectivity
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Portable and Lightway
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
There is one thing you're going to notice about this scanner, it is very small and extremely light. This scanner is well made, it is white with black accent and it looks very nice. On the upper right corner has the start/stop button and a power indicator light. It is very simple to use, just plug it to any laptop running Windows or Mac OS, get the drivers and you're good to go. One thing I did have to do was to download the actual drivers, plugging it in and did not do the job right out the box and this was on Windows 10. In the driver installation package you get the brothers iPrint software which is easy to use. The quality of the scanned images were excellent even in color.
The scanner has a small leveler which you use to adjust the paper size up to 4A (11.5), and it also scans IDs, credit cards and business cards. You can only feed one paper at a time but it is pretty cool how the device locks the paper in place once it detects it on the feeder and it scans pretty fast. This is designed for the traveler and people who work on the go, again this device is very light, compact and simple to use. However, there are some downsides, one of them being that it needs to be plugged into a laptop for it to work. Also this scanner does not have a built in battery, WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity.
Overall if you don't mind having to plug this to a laptop and scan one page at a time this will definitely get the job done and is very portable. This scanner will work with Windows, Mac and even Linux. I tried it with Chrome OS but it didn't work. In the box it comes with the scanner USB3 cable and manuals.
Pros:
Light weight
Portability
Simplicity
Scanned Images
Design and Built quality
Cons:
Must be plugging to Laptop
No WiFi
No Bluetooth
No built in battery
One Page scanning
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Portable, Software
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Impressed
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
We already have a flatbed scanner, “have owned many over the years” but have never had a portable one. I happen to see Brother had some new models come out so decided to give this a try as it would be nice to be able to have the scanner on the desk with the computer/laptop instead of going into another room to scan documents, and one to take with us on business trips.
Unboxing:
The scanner itself is considerably smaller than the box it came in. At first when I saw the box I was wondering just how large this “portable scanner” would be. To our relief it didn’t take up much room at all in the display box. Inside the scanner was well cradled in a cardboard frame and included a USB cable, guides and that’s it.
Setting up:
Setting up the device was pretty simple, just plug the USB cable into the right side of the unit and plug the other end of the cable into an open USB 3 port. The cable isn’t that long and do wish it was longer, another foot or two would have made it easier to move around the desk. With the USB port being on the right side you have to figure out placement so either a longer cable or putting the port on the back may have been better “nothing major to complain about though”.
The software install was pretty straight forward, just go to the Brother website and download the installation package. You will have to register your device and use the included code on the bottom of the unit to register a couple of them though.
Using:
This compact scanner came with plenty of applications to get your scanning jobs done. You have software that you can scan and store your receipts “Br Receipts”, business card software “Presto BizCard” , regular scanning software “Brother I Print and Scan” and a nice PDF editor “Kofax Power PDF”. Using the Power PDF software was really straight forward and is really fully featured. If you do a lot of PDF work you will really appreciate it.
I also have been using the Presto BizCard software and we really like it. It scans a business card in just about 2 seconds and so far has read all the information on the cards correctly. It organized all of them in an electronic rolodex and makes looking up information a snap.
I’ve also tried scanning some photos, “our other scanners did that pretty good, most not that great” but I was floored just how good this one scanned some color photos. The colors on screen really matched up well with the scanned photos and when printing them out they came out very close to the original. We’ll be using this little scanner to go through all our old photos and get them scanned in. The big plus is it’s faster and more convenient to use for that as all you have to do is feed them into the slot. No messing around with covers and making sure the photos are centered or squared on the flatbed scanner.
If you are looking for a compact / portable scanner I’d take a serious look at this new little Brother DS-640. It’s not very expensive and its performance is better than our other flatbed scanners, plus it’s more convenient. This one is a very basic portable scanner; it doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles. But if you need a scanner that’s more portable, has external storage or wireless connection abilities then you may want to get of the more advanced “and higher priced” models offered by Brother.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy to use, Portable
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Easy portable scanner with flexible output.
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Brother DS-640 Compact Mobile Document Scanner
Brother’s printer and scanner products never disappoint me. They seem to outlast my other equipment and work reliably. And, so again, I’m enjoying a portable scanner that was up and running only minutes after plugging it in and installing some software. No excuses, no problems.
SETUP/INSTALL: Download the software. There are a couple of choices, and either works fine. There was a firmware update available, and that took moments to install, too. Plug in the printer and open the APP. You can select your Resolution (up to 600 x 600), File Type, color or B&W, size, and destination. Under advanced settings you can change brightness and contrast. Scanning is initiated from the App. Place the to-be-printed photo, paper, sketch into the front slot of the scanner, and initiate scanning from the APP. There is no auto-document feeder. While the scan is accomplished the image pops up in the App on your screen.
