Buying Guide
Best 3D Printer for Miniatures
After 27 years in the miniature hobby and several years of resin printing, I have watched the market go from unaffordable and unreliable to genuinely excellent at entry-level prices. These are the printers I would actually buy today, and why.
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What makes a printer good for miniatures?
Most resin printers are marketed as general-purpose machines. Miniature printing has specific requirements that narrow the field considerably.
The single most important spec is XY resolution, measured in microns. This is the pixel size of the LCD screen that masks the UV light. Smaller pixels produce sharper detail. For miniatures, anything above 35 microns will start to look noticeably soft on fine features like faces and filigree. Below 25 microns and the difference between printers becomes very hard to see without a magnifier.
Build volume matters less than most people assume. A 7-inch screen holds a full unit of infantry with room to spare. Where build volume does matter is when you want to print terrain or large centrepiece models alongside your regular infantry. If that is your intent, a Saturn-class printer is worth the extra spend.
Features like auto-levelling, speed modes, heated VATs, and smart sensors are improving rapidly. They are genuinely useful in some cases. They are also the most common source of new-printer frustration. The printers recommended below prioritise doing the basics extremely well over loading in features that may cause problems.
A note on brands
The table below includes printers from Elegoo, Anycubic, Phrozen, UniFormation, Creality, and HeyGears. Elegoo dominates the recommendations because they have consistently produced the best value for money at the Gen 4 and Gen 5 level. That may change. The table is updated as new models are released.
Top picks
The three printers I recommend right now
These are the only three printers I would point a beginner towards today. The full table below covers the entire market.
Best budget pick
Elegoo Mars 4
The cheapest route to 18-micron prints that are genuinely competitive with printers costing twice as much. No smart features, no fluff. Just a bare-bones machine that does the one thing that matters at a price that is hard to argue with.
- XY resolution
- 18 µm
- Build volume
- 153 × 77 × 175 mm
- Best price seen
- $160
Best mid-size pick
Elegoo Saturn 3
More build plate than most hobbyists know what to do with, at a price that undercuts the competition by a wide margin. 24 microns is more than enough resolution for any miniature. The fans shut down when it is idle. It is solid, affordable, and boring in all the best ways.
- XY resolution
- 24 µm
- Build volume
- 219 × 123 × 250 mm
- Best price seen
- $230
Best for fast printing
Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra
Elegoo solved the speed problem by tilting the VAT instead of compromising on layer height or resin quality. The result is a printer that runs meaningfully faster than the competition without the trade-offs that make other speed printers frustrating. Still 18 microns. Still great detail.
- XY resolution
- 18 µm
- Build volume
- 153 × 77 × 165 mm
- Best price seen
- $270
Full comparison
Every printer in the database
Sorted by price. Printers marked out of stock were unavailable at time of writing.
