Since 3D printing is getting more popular, there are lots of options out there to choose from based on what you need from the product. For those who want to print pretty detailed objects from their design or creating practical items, Photon S Vs Epax X1 are going to be two amazing machines to consider. If you are also eyeing these printers, do check what they can offer below before deciding to purchase one of them since they also have some differences.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
- Why Buying 3D Printers
- What are Photon S and EPAX X1
- What Photon S and EPAX X1 Look Like
- How are the Specification of Photon S and EPAX X1
- How are the Print Bed on Photon S and EPAX X1
- How are the Z-Axis on Photon S and EPAX X1
- How are the Performance of Photon S and EPAX X1
- Photon S Vs EPAX X1
3D Printers
People’s hobbies are getting more diverse and there are always new things we can try to enrich our life whether it is actually related to what we previously interested in or a completely new idea to try and observe. 3D printing is one of the most popular activities today as the amount of users and the amount of machines as well as how the idea itself is getting more known for the general public. While usually only those with certain interest are attracted to the additive processing there are actually many reasons to try this new hobby.
| Photon S | Epax X1 | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 21.8 x 11.5 x 10.8 inches | 22.25 x 12.5 x 12.25 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 19.4 Pounds | 16.8 Pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
Creativity is something we can’t develop in an instant and one of the general reasons to try this new hobby is it will help to develop your creativity. The additive process is more than just making things just like how reading is much more than knowing the ending of a story. The actual journey is about learning and trying new things or the limit of your creativity including finding a way to resolve a problem. When you are into the hobby, you also need to keep up with the growing technology to stay updated.
Developing New Skill is another reason why we advise people to try new hobbies and this once a niche activity is now more common. When working with additive printing, we can expand the limit of our creativity yet it is also a marketable and desirable skill that is still not overcrowded out there. To be able to perform 3D printing, we need to learn many things including CAD software which alone can be a great bump up on your resume. Not to mention that the process is used in medicine, science, construction, and many more types of industries.
Fun Activity is what’s in our head when thinking about 3D printing for the first time because we see people creating different items and it looks so fun to finally realize your digital design. This is an obvious reason why so many get into the hobby and not only those who are doing it all for the sake of fun, enthusiasts can make lots of practical items or the most common figures, toys, and even small or medium products from their printers.
Education probably sounds the least fun among these reasons but this is specifically aimed at parents or educators. We all know that learning something by actually carrying out the task and putting physical interaction with the items increases the ability to retain information compared to just reading them from a textbook. It is not only limited to printers but we can also teach children the various software related to the process and stimulate their creativity as well.
About Photon S and EPAX X1
If you are here then it means you are also interested to try 3D printing or probably already tried printing at home and have a few machines too. This additive process is a very interesting activity to try if you are into new stuff but they can be a long lasting hobby for those who fancy the process and all steps included in the manufacturing. For the machines or technologies, it will differ based on what you want from the unit.
If convenient is what you look for then FDM printers like Ender 5 Pro Vs CR10S will be two amazing options to consider on the entry-level but if you need pretty details then resin 3D printing is probably a better choice. There are plenty of options when it comes to the machine variants and models including brands but ANYCUBIC and EPAX are two good companies to shop from and the reason is because their machines are working reliably.
They are often being the go-to brands for many people including beginners and it is faster to go for known names since it can save much time as well. For those looking to spend on machines below or around $500, Photon S and EPAX X1 are two great choices to consider. They are two very popular options in this price range because many users have found that these fairly affordable machines can work amazing and probably won’t need much upgrades to increase the performance.
We do think they are ideal for both beginners and enthusiasts who are not planning to do lots of upgrades on their machines or want to get a useful and reliable machine right out of the box. As for X1, this is a pretty new addition of this range collection but Photon S is actually the upgrade of its predecessor Photon which already takes so much credit for being the affordable, good option and now ANYCUBIC has the upgrade to increase reliability.
Photon S and EPAX X1 Design
Before seeing what these machines are capable of, first let’s see their build quality and this is already very different in both machines. Photon S and EPAX X1 are very similar however when it comes to shape as they adopt this typical housing with a hinge on top to open the cover upward. What’s so different is X1 uses a metal sheet for this housing material instead of plastic like in Photon S. In aesthetic the former also uses a yellow window while in the latter you can choose either orange or black window.
In a glance it is easy to trust EPAX X1 with the quality and lasting ability as this one looks much firmer in comparison. They equally have a small touch screen monitor at the front to navigate the menu and adjust the printer but they are similarly easy to use and very responsive. We also like that these machines put the USB port and power switch on the side which makes them very convenient to access.
Photon S and EPAX X1 Specification
Moving further, let’s see what Photon S and EPAX X1 can offer and in this side they are very much similar to each other too. First thing we want to mention is they are MSLA printers so they have LCD screens below the printing surface with a 2K resolution or 2560 x 1440. Similar to many other resin printers in this price range, their building volume is not very prominent as well yet enough for small modeling and figure printings in general at 4.5-inch long, 2.5-inch wide, and 6.4-inch tall compared to 6.1-inch tall.
Photon S and EPAX X1 Bed Leveling
Before doing any printing, it is necessary to level up the bed no matter whether it is FDM or SLA printers. You can search up on how to level your printer plate on the internet as there is so much information out there but the most common method is by using the paper print and for experienced users this usually takes about 10 minutes or probably longer if you have never done it before. This is what we must do with Photon S as it is not levelled yet but, EPAX X1 is different.
This is one of the main reasons we love this machine as its print bed is already levelled from the factory so we can print right after getting the unit out and setting them up which means even a beginner can start very quickly with less fuss yet, if there is a problem we can always redo it again.
Photon S and EPAX X1 Z-Axis
Another difference between Photon S and EPAX X1 is their rail design. When you open the lid to their housing, we can instantly know why they are so different because the Photon S now comes with dual linear rail for its Z-axis instead of one which is what the previous Photon have and this is also what is used by EPAX X1. The new design is meant to improve stability of the build plate which may become an issue while printing.
Photon S and EPAX X1 Performance
The last part we want to talk about is their performance and whether the difference in Z-axis will make a difference or not. The answer we see is EPAX X1 is printing just as good as many reliable machines like ELEGOO Mars which also has the same design and in comparison to Photon S, there is no difference in terms of details or consistency as these printers are able to print really smoothly, resulting in pretty figures and just overall amazing models.
Photon S Vs Epax X1
These printers are equally great choices in this price range. They are quite different in design and Z-axis as the EPAX X1 is overall better in terms of built quality by using metal sheet for the housing and more rigid when you touch or operate the machine on a daily basis yet, this model also uses the single rail design which is seen as less stable. In practice, both printers are capable of creating pretty details and smooth models with no issue.
Conclusion
All in all you can go well with any of them as they perform equally reliable but, in comparison we may want to choose the Photon S because the upgrade is worth quite some and just to ensure there will be no related issue in the future.