PERFORMANCE: The scans are colorful, detailed and fast. Your selection of file type will determine what you will use to edit or enhance your scans (I use either Photo or Photoshop Elements --- NOT included). It’s all very straight forward. It’s hard to find fault with the scanner at all. It just works.
I will remind other buyers that you should be sure you want a manual scanner. Brother has an autofeed version. It also has scanners that work with mobile devices. This model is intended to plug into the USB port of your laptop/desktop. I scan old photos and my grandkids artwork. I don’t care about auto-feed. My only “wish for” is that a nice carry case be included in the box. These wonderfully portable devices are not so portable if there is no protective carry case/shell/bag.
But, I still like it a lot. It's easy to recommend Brother’s DS-640 scanner.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Portable, Software
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great portable scanner
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Great little scanner - easily scans all items up to LTR width and below. Scans effectively and quickly with good consistent results. Each full-page scan took about 3seconds
The scanner has no loose parts except for standard USB cable. Easily fits into any carry bag for easy portability.
Software included does help with file organization and is quite user friendly. Each scan can set to a template where it automatically pulls the Vendor/date/pay type/tax/amount
Overall a great addition to my home office vs my Brother Laser printer/scanner. I only knocked down 1 star as there is no way to load multiple pages to be consecutively scanned. Each item/page has to be done manually.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Portable
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Light, only 12-inches, great scanner for on the go
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
My new DS=640 is thin and light. Fits perfectly in my laptop carrying case. with the included software, scanning papers, receipts what have you, is simple and fast.
The scanner driver is easy to download from Bother's website. After the installation, it includes scanning and filing software, Nuance's Paperport 14- Light.
I wasn't able to test the BR-Receipt software at this time.
I really like the ability to open the scanner and clear a jam or clean out the feed mechanism. I found this a flaw in some other portable scanners.
The scanner holds onto the sheet being fed so you can use the scan software to feed the next page.
The scans were clear and ready to file or be converted by most OCR software, straight into WORD. Great time saver.
I just love my new on the go scanner. No battery runs off the usb port and turns off if not used for a g=few minutes saving my laptop's BATTERY.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy to use, Good quality, Portable
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great for DIY digitization projects
|
|
Posted . Owned for 6 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This scanner is a fantastic easy-to-use device for those who are committed to DIY projects rather than hiring professionals to do these tasks. I used this scanner to digitize my family's photo albums so that we had a digital archive that can be accessed anywhere. The quality is high enough that if I wanted to reprint any of these photos, there would not be a significant loss of quality. And the file sizes are not storage limit destroyers for wherever you choose to store the digital files.
Once you get into a flow, the scanning process goes relatively quickly. The scanner does jam frequently but because of the size, all you have to do is pop it open and try again. If you don't rush it, it won't jam.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Portable
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Portable Scanner
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Brother - DS-640 Compact Mobile Scanner allows you to scan paperwork at home and on the go using a USB Cable. I tested the scanner using a desktop by plugging in the USB 3.0 cable into my computer. The box includes a, ": Quick Setup Guide", USB 3.0 (Micro USB Cable), Calibration Sheet, and Warranty Card. You are able to view a detailed instruction guide on support.brother.com/manuals. I used internet explorer to view the manual, as Chrome for some reason didn't work for me.
This particular scanner scans one-page documents at a time. Images were clear and readable that were scanned. Scanned receipts, bills, pictures, and personal information. I included a scanned image of the registry for you to see. Be sure to line the page up properly for an even scan. I scanned in a recent memorial program for a loved it and the pictures showed up clearly.
Please note that it is recommended to use a calibration sheet to scan certain documents which may include and are not limited to (items that are written in pencil, photographs, damaged documents, etc). The calibration sheet must be purchased separately.
Pros:
Portable
Can scan documents, images, and cards
Cons:
Would like it a cellphone option (but know there is an upgraded version of this one)
SD Card Slot
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from Brother
Posted .
Hi, We really appreciate you taking the time out to share your experience with us. You provided some great feedback which we will use to make improvements like a mobile option. The DS640 is packaged with a Calibration Sheet.
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Solid Scanner With Trial Support Software
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Brother's DS-640 is a mobile scanner because it is compact - about the size of a rectangular-ized paper towel roll. It feels solid and well-built - not at all fragile.
The scanner recognizes documents as soon as they are inserted and processes them almost without flaw - uncharacteristically well for something other than a flatbed scanner (or the equivalent in a home office printer). It made no mistakes deciding how to process everything I fed into it (color, black-and-white, gray scale).