| Printer | Brand | XY res. (µm) | Build volume | Price (USD) | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elegoo Mars 1 Out of stock | Elegoo | 47 | 120 x 68 x 160 | $100 | No |
| Elegoo Mars 2 Out of stock | Elegoo | 50 | 129 x 80 x 150 | $100 | No |
| Elegoo Mars 1 Pro Out of stock | Elegoo | 47 | 129 x 80 x 160 | $100 | No |
| Phrozen Sonic Mini Out of stock | Phrozen | 62.5 | 134 x 75 x 130 | $105 | No |
| Elegoo Mars 3 Out of stock | Elegoo | 35 | 143 x 89 x 175 | $119 | Yes |
| Creality Halot R6 2K Out of stock | Creality | 50 | 130 x 82 x 160 | $130 | No |
| Elegoo Mars 2 Pro Out of stock | Elegoo | 50 | 130 x 82 x 155 | $135 | No |
| Anycubic Photon Mono 2 Out of stock | Anycubic | 34 | 165 x 89 x 143 | $147 | No |
| Elegoo Mars 3 Pro Out of stock | Elegoo | 35 | 143 x 89 x 175 | $150 | Yes |
| Anycubic Photon Mono 4k Out of stock | Anycubic | 35 | 132 x 80 x 165 | $159 | No |
| Elegoo Mars 4 | Elegoo | 18 | 153 x 77 x 175 | $160 | Yes |
| Anycubic Photon Mono 4 | Anycubic | 17 | 153 x 87 x 165 | $160 | Yes |
| Anycubic Photon Mono SQ Out of stock | Anycubic | 50 | 128 x 120 x 200 | $170 | No |
| Elegoo Mars 4 Ultra | Elegoo | 18 | 153 x 77 x 165 | $170 | Yes |
| Anycubic Photon Mono X2 | Anycubic | 48 | 200 x 196 x 122 | $179 | No |
| Elegoo Mars 5 | Elegoo | 35 | 143 x 89 x 150 | $180 | No |
| Elegoo Saturn S Out of stock | Elegoo | 48 | 196 x 122 x 210 | $200 | No |
| Phrozen Sonic Mighty 4k | Phrozen | 52 | 200 x 125 x 220 | $200 | No |
| Anycubic Photon Mono Out of stock | Anycubic | 51 | 130 x 80 x 165 | $200 | No |
| Elegoo Mars 4 Max Out of stock | Elegoo | 34 | 195 x 122 x 150 | $200 | Maybe |
| Anycubic Photon Mono x 6ks | Anycubic | 34 | 195 x 122 x 200 | $200 | Maybe |
| Creality LD-002H Out of stock | Creality | 51 | 130 x 82 x 160 | $200 | No |
| Creality Halot-One Out of stock | Creality | 50 | 127 x 80 x 160 | $200 | No |
| Elegoo Saturn 2 Out of stock | Elegoo | 28.5 | 219 x 123 x 250 | $209 | Yes |
| Anycubic Photon M3 Out of stock | Anycubic | 40 | 164 x 102 x 180 | $209 | No |
| Anycubic Photon Mono M5 | Anycubic | 24 | 200 x 123 x 218 | $210 | Maybe |
| Anycubic Photono Mono 4 Ultra | Anycubic | 17 | 153 x 87 x 165 | $219 | Maybe |
| Elegoo Saturn 3 | Elegoo | 24 | 219 x 123 x 250 | $230 | Yes |
| Creality Halot-Mage | Creality | 30 | 228 x 128 x 230 | $230 | No |
| Creality Halot-Play | Creality | 50 | 192 x 120 x 200 | $230 | No |
| Creality Halot-Mage Pro Out of stock | Creality | 30 | 228 x 128 x 230 | $250 | No |
| Creality Halot Lite Out of stock | Creality | 50 | 192 x 120 x 200 | $250 | No |
| Phrozen Sonic Mini 8k S | Phrozen | 22 | 165 x 72 x 170 | $255 | Maybe |
| Elegoo Saturn 8k Out of stock | Elegoo | 28.5 | 219 x 123 x 210 | $260 | No |
| Anycubic Photon Ultra Out of stock | Anycubic | 80 | 102 x 57 x 165 | $260 | No |
| Phrozen Sonic Mini 4k Out of stock | Phrozen | 35 | 130 x 73 x 130 | $270 | Maybe |
| Anycubic Photon Mono X 6k Out of stock | Anycubic | 34 | 197 x 122 x 245 | $270 | No |
| Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra | Elegoo | 24 | 218 ×122 × 260 | $270 | Maybe |
