Best Resin 3D Printers for Beginners in 2024

Covering a Range of Budgets

We’re doing this in order to broaden the potential audience that could benefit from a curated list. That will expand not only in price and size, but also sophistication, resolution and functionality. If you’re completely lost on where to start, this post might be of help. Without further ado, here’s a list of 10 best resin 3D printers for beginners, suitable for what we hope fits most needs.

Small 4K Printers

This is good for those who don’t think it’s worth spending a little more to get a bigger printer bed, or some extra features recently released. In other words, these have small build volumes and should fit the occasional hobbyist.

The one from Elegoo, Mars Pro 4K, is the cheapest one on this list at around 180 USD. That, however, does not mean completely forgoing producing 3D prints of good quality. With a 4k+ screen (as other printers in this category also have), its resolution is 4098 x 2560, and it has a layer height of 0.01-0.2mm. It also has a build volume of 14.3 x 8.96 x 17.5 cm³, 30-50 mm/h printing speed and a sandblasted build plate which promotes better adhesion.

Our mid-priced option at 230 USD comes from Anycubic, with its Photon M3 model. Offering a 4,098 x 2,560px resolution, this printer has a decent build volume of 16.4 x 10.2 x 18 cm³ and up to 50 mm/h printing speed. As for the built plate, it’s claimed their solution of laser engraving promotes superior adhesion and lower likelihood of print failures.

Phrozen delivers the priciest option in this range at $316 with their Sonic Mini 4K. It works with a layer thickness of 0.01-0.3mm and has up to 35 micrometer resolution. It has a build volume of 13.4 x 7.5 x 13.0 cm³, while boasting a quick printing speed of 80 mm/h.

Small 8-9K Printers

The difference here lies mostly in printer resolution. A better one means more details, but you’ll shed some more dollars in the process.

For the lower budgets, Elegoo offers the Mars 4 Ultra 9K, at $309. Its LCD screen possesses a 8520×4320 resolution, which translates to a 18 micrometer pixel size. It also greatly improves on the Mars Pro 4K, printing at a speed of up to 150 mm/h with a 15.3 x 7.7 x 16.5 cm³ build volume. As for functionality, it counts on 4GB internal RAM for transmitting your files over 2.4 and 5G wireless connection. 

On the other hand Phrozen offers the Sonic Mini 8K as their lower-mid range option. It has a maximum printing speed of 80 mm/h, a 22 micrometer resolution and 16.5 x 7.2 x 18 cm³ print volume. Additional features include a laser etched build plate that allows for better adhesion and two linear rails for raising the print bed, which equates in more stability.

Medium 4K Printers, If You Want to Churn Out Bigger Batches

Currently offered at $300, the Elegoo Saturn 8K has an XY (pixel) resolution of 28 micrometers and a build volume of 219 x 123 x 210 mm. Its print speed sits at 30 to 70 mm/h, and it won’t have problems regarding stability since it boasts two linear rails for its Z-axis movement.

The Photon Mono X 6K by Anycubic starts at $280 and claims to be a significant upgrade compared to their most basic model. It prints with a XY resolution of 34 micrometers with a build volume of 24.5 x 19.7 x 12.2 cm³ and up to 80 mm/h. 

If, however, you feel like splurging with something in this category, Phrozen offers the Sonic Mighty 8K, at $680. Laser cut built plate, dual rails for Z-axis movement and 28 micrometer screen resolution are some of the features that will help you make the most out of the 21.8  x 12.3  x 23.5 cm³ print volume.

12K, or “Just Give Me the Latest Releases”

For $500, you get a 10-inch LCD screen that offers 19×24 micrometer XY resolution on the Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra 12 K. It is able to print 21.8 x 12.2 x 26 cm³ at a maximum of 150 mm/h using their proprietary Rapid resin and their laser-carved build plate. This high printing speed is also facilitated thanks to the two linear rails on the Z-axis. The printer also comes with its own Linux operating system and supports Wi-fi data transmission on 2.4G and 5G.

Anycubic brings tough competition in this category with the Mono M5S. It also has a 19×24 micrometer resolution with a 10.1-inch LCD, with a maximum printing speed of 105 mm/h and a build volume of 20 x 12.3 x 21.8 cm³. There are some key features advertised on their website. The first one is the auto-leveling function, which makes automatic adjustments on your machine. It also counts with resin level detection (if you have enough for your next job on the vat), print status detection (which can also suggest possible fixes in case of failure) and malfunction detection of its internal components.

Loot Studios can help you print highly detailed minis, statues and props. Choose your favorite bundle from our previous releases or sign up for Fantasy or Sci-Fi to receive a new bundle every month. You can also check out some tips at our YouTube Channel.