Resin printers are getting cheaper such as Anycubic Photon Mono Vs Voxelab Proxima, but whether a cheap machine will be reliable is still a doubt. These two options are placed at a significant price point, with Voxelab being the more affordable choice. If you wonder whether it is wise to spend on this printer, we will discuss what they can offer and which you prefer better.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- What is Resin 3D Printer
- What are Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima
- How is the Printer of Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima
- How is the Capacity of Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima
- How is the Resolution of Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima
- How is the Setup for Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima
- How is the Performance of Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima
- Anycubic Photon Mono Vs Voxelab Proxima
Resin 3D Printers
Resin printers are an excellent solution for anyone focusing on the details of their products. This machine is superior when producing finer details on complex design, so they are very popular among users who often print characters from games, comic books, or their original characters. The level of details is difficult to replicate on typical FDM machines, but both printers have their market and enthusiast based on the application. However, resin printers are usually more expensive for the exact build volume.
What does a resin printer do? They “print” or build a 3D model based on the design that you have fed into the machine. The process is by curing or hardening photosensitive liquid resin inside a vat. The UV light source is installed at the base and illuminates the build area, curing the model layer by layer while the build plate moves slowly along the Z-axis. What can a resin printer make? Anything that the resin can replicate is possible to make.
How much does a resin printer cost? They can start from less than $200 to ten times more. For printers, regardless of the type, their capacity is one of the crucial parts that decide its price point; the larger the machine, the more expensive it will be. Consider the cost for liquid resin, too, because they will vary just like FDM filaments. Typically you can find resin from $15 to $45 for a 500mL bottle or $28 to $85 per liter.
| Anycubic Photon Mono | Voxelab Proxima | |
|---|---|---|
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| Product Dimensions | 8.74 x 8.94 x 15.08 inches | 22.05 x 11.73 x 10.79 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 9.35 pounds | 18.43 Pounds |
| Shop now at Amazon | Check price | Check price |
About Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima
If your primary purpose of this printer is to make figurines, one liter of resin will probably take around 120 to 140 tabletop resin models, each of which is about one inch in height. One liter of resin can be used to print 1cm x 1cm cubes for as many as 500 cubes. Of course, the cost for resin and the amount of product will vary based on your application, so the larger the product, the faster we will run out of resin.
Good resin printers don’t need to be expensive, but they must be reliable and easy to use. Anycubic and Voxelab have some of the most affordable printers that you can rely on. For example, the Photon Mono, which used to be a favorite choice of beginners, is expanded into several variants with better components. The most popular today is the Mono 4K which is a higher version of their original Mono 2K. Some noticeable differences make the new machine a better choice.
What is the difference between original Photon Mono and Mono 4K? The new 4K screen is the most notable feature to produce more refined details. It is also faster, has a larger build capacity, and has a better touch-screen to operate. On the other hand, Voxelab is famous for its entry-level Proxima printer, which is more similar to the original Photon Mono and is currently even more affordable. It is a 2K printer and is one of the best resin printing beginners.
Comparing the Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima, the main difference is resolution and print details because from 2K to 4K is almost doubling the resolution. The costs for these machines are also different, so the decision should be based on your preference or goal. If this is your first machine and you want to keep the budget minimum as a hobby, the Proxima is an ideal choice, but if you wish for higher prints, we will recommend the Photon Mono 4K. Read also: Anycubic Photon Mono X Vs Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K here.
Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima Unit
Like most resin 3D printers, the Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima are coming almost ready to use. The design of these machines is also similar, using a square base that houses the main component and a transparent plastic dome. The dome is easily removable and seals the printing room to prevent odor from escaping. They are not very tight, so you will still smell the resin smell once the printer is working. Side by side, they are also about the same size.
What’s unique, in our opinion, is the vat of Proxima. Usually, you will need to unscrew the vat to remove it, but this printer uses hooks instead, secured using screws as well, but we only need to loosen it a bit to remove it; it is more convenient. The build plate has a curve on top to prevent resin build-up and easy cleaning. Depending on the seller, it seems Anycubic send the sample resin while this Proxima doesn’t come with any bottle.
Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima Build Capacity
For any 3D printers, we recommend matching the building capacity with the product you will make. If you make small figurines or items, the Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima will be ideal as they have similar capacities. The new Mono 4K has a good capacity of 132mm x 80mm x 165mm, while the Proxima is almost the same or at 125mm x 68mm x 155mm. Unlike some FDM printers, resin printers are more restricted to upgrade.
Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima Resolution
Now for the most important difference, the Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima come with different resolutions. The first Photon Mono is a 2K 6-inch printer similar to Proxima, a 2K screen at the 6-inch size. The new Mono 4K is doubling this resolution and still uses the same 6-inch screen, which increases the resolution. Many of us choose resin printers to create more delicate details, smaller than typical FDM printers.
The resolution of Proxima is 0.050mm, while Photon Mono 4K can reduce the size to 0.035mm with the same pixel density. You can tweak the layer height for as thin as 0.025 to 0.1mm on their software. Smaller layers mean more repetitive processes or more exposure needs to be done for the same model, resulting in slower printing. Both models use Mono screens, so they should be faster than traditional resin printers with RGB masking.
Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima Setup
Unlike paper printer, resin printer requires a more complex setup. After unboxing, the first thing we have to do is install the build plate. This build plate is facing below since it needs to get as close as possible to the vat. We need to attach the plate first and make sure it is entirely flat by using paper to test the distance and flatness. The menu will assist this process by moving the plate along its Z rail.
After the leveling is done, we can install the vat and fill it with any UV curing resin. Fill the vat to the measuring level, and we can start tweaking the software. There are many slicer software available to try, but most people go with ChiTuBox, and we also recommend this for ease of use and reliability.
Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima Performance
Lastly, for the performance side, these Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima are impressive for the price point. If you get the original Photon Mono, we think the print result will be very similar to Proxima’s because their specs are the same. But, since the one we have today is Mono 4K, the details are slightly different. It may not be very prominent from afar, but the finer details are visible from up close as the Mono 4K has a higher resolution.
If you print a character model, for example, the small crook or nose, eyes, and moths are way smoother. The armor sharpness is also different as you can easily pick each protruding accessory. But, if your prints are less complex items like boxes or cups and small compartments, we don’t think the details will be noticeable, at least to an entirely new level. Overall the Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima are very good and printing great results.
Anycubic Photon Mono Vs Voxelab Proxima
It is wise to choose a printer based on what you want to use them for. The Anycubic Photon Mono and Voxelab Proxima are quite different because we use the Mono 4K, the newer model of the original machine. This printer is more expensive but also prints a slightly larger model and has noticeably better detail. If your main aim is to achieve better results, the 4K screen is almost standard in today’s resin printers. But Proxima is cheaper and prints well too, making it perfect for new enthusiasts.
Conclusion
We will recommend getting a 4K resin printer such as Photon Mono if there is no issue with the budget because the print result, especially fine details, will be much better. But, if this is your first machine and you are unsure about what to use the machine for in the future, the Proxima is a cheap alternative to gain more experience.