3D printers are revolutionizing the manufacturing process starting from a smaller scale. Now creative and small businesses can create their product using a 3D printer such as Anycubic i3 Mega Vs Ender 3 Pro. These machines are beginner-friendly, affordable, and can create many things based on your design. If you are also wondering which printer to invest in, let’s see what they offer below.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- Is 3D printer Worth to Buy
- What are Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro
- How are the Machine & Setup of Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro
- How is the Capacity of Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro
- How are the Print Bed of Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro
- How are the Performance of Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro
- What else Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro can offer
- Anycubic i3 Mega Vs Ender 3 Pro
3D Printer
3D printers are convenience machines that you can use to 3D-print almost anything. This “anything” must be something that can be replicated by plastic and similar materials. The machines used to be only available for medium to large manufacturers, but today they are widely known for home use. The typical 3D printer meant for home use, or starter will be around $300-$500. Many are more expensive depending on what the machine can offer and the overall quality.
Are 3D printers worth it? Absolutely, after the user can master all the basics and methods to achieve a good print. Unfortunately, a 3D printer is not something we can set up, run, and forget about it. There will be lots to adjust both on the machine and in your software to print properly. After users know how their machines work and get good quality prints, we can use them for prototyping, making actual products to sell, or just repairing items in the house.
Do a 3D printer need a computer? The answer will be no and yes. No, because most 3D printers nowadays have a built-in card reader or USB port to read your file, and yes, the printing process starts even before the design is fed into the machine. Depending on what software you will be using and the complexity of the structure itself, we will need to tweak it so the machine can print it properly. Nowadays, 3D can be controlled from your tablet as well.
| Anycubic i3 Mega | Ender 3 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 16.14 x 15.95 x 17.83 inches | 20.75 x 15.1 x 7.8 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 24.25 Pounds | 18.9 Pounds |
| Shop now at Amazon | Check price | Check price |
About Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro
It is wise to start with an entry-level option when you just get into 3D printing like most machines. There are more than plenty of options to consider. Since the hobby is getting more popular, many companies also offer a wide range of collections to match the buyers’ preferences. Anycubic and Creality are some of the most well-known names in the market. Their machines are popular among hobbyists and experienced users alike for the overall quality and product choice.
Budget is always an issue when starting something, and if this is also a concern, the Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro will solve the problem. Both machines are currently available for less than $300, making them ideal for a wide range of users. The i3 Mega even became the best machine in its price range after it came out in 2017. Above all, the machine is highly performing, meaning that it can create good prints quality.
Ender 3 Pro is an iteration of the highly famous Ender 3, the budget printer for everyone. It is like an upgrade to the original machine with a detachable bed and an improved Y-axis for better prints. It is currently sold for less than $300, making it worth buying if you are just starting the hobby or kick start the 3D printing business. Overall, the print quality of Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro is impressive for the price. Read also: Artillery Genius Vs Anycubic i3 Mega here.
Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro Machine & Setup
The Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro are pretty compact as a filament-based printers. The best thing about i3 Mega right out of the box is that only two significant parts need to be connected; the base and frame. On the other hand, Ender 3 Pro still asks you to put everything together manually, like the original machine. We also need to attach the power supply manually on the side for Ender 3 Pro.
The power supply of i3 Mega is located below the printing bed, so it is overall more convenient and looks clean. They are very similar in movement, like most 3D printers using filament. The frame will hold their hot head moving in the X and Z axis while the bed stay at the same level and moves on Y-axis. Another difference right off the bat is that i3 Mega also comes featured with a colorful, touch-sensitive display that is arguably easier to use and understand.
Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro Capacity
One of the essential points when buying a 3D printer is the capacity, like how we buy a regular paper printer. We must know what item and the typical size to print to match it with the printer. The dimension of the machine restricts the build volume of each printer. For Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro they are slightly different at 210x210x205 and 220x220x250, respectively. Interestingly, you can buy the Extender 400 kit for Ender 3 Pro.
This kit will help you increase the machine’s build volume if it is necessary for the future. This type of upgradeability is excellent because people move, and you may need larger machines in the future. However, to install the upgrade, we will need to put in some effort because it is not something beginners want to know without knowing how to piece everything together correctly.
Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro Print Bed
Next, let’s move to the bed of Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro. If you have seen the original Ender 3, this Pro model comes with a different bed, a magnetic bed removable from its heating plate. This i3 Mega printer is coming with an Ultrabase print bed. In comparison, they are working well, especially for the Ultrabase; models stick to the surface and can be easily removed. Our experience with the magnetic bed varies somehow.
We understand that not everyone likes a magnetic bed, but this is very convenient to remove and clean or replace when needed. We have to use additional adhesion when using this bed with some materials, but most of the time, its textured surface is very effective at helping the first layer print stick to the bed. Both Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro required leveling before printing, and this is done manually. It seems that i3 Mega is advertised as automatic leveling, but it is not.
You need to level Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro beds, which are pretty similar. We need to move all the axes to the innermost position. This can be done from the control panel on i3 Mega, and we have to disable the motor too so that the axes can move freely. We will need a piece of paper placed on the print bed and manually moving the print head. Avoid driving too close till the nozzle hits the bed, so we need to be very careful.
Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro Performance
For the most important part, let’s talk about how well the Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro are in action. Considering everything is set up correctly, we can try print benchy first. This test print turn satisfactory with both machines is doing well, but i3 Mega seems to work smoother. With Ender 3 Pro, there is a small blob visible. Changing the material also affects the result and the machine’s ability, so results are highly varied.
For example, Ender 3 Pro seems to have an issue with Bamboo filament as it cause clogging on the printhead. This can be caused by the way it feeds filament near lead screw with sharp edges, so if your filament is brittle, which is typical for wood filament, it will have a high chance to break mid-way. Anycubic i3 Mega works well for most testing but not without a flaw in the result because bulges and slight deformities can be seen here and there.
Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro Features
Lastly, for additional features, the notable ability of Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro is resume printing. This feature is automatically activated when there is a power cut-off, whether it is a failure on the machine or your power source. This allows them to resume the printing process after it comes back to normal. The i3 Mega has a filament sensor to detect filament run-out too. The Ender machines are primarily open-source, so you can reach the community to upgrade the printer later.
Anycubic i3 Mega Vs Ender 3 Pro
Both Anycubic i3 Mega and Ender 3 Pro are promising options for you to kickstart the 3D printing business or need something to explore creativity. The main differences are capacity and convenience. As a beginner, Anycubic i3 Mega is easier to set up and use, while Ender 3 Pro stands out on the larger capacity and upgradeability. The machine has an extender that we can use to increase the capacity and open source to upgrade it later. Performance-wise they are good for the price point.
Conclusion
There is no wrong decision since all up to your preference and the purpose of the machine. However, we will recommend the Ender 3 Pro because it is noticeably larger in print capacity and easier to upgrade, which many of us will probably do in the future. It is also still very affordable for what the machine can offer.