For a scanner this size, it gets five stars without even so much as a moment of hesitation. And, technically, this review is designed to address the hardware.
But all hardware requires drivers and software to be useful. And I had a little bit of trouble getting the driver to recognize the hardware - how is that even possible in 2020? And though packaged pdf software is fairly nice, it's only a 15 day trial. And I don't appreciate it when packaged software for basic functionality requires an up-charge.
I included copies of my first test scan - Brother's Limited Warranty for this product - and the first page of the corresponding OCR (not bad).
For a scanning device that looks more like a wand than a legitimate scanner, this is a very impressive piece of hardware. Surely Brother will have a better driver in time - and you should probably plan to pair this device with your own software.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy to use, Portable
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Easy to use and excellent color reproduction.
|
|
Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This little thing works really well! I have never used a portable scanner before so I had no idea what to expect. What I got was an easy to use device that takes excellent scans. I bought this mostly for pictures, but is has scanned documents, racing bibs and pictures with excellent color reproduction.
I did install the software that was recommended, but technically I could have used the built in one for My MacBook Pro, but I’m glad I used the other one. It makes it easy to add additional pages to the same document. Overall, I would totally buy this again. It can’t do two sides at the same time, but that is not a big deal considering pictures were the primary reason. I wanted this scanner.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy to use, Good quality, Portable
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Good practical scanner
|
|
Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This scanner is perfect for my home office where I just need to do occasional scanning. Quality is decent and doesn’t take up much room. Took a little to set up on my Mac, but now everything is good.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Portable
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Outstanding for scanning old color prints
|
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Well it was time for my dear step-father, after 99 ornery and grouchy years, to finally pass away, not more than two months from dear mom. Had not thought about the few dozen heavy photo albums collected in their more energetic years, when the family would take that epic cross country trip in the brown Impala station wagon, or those cool trips to visit distant relatives overseas.
While discussing with siblings funeral arrangements, we're discussing putting together a video slideshow, and as I'm traveling tomorrow needed to get a portable scanner to scan literally probably a hundred or so hand-picked photos. How many albums I'll be poring through over the three day visit who knows.
Best Buy is great - the local place had it in stock, picked it up within two hours, and plugging it in the laptop Windows 10 recognized it and installed a driver. The software download for their iScan & Print is huge - 178MB if I remember correctly - and another 350MB download after the first one. Haven't played around much with other offerings, reviews of business card scanning software were pretty critical.
Up until now I was satisfied with the scans from the multi-function printer and wouldn't bother with photos - too much effort. This slim unit though is great - the software allows 600dpi scans at up to about 5" x 8" scanning size, and feeding in very old photos was a hoot. Last night to test it out, I dug up old photos from college days some 20+ years ago, and posted it on Facebook tagging who I'm connected with there, challenging them to find the others. Good times.
The software allows saving of .tif images (uncompressed); beware of file sizes though, a few 4" x 6" were almost 30MB in size, as a jpg they are only 1.8MB. Peace of mind, though, in that you can do what you want with a .tif without worrying about compression artifacts.
Compact, lightweight (only about a pound), scans very quickly and it's a lot of fun to get those old photos digitized. The challenge of course is organizing them. A great buy for less than $100.
I would recommend this to a friend
Cons mentioned:
Crooked
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great value and size, recommend for light duty
|
|
Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Scanner works well, took one star off because image quality has room for improvement. Also due to the units very small size you have to carefully load the papers through you can't just drop a pile of documents or rush the paper through. Scans will come out crooked if you don't take care.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy to use, Portable
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great little scanner
|
|
Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Due to the new learning environment, this was the perfect add-on for my child's Surface computer to send in school work that was hand created. It is small, portable, and very easy to use.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy to use, Portable
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
affordable scanner
|
|
Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is very easy to use, and has a very small foot print. I had it up and running in 2 minutes. The scan quality is quite nice to.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Good quality, Portable
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Works like a charm!
|
|
Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Love it!! Compact and works like a charm. I would definitely recommend this product.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy to use, Good quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Home office scanner works really well.
|
|
Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Very easy to set up. Scan works really well for home office needs.
Pleased with purchase.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy to use
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Small size
|
|
Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Does a nice job scanning in single sheets & pictures. Easy to use. Replaced an older version that was no longer supported.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy to use
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Excellent scanner for document and even photo
|
|
Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Very easy to use. Excellent feed ing mechanisms. So far not 1 jam. Scan quality is excellent for black white document. Good for photo. Software is useful and smooth. Scanner is small and easy to plug in when use and take out and hide it when not in use. Only 2 cons. 1) software is bit hard to install. Slow brother website?? 2) photo scannering image is bit dark in shadow area. Color correction setting is not enough.