Elegoo Saturn 4K 3D Printer Review

The Elegoo Saturn is a large resin 3D printer. Capable of producing big, high-quality prints, it's an incredible printer sporting a 4K monochrome LCD screen, generous 192 x 120 x 200mm (7.55 x 4.72 x 7.87 inch) build area, and extreme precision. But should you buy one? Learn why the Elegoo Saturn is the best large resin 3D printer on the planet in our hands-on Elegoo Saturn 3D printer review!

Elegoo Saturn Review Verdict

The Elegoo Saturn is an exceptional resin 3D printer that overcomes many of the challenges of stereolithography (SLA) printing. While SLA 3D printers are able to deliver excellent precision and quality, most resin-based printers feature small build areas when compared with traditional fused deposition modeling (FDM) printers. However, the Elegoo Saturn sports an ample 192 x 120 x 200mm (7.55 x 4.72 x 7.87 inch) print area. 

Its 4K monochrome 3840 x 2400 LCD screen features a matrix UV LED light source for smooth, precise print quality. A 1.5s-2s layer printing time ensures 60% faster printing than the Elegoo Mars Pro without sacrificing quality. There's an Ethernet port along with 4GB of onboard storage for over-the-network file transfers. Unlike Elegoo's Mars Pro and Mars 2 Pro, there's no built-in air filtration system for reducing the number of volatile organic compounds (VoCs) in the air. Nevertheless, the Elegoo Saturn 4K MSLA resin 3D printer can handle large print jobs while still maintaining quality and speed, making is a versatile 3D printer.

Pros

• Large 192 x 120 x 200mm (7.55 x 4.72 x 7.87 inch) print plate
• 4K 3840 x 2400 monochrome LCD screen
• Ethernet port and 4GB of onboard storage
• 1.5s-2s layer printing time (about 60% faster than the Mars Pro)
• Reasonably-priced

Cons

• No built-in air filtration system

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Elegoo Saturn 3D Printer Features

The Elegoo Saturn 4K packs a number of unique features such as a large build area, fast printing speeds, and 4K monochrome LCD screen, making is a compelling choice for 3D printing.

8.9-inch 4K Monochrome LCD Screen

Rocking an 8.9-inch 4K monochrome 3840 x 2400 LCD screen, the Elegoo Saturn can produce high-quality 3D-printed objects. When compared to a traditional RGB LCD screen, monochrome LCD screens yield several advantages. Namely, monochrome LCD screens benefit from faster printing speeds than standard RGB LCD screens since there's a decrease in exposure time since ultraviolet (UV) transmission can be as high as 6% on a mono LCD screen versus around 1% on an RGB LCD screen. What's more, monochrome LCD screens can last longer than RGB LCD panels with over 10,000 hours. 

Fast Printing Speeds - 1.5-2s Layer Printing Time

Because of its monochrome LCD screen, the Elegoo Saturn reduces the required exposure time significantly. With its 1.5-2 second layer printing time, the Saturn MSLA 3D printer boasts print speeds about 60% faster than the Mars Pro resin 3D printer. 

UV Matrix Light Source

A UV matrix comprised of 54 ultraviolet LEDs ensures extreme light uniformity. The resulting 3D prints are high-quality with precise fine details and a smooth finish. 

Ethernet Port and 4GB onboard Storage

Sporting an Ethernet port and 4GB of built-in storage space, the Elegoo Saturn offers network connectivity. You can drop files over the network directly onto the Saturn for 3D printing. Alternatively, a side-located USB port lets you plug in a flash drive with 3D printable files. 

Big Print Area - 192 x 120 x 200mm (7.55 x 4.72 x 7.87 inch)

A massive 192 x 120 x 200mm (7.55 x 4.72 x 7.87 inch) print platform sets the Elegoo Saturn apart from most other SLA 3D printers. Because of its big build area, the Saturn can handle large, tall prints, or several smaller prints such as printing multiple miniatures simultaneously. 

Test Prints - Elegoo Saturn Print Quality

Print quality from the Elegoo Saturn is absolutely outstanding. 

Rook Test Print

Preloaded on the Elegoo Saturn's included flash drive is a pre-sliced test file, a rook with a spiral staircase down the center and the text "Elegoo Saturn" emblazoned around the bottom. The rook came out looking lovely.

The "Elegoo Saturn" text at the bottom of the print was clear and well-defined. Fine details such as the spiral staircase printed with superb precision, and there was an overall smooth finish. Taking a bit under 4 hours to print, there's a nice balance of print quality and speed. 