| Anycubic Photon Mono M5S | Anycubic | 24 | 200 x 123 x 218 | $270 | No |
| Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra | Elegoo | 18 | 153 x 77 x 165 | $270 | Yes |
| Elegoo Saturn 1 Out of stock | Elegoo | 50 | 192 x 120 x 200 | $300 | No |
| Anycubic Photon Mono X Out of stock | Anycubic | 50 | 192 x 120 x 245 | $300 | No |
| Anycubic Photon Mono M5S Pro | Anycubic | 24.8 | 200 x 126x 223 | $300 | N/A |
| Elegoo Saturn 4 | Elegoo | 24 | 219 x 123 x 220 | $300 | No |
| Creality Halot-One Plus Out of stock | Creality | 50 | 172 x 102 x 160 | $300 | No |
| Creality Halot-Ray Out of stock | Creality | 30 | 198 x 123 x 210 mm | $300 | No |
| Anycubic Photon Mono M7 | Anycubic | 24.8 | 223 x 126 x 230 | $300 | No |
| Creality Halot-Mage S | Creality | 25 | 230 x 126 x223 | $309 | Maybe |
| Phrozen Sonic Mini 8k | Phrozen | 22 | 165 x 72 x 180 | $323 | Maybe |
| Anycubic Photon Mono SE Out of stock | Anycubic | 51 | 130 x 78 x 160 | $350 | No |
| Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra | Elegoo | 24 | 219 x1 23 x 220 | $369 | Yes |
| Anycubic Photon D2 | Anycubic | 51 | 130 x 73 x165 | $400 | Maybe |
| Creality Halot-Sky Out of stock | Creality | 60 | 192 x 120 x 200 | $400 | No |
| Phrozen Sonic Mighty 8k | Phrozen | 28 | 218 x 123 x 235 | $425 | No |
| Anycubic Photon M3 Plus Out of stock | Anycubic | 34 | 194 x 122 x 245 | $440 | No |
| Anycubic Photon M3 Premium Out of stock | Anycubic | 28.5 | 219 x 123 x 250 | $500 | N/A |
| Anycubic Photon Mono M7 Pro | Anycubic | 24.8 | 223 x 126 x230 | $500 | Maybe |
| Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16k | Elegoo | 19 | 211 × 118 × 220 | $500 | Yes |
| Elegoo Jupiter SE | Elegoo | 51 | 277 x 156 x 300 | $530 | Maybe |
| Phrozen Sonic Mighty 12k | Phrozen | 24 | 218 x 123 x 235 | $553 | No |
| UniFormation GK3 | UniFormation | 19 | 240 x 118 x 211 | $570 | Yes |
| Anycubic Photon M3 Max | Anycubic | 46 | 300 x 298 x 164 | $599 | N/A |
| Elegoo Jupiter Out of stock | Elegoo | 51 | 278 x 156 x 300 | $600 | No |
| UniFormation GKtwo Out of stock | UniFormation | 30 | 228 x 128 x 245 | $650 | Maybe |
| UniFormation GK3 Pro | UniFormation | 19 | 211 x 118 x 240 | $670 | No |
| Anycubic Photon Mono M7 Max | Anycubic | 46 | 298 x 164 x 300 | $729 | Maybe |
| Creality LD-006 Out of stock | Creality | 50 | 192 x 120 x 250 | $750 | No |
| Phrozen Sonic Mighty Revo | Phrozen | 24.8 | 223 x 126 x 235 | $800 | Maybe |
| HeyGears UltraCraft Reflex RS | HeyGears | 30 | 222 x 122 x 230 | $850 | Maybe |
| UniFormation GK3 Ultra | UniFormation | 26 | 300 x 160 x 300 | $1100 | Yes |
| Phrozen Sonic Mega 8k S | Phrozen | 43 | 330 x 185 x 300 | $1275 | Maybe |
| HeyGears UltraCraft Reflex | HeyGears | 33 | 192 x 122 x 220 | $1300 | Maybe |
| Phrozen Sonic Mega 8k Out of stock | Phrozen | 43 | 330 x 185 x 400 | $1400 | Maybe |
The full table includes sortable columns, brand filters, and my complete notes on every printer. It is free to access after signing up for the newsletter.
Open the full sortable table