3D printers are amazing because they can create an item based on your digital design conveniently from a wide range of material currently available in the market. There are also plenty to choose from such as the popular Elegoo Mars Vs Anycubic Photon that are ideal for those who look for more details into their items. If you are also currently looking to buy one of these printers, do check them below first to see what each one of them can offer.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
- Is 3D Printer Worth to Buy
- What are ELEGOO Mars and ANYCUBIC Photon
- What ELEGOO Mars and ANYCUBIC Photon Look Like
- How are the Specification of ELEGOO Mars and ANYCUBIC Photon
- How are the Performance of ELEGOO Mars and ANYCUBIC Photon
- What else ELEGOO Mars and ANYCUBIC Photon can offer
- ELEGOO Mars Vs ANYCUBIC Photon
3D Printer for Home Use
Being able to create something based on our own imagination is amazing as you get to see an actual object that was formerly only present in your mind and now you can touch them or observe directly and probably alter its qualities. In the past this sounds like what manufacturers and companies do when designing their products but today, everyone can have the idea, drawing its design, and then turning them into an actual object for various purposes like decorative or prototyping.
| Elegoo Mars | Anycubic Photon | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 15.8 x 16.5 x 7.9 inches | 17.8 x 15.9 x 16.1 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 16.8 pounds | 20.8 pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
This is exactly the job of a 3D printer and while it is not as common as the paper printer we have been using since ages ago, it is becoming more common nowadays as people are more familiar with the technology and how manufacturers try to offer more affordable products for more people to purchase. But, before trying to browse and see the possible options, it is wise to ask yourself whether a 3D printer will benefit you as much as the machine and the material cost.
One thing for sure is they have gotten really cheap in the last several years. In 2015 you may get the cheapest, best selling printer at around $500 before CES but today 5 years later, you can get a pretty decent printer starting from $170 or even cheaper depending on where you get the unit from. For the filament, the cost range is pretty wide too but the cheaper PLA material is about $10 per kilogram that may go up to $600 for the specialty types.
Besides the price, we also need to consider their purpose first before heading to shop for one. Usually when we heard about 3D printer what comes to our mind is action figures because this is what many hobbyist are using them for but, besides for decorative purpose, they are also amazing for prototyping because now we can design something and instantly print them to see whether it is working properly or not or to just give an idea on how the final products will look like before being mass produced.
They are convenient more than anything and will suit those who know exactly what they are doing so those who never used one will probably be better with 3D print on demand or visit a store that provides a 3D printing service. Once we are used to them or want to be more creative and work with trials often, it is great to have your own. At the end it is always about balancing cost and benefit so we don’t have to spend unnecessarily.
About ELEGOO Mars and ANYCUBIC Photon
But, your money is yours to spend and if you think a 3D print will be an interesting new machine in the workshop, then you may find lots of interesting experience with this new equipment, moreover, we don’t think they are as expensive as when the technology was still new. Today you can find lots of options from different brands and different models to consider. What you may want to decide first is which system to use whether it is filament based or FDM and resin liquid based or SLA.
If details is not something that is necessary in your printing activity then FDM is not only cheap but also fast when creating items but, if you can wait longer and need more precision then SLA is a better choice. For the latter, there are various brands we can rely on that we know will offer reliable machines and two of them are ELEGOO and ANYCUBIC. Enthusiast must be familiar with these names because they are what you read and see everywhere.
It is for a good reason however because their machines are not only cheap but also good and this is what makes many of us are attracted to their printers. For those who want to keep the budget low or just starting, we recommend the popular ELEGOO Mars and ANYCUBIC Photon from these brands. These two are very well known in the entry-level category because both are sold below $200 and many also agree that they can offer great quality prints for the price point.
These are resin 3D printers and the best part of printing from this light sensitive liquid is that you can obtain pretty good details with a low cost as well but as it is not as fast as the FDM styled models so they may not be ideal for applications where users have to print quickly. Performance wise, we do think they are equally good and most likely you will love these printers as well.
ELEGOO Mars and ANYCUBIC Photon Design
Now let’s check their design first because this is important for many people both those who worry about their product’s longevity and usability. The Mars is very similar to another affordable resin MSLA printer that you can check in our previous Phrozen Sonic Mini Vs Anycubic Photon S here. This printer is coming with a removable cover or lid which is difficult to open with just one hand. It is however, pretty well built in general with power and USB port located on the back.
On the other hand, the Photon is coming with a different style of housing. This model has a metal cover which seems robust and feels great to see in an affordable model like this one. It is non-removable but the front panel is acting like a window in which you can open upward to access its printing room. It has a touch-sensitive screen as well but in comparison to Mars, somehow it is also smaller at 2.8-inch instead of 3.5-inch. But, the USB stick is located on the side instead on the back.
ELEGOO Mars and ANYCUBIC Photon Specification
They are about the same in price and about the same as well in specification so let’s see what they can offer now. First, the Mars print volume is 120mm by 68mm by 155mm compared to Photon at 115mm by 65mm by 155mm so the former is slightly larger on the X. Second, they are using the same technology called MSLA which means there is an LCD below the glass with the same resolution of 2K or 2560 x 1440p while material is also the same 405nm resin.
ELEGOO Mars and ANYCUBIC Photon Performance
Moving to the performance part, both ELEGOO Mars and ANYCUBIC Photon are working amazingly. For those who are worrying about the printing quality, both of them are working really well and you can get plenty of details with just any of these machines. Trials with them have been satisfactory but, just like any other affordable resin 3D printers, leveling the bed plate is crucial to get the best result and you may need time to do them properly if this is the first try.
Many information have been shared on the Internet on how to level these bed plates so there is always help. In comparison, the print results are giving the same amount of details whether it is with their testing design or with your own. On some occasions however, when you are printing something with support, do expect some of them not turning out so well such as some support not sticking to the model and some portion missing but, overall they are just as good as what others have experienced.
For the majority they are good but if this is your first time using a resin 3D printer, make sure to be prepared for dealing with some noise when printing as these two are not quiet either. They are not as noisy as your garbage disposal but definitely create some noise and the resin odor is quite annoying especially when you are not used to it yet. We also recommend using a metal scrapper instead of the plastic one just to make everything easier.
ELEGOO Mars and ANYCUBIC Photon Software and Connectivity
As for the software, back then when ANYCUBIC release the Photon S people are confused as to why they can’t use ChiTuBox but this issue has been resolved and the original Photon has no problem with this slicer to begin with; Mars is also using this amazing software. With this price point we don’t hope to see much but if you want the most convenient, there are other models that can work wirelessly through Wi-Fi since ELEGOO Mars and ANYCUBIC Photon are relying on USB thumb drives only.
Elegoo Mars Vs Anycubic Photon
These two are an equally amazing option in the price range as they can print really well but are also very affordable. There is not much to see on the machine itself but they do work and create a good amount of details. In comparison we do think user experience is almost the same between the two. While it is easier to remove the built plate in Photon, the non-removable housing requires us to be extra careful when carrying the uncured model outside.
With Mars you need to slide the built plate a bit before completely removing it from the machine but since the cover is removed completely, our hand is free to move yet, it is also not convenient when you need to open it first.
Conclusion
All in all the key to print great quality models especially miniatures or those with more details in both of these printers is leveling and creating support for your design on the software. Personally we prefer Photon for its metal housing and more convenient USB port placement.