ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra 16K Might be the Best Resin 3D Printer for Both Pros and Beginners at $494

ELEGOO’s Saturn 4 Ultra 16K, priced at $493.99 (down from $649.99), delivers prints so sharp they almost feel like they came from a factory. With a 10-inch 16K monochrome LCD screen, a heated resin tank, and clever additions like tilt-release technology, it’s built to impress.

You get a resin tank, build plate, power adapter, USB drive, gloves, masks, scrapers and a set of tools for assembly. It’s almost fully assembled out of the box which is a relief for anyone who’s dealt with finicky hardware before. Remove a few transit bolts, attach the build plate, connect the power brick, and you’re just about ready to go. The 4-inch capacitive touchscreen will guide you through the rest – pick your language, connect to Wi-Fi and accept a firmware update if prompted.

The 10-inch 16K LCD screen has a resolution of 15120 × 6230 pixels which is 14 x 19 micron. To put that into perspective it’s like printing with a finer resolution than a human hair. The UV light source is a COB with a Fresnel lens and has 25% more power than previous models at 5 mW/cm². This means faster curing times and a max print speed of 150 mm/h. I printed a detailed bust in about 6 hours which would have been 8 hours on previous resin printers. The build volume is 211.68 x 118.37 x 220 mm so you have plenty of room for larger prints without feeling cramped.

A heated resin tank is a big difference from previous models. Keeping the resin at 30°C ensures smooth flow and layer adhesion especially in cold environments. The tilt-release technology is another winner. Instead of yanking the build plate straight up after each layer the resin tank tilts and peels the print away, thus reducing stress on the model and cut down on failures as well as deformations.

Resin printing can be messy and hazardous but ELEGOO has thought of that. The printer will pause if the temperature goes above 80°C and will resume after a power outage. A drip tray catches spills and dual pour channels make it easier to remove resin without making a mess. You’ll still need gloves and a mask – resin fumes and skin contact are no joke – but the process feels less scary. The USB drive comes with ELEGOO’s SatelLite 3D slicer and Chitubox, both easy to use for slicing models and tweaking settings. Wi-Fi and USB connectivity makes sending files a breeze and an AI camera (1920 x 1080) monitors prints in real time.