FDM printers are the most convenient when you just get into 3D printing because they are the simplest to use and also available starting from a very low price point. Entry-level printers such as Sovol SV01 Vs Ender 3 V2 are ideal for anyone who wants to have a 3D printer and a reliable printer to work with their projects. However, these two are not identical and you may like one better so before deciding the option, let’s see the difference here.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- What to Consider in an FDM Printer
- What are Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2
- How are the Design of Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2
- How are the Build Volume of Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2
- How are the Building Bed in Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2
- How are the Extruder in Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2
- How are the Print Result of Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2
- Sovol SV01 Vs Ender 3 V2
3D Printers
Additive manufacturing is a great solution for convenience and a more streamlined production method. They can be used to make a variety of products mostly plastic based that can be used around the house or even for medical needs such as the making of prosthetics. The mechanism itself is quite interesting and many people are attracted to how easy it is to create something with the machine. However, just like everything else, not all machines will work the same or similarly reliable.
When it comes to 3D printers, FDM is probably the most popular and easy to get started with. They are also very affordable and are available in a wide range of options from the petite sized ones to the huge machine that is used in a professional setting. Just like everything else it is wise to match the machine with whatever you are going to print with them.
The first concern is probably their capacity or volume because each machine comes with their own built volume and this is not always the same even when they are sold at the same price point. Usually they are identical on the X and Y axis but sometimes they can be larger on one of them as well besides the height. Make sure that the machine is capable of working on your project, especially if you will be printing pretty tall or large objects.
The machine’s built quality is another important value to consider. Unfortunately, sometimes it can be difficult to tell whether they are properly made or not because failure in product quality control often results in machine’s failure as well. This is outside the system of the machine however because the company can redesign them. In most cases it is to improve user experience or manufacturing cost but not all of them will result in an actual better product when in the hands of the users.
In addition, you may want to look into what else is offered by the machine. The typical affordable FDM printers are usually very simple with the core functionalities only. Sometimes they allow for further upgrade if you want to spend more on the additional parts or time for tweaking the system but, for those who want a simple working machine and is better in convenience, we advise to spend a little bit more especially if you don’t plan to upgrade the machine later.
| Sovol SV01 | Ender 3 V2 | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 22 x 19 x 8.4 inches | 18.5 x 18.7 x 24.41 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 29.5 pounds | 17.2 Pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2
Now is the time for shopping because we have so many of them, even on the entry-level. FDM printers are mostly very affordable for the wide range of users to try and learn about how additive manufacturing works with the machine. It is wise to spend a little first if you are planning on improving the skill or learn more on how the machine works or to fix any issues on your own. But, if you want the convenience, there are also a lot of options that offer more automation.
If you are here then we assume that you are also interested in how the FDM machine works or want to learn the mechanism. There are more than plenty to consider when you are on the market for an FDM machine such as the options from Sovol and Creality. The two are prominent names with reliable collections of affordable machines depending on which seems to fit in your application the most. Creality may start the game for affordable FDM machines first but they are not the only one we can rely on.
If you want a machine that is easy to work with but also still very affordable, the Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2 are two impressive options from the two. These machines are interestingly sold at a very similar price point even though we don’t think they share that much similarities from each other besides being a reliable machine with some upgrades out of the box. It will be easy to decide the option because if what you are aiming for is capacity then we will recommend sticking with SV01.
In general the Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2 are pretty much the same when it comes to the performance because out of the box the two are already working really well. In comparison you can rely on both machines with their solid system but, it doesn’t mean we can get the absolute best print right off the bat either. Chances are regrdless the machine, we will still need to tweak the setting or testing with the slicer as well including for these affordable printers.
Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2 Design
In the past, FDM printers, especially the low-cost type, mostly came in a kit meaning we need to put everything together first. Along with the increasing amount of options and popularity of 3D printers, they start to get simpler as well. With the Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2, they are mostly assembled from the box so we are left to attach the supporting frame itself and connect some cables. In a glance they are looking like most FDM machines out there.
Our small complaint is the cable management in SV01 which is kind of messy for a machine nowadays as it looks cluttering out of the box and while it is not extremely annoying, we had hoped it would have a better setup. Different from the small control panel which is looking like the one from original Ender 3, the V2 has a much bigger display even though it is still adjusted using the single knob. On the rigidity we do think both machines are very well-made.
Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2 Build Capacity
Now let’s see what Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2 can offer starting from the capacity. Most 3D printers are usually fixed with the capacity they come with but not with Ender 3 because they sold the extension kit for this machine that can be used to improve the capacity. However it may cost time and money since the kit is not cheap as well and in reality, the actual build plate of Ender 3 is 235 x 235 on Y and X axis while it is advertised as 220 x 220 x 250 mm.
On the other hand the SV01 is not a small machine in comparison which is why if you are seeking for a larger build volume out of the box we will recommend getting this machine for it already offers a capacity of 280 x 240 x 300 mm. Read also: Sovol SV01 and Ender 3.
Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2 Building Bed
Next for the building bed, the Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2 are very similar in this part. As you can see, they are using a glass bed with a coating at the top which is proven to be working really well. This type of surface is providing a texture to let the model stick when hot but also removed easily as it cools down. There is probably a need to use glue or some helper in the future over repetitive prints but for the first several testing, we have no complaint with them.
Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2 Extruder
We also want to mention the extruder of these printers because it is one of the prominent differences between the two. This is because SV01 is using a direct drive extruder already while just like most FDM machines on the entry-level Ender 3 V2 is using Bowden tube. Direct drive is seen as the more versatile choice when it comes to handling different materials as they are known to provide a more accurate extrusion and allows for a faster retraction as well.
Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2 Print Result
Lastly, we want to mention the print result with Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2 because they are simply good. Far from perfect but you will love to see how well they work out of the box. If your first machine is Ender 3, the V2 is similarly good with slight improvement from the firmware and better built quality. Printing with them is quite variable but mostly acceptable and pretty good on details yet, for achieving the maximum capability of the two, you will still need to tweak further.
Sovol SV01 vs Ender 3 V2
Both Sovol SV01 and Ender 3 V2 are good machines depending on which seems to attract your attention the most. The prominent differences between the two are the capacity as SV01 is simply a larger machine with large build volume, it also has a direct drive system on the extruder, and has a filament sensor which somehow is placed in an awkward position. You can increase the Ender 3 V2 capacity if needed but it will cost some too.
Conclusion
Depending on which seems to fit in your application the most, the two work well out of the box but if you want to have the best value we recommend getting the SV01 because it offers the bigger build capacity and direct drive which is often what people put to upgrade their entry-level machines.