Deadpool

In addition to the rook test print, I tried out some fun prints. Eastman's Deadpool bust has become a sort of unofficial resin 3D printer benchmark. Deadpool rose majestically out of its resin bath with resplendent details. Everything was high-quality, from the lines and creases on Deadpool's suit to the ridges of his sword handles, and the easily legible letters spelling out "Eastman" on the back of the stand. 

Software - Chitubox

Like most other resin 3D printers, the Elegoo Saturn 4K MSLA printer uses Chitubox for slicing 3D printable files. While there is a slight learning cure to adding supports or hollowing out prints, it's easy enough to learn, and that's a universal challenge of SLA 3D print slicing. Though there is a version of Chitubox pre-loaded on the bundled flash drive, you can download Chitubox from the official website and add the Elegoo Saturn 4K profile. I had no issues printing straight away with stock Elegoo Saturn profile settings. 

Elegoo Saturn Specs

• System: EL3D-3.0.1
• Operation: 3.5-inch touchscreen
• Slicer Software: Chitubox slicer
• Connectivity: USB, Ethernet LAN
• Technology: LCD UV photocuring
• Lightsource: UV integrated LED lights (wavelenth 405nm)
• XY Resolution: 0.05mm (3840 x 2400)
• Z Axis Accuracy: 0.00125mm
• Layer Thickness: 0.01-0.15mm
• Printing Speed: 30-40mm/h
• Power Requirements: 110-240V 50/60Hz 24V4A 96W
• Printer Dimensions: 11.02in (L) x 9.44in (W) x 17.55in (H), 28cm (L) x 24cm (W) x 44.6cm (H)
• Build Volume: 7.55in (L) x 4.72in (W) x 7.87in (H), 192mm (L) x 120mm (W) x 200mm (H)
• Weight: 22 lbs. (10 Kg)

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The Competition - Elegoo Saturn Alternatives

While most resin-based SLA 3D printers feature smaller build volumes than traditional filament FDM printers, there are several large resin 3D printers on the market. The Anycubic Photon Mono X offers a 192 x 120 x 245 mm (7.55 x 4.7 x 9.6 in.) build volume and an 8.9-inch 4K 3840 x 2400 monochrome LCD screen. Like most Anycubic printers, the Photon Mono X delivers fantastic build quality. And with nearly-identical specs to that of the Elegoo Saturn, the Photon Mono X features the same combination of fast printing speed and high-quality prints as the Saturn. But it's almost twice the price of the Saturn. As such, the Elegoo Saturn is a better value.

The Phrozen Sonic Mighty 4K sports a large 9.3-inch 3840 x 2160 LCD monochrome screen and a 20 x 12.5 x 22 cm build area. Unfortunately, there's no network connectivity and its build quality is middling. 

The Epax E10 provides a choice between an 8.9-inch 4K mono LCD screen and a 10.1-inch 5K mono LCD screen. It affords a modular design for upgradability. It's customizable and includes a 192 x 120 x 250mm build volume on the 4K variant with a  216mm x 135mm x 250mm build volume on the 5K iteration. But it's pricey in both forms and not the easiest to upgrade. 

With its 8.46 x 5.11 x 7.87-inch build volume and a 10.1-inch LCD screen, the QIDI S-box is a good, big resin 3D printer. Disappointingly, its 10.1-in. LCD screen is only 2K, not 4K. While print quality is still great, it won't quite match the high-precision of a 4K monochrome LCD screen. 

Final Thoughts - Should You Buy the Elegoo Saturn?

The Elegoo Saturn 4K MSLA resin 3D printer delivers unrivaled performance, size, and user-friendliness on a budget. It's well-priced at around $500 USD. Boasting a large build volume, the Elegoo Saturn isn't constrained by the limitations of most standard-sized resin-based 3D printers. A 4K monochrome LCD screen delivers top-notch print quality with extreme precision that translates to excellent fine details. Additionally, 1.5-2s per layer curing times enable fast print speeds for a good mix of quality and quantity. Because of its massive build volume, the Elegoo Saturn is just as comfortable churning out large, wide objects as it is printing multiple minis in one batch.

Amenities such as an Ethernet port and 4GB of onboard storage for over-the-network file transfers make the Saturn a great option for most makers. A built-in air filtration system would have been nice, though I noticed little to no smell with the acrylic hood on. If you don't need the big print volume, the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro or another smaller resin 3D printer will do just fine. But for printing large objects or batches of minis, the Elegoo Saturn 4K resin 3D printer is hands-down the best option on the planet. Ultimately, the Elegoo Saturn MSLA is the best big 3D printer on the market.