- The Elegoo brand has a better support track record than Anycubic’s
- Speed: the Anycubic Photon Mono X prints at 60mm/h while the Saturn prints at 30mm/h
- Wifi: the Photon Mono X has wifi, but Reddit buyers say that it’s kind of a gimmick. Apparently, it doesn’t let you send the print job to the printer through wifi, but it enables you to monitor, stop/start, and change up the settings on the current print (Source).
- XY Resolution: Both have the same XY resolution of 0.05mm.
- Build Height: The Photon Mono X has an extra 45mm in build height over the Saturn.
- Replacement Parts: The Elegoo Saturn has cheaper replacement parts.
- One buyer who runs them side by side, says get a screen protector, a flex plate (gamechanger), and a wash and cure station.
You should probably consider a few different factors when deciding between the two, depending on what exactly it is you’ll be using your printer for.
So here, we will try to make a well-rounded review of the two printers, which should hopefully help you choose between them.
If you’re trying to decide between them for whatever reason, hopefully, this article will help you make your decision!
Comparing The Photon Mono X & The Elegoo Saturn
The market is full of 3D printers from different brands and models. It can be difficult to pick the right one for your needs.
There are a few things to take into consideration when picking a 3d printer: what material you want it to print, what the printing speed is, the size of objects it can print.
The Photo Mono X
The Photon Mono X is mostly aluminum, the rails are smooth, and the Z-axis is stainless steel – making it very precise. It also has a heated print bed which can reach around 100°C.
The printer comes with two sets of different nozzle sizes – 0.4mm and 0.8mm, giving you more printing options. It is relatively easy to assemble and comes with a fully assembled mainboard which can be set up easily and quickly by connecting it to the computer via USB cable.
This printer uses a special kind of filament called PLA+. It is a mixture of regular PLA and other ingredients, which give it excellent adhesion to the print bed, high durability, and water resistance.
This makes it very suitable for printing large parts with different thicknesses or parts that require being used outside or underwater – making this a good printer for prototyping.
The Elegoo Saturn
The Elegoo Saturn stands out for its very low cost while still coming with many desirable features.
This printer also has a heated print bed that can reach temperatures around 100°C – although it is unclear if other parts are made from Aauminum or stainless steel. The Z-axis is again made up of two different parts – with the pulley being made from metal and the rod and nut out of plastic.
It is unclear whether this affects its accuracy, but it probably does not affect precision too much since it seems to be pretty high anyway. The Elegoo Saturn has a print volume of 220x220x250mm, which is around the average for this price range.
It comes with a 0.4mm nozzle for more fine detail and a 0.8mm nozzle on the other side – which is very nice for being included in such an inexpensive printer.
This printer also uses a special kind of filament called PLA+. It is a mixture of regular PLA and other ingredients, which give it excellent adhesion to the print bed, high durability, and water resistance.
This makes it very suitable for printing large parts with different thicknesses or parts that require being used outside or underwater – making this a good printer for prototyping.
(Read: Elegoo Saturn vs Mars 2 Pro)
Comparative Thoughts
After comparing all of the different aspects, you probably can already see that both printers are pretty similar.
They both use PLA+ filament, which is a particular type of PLA with additional ingredients to make it more durable and suitable for printing in different conditions like outdoors or underwater.
So when buying either one of these printers, you don’t have to worry about compatibility.
Both printers are also made up of mostly aluminum parts, which is a good thing since it makes the printer more durable while saving weight simultaneously – since Aluminum is lighter than steel, for example.
This means that both printers will probably last quite some time before breaking down if they are used correctly. The Elegoo Saturn comes with a heated bed.
Still, it is unclear whether other metal parts inside the printer would make it more durable than the Photon Mono X – which only has Aluminum where necessary.
Both printers give you access to two different nozzles sizes – 0.4mm for small detailed parts or very thin layers for an even finish, and 0.8mm nozzle size on the other side, which is preferred for printing larger objects since it makes the outer layer thicker to reduce warping.
Both printers come with a set of instructions which are fairly easy to follow – although there are some complaints about missing parts in the package when received by customers.
The Photon feels less like a finished product and more like a kit you have to assemble yourself, whereas Elegoo is ready to print as soon as you take it out of the box – making it the printer for those who don’t want to build their machine from scratch.
Neither one has active bed leveling, but the Elegoo Saturn does come with an auto-leveling sensor for the Z-axis – however, it is unclear whether that feature works. It should be noted that many other printers in this price range also don’t have active bed leveling like these two, so if you’re looking for a 3D printer under $200, then this isn’t anything unusual.
Both printers are fairly light at 10kg; however, the Elegoo Saturn is very bulky due to its bigger size – which means that storing it might be a problem if you don’t have much space available in your house or office.
However, this printer can print larger objects due to having a larger printing volume than the Photon Mono X.
The Elegoo Saturn uses an LCD screen to control the printer. At the same time, the Photon Mono X has a toggle-switch panel on the back that is connected to a PC via USB cable – which might be a little more challenging to set up from scratch since you have to adjust drivers and software before starting printing.
In Summary
Choosing the right printer can be a difficult process. There are so many options on the market!
When selecting a 3d printer, there are some factors that you should consider. Some of these factors include size, build volume, speed, material type etc.
The more you know about 3d printers before deciding to buy one will make your decision easier and less stressful.
In the Photon Mono X vs. Elegoo Saturn debate, both of these printers are pretty similar based on the different specs revealed about them during our research. They use the same type of PLA filament, and they are both made out of Aluminum for lightweight durability.
However, it seems like the Elegoo Saturn is more durable due to its bigger size and metal parts inside.
The Elegoo Saturn is the printer for those who want a finished product right away, but it might be bulky and difficult to use when printing larger objects like in the Photon Mono X vs. Elegoo Saturn debate.
You should probably go with the Photon Mono X, but then you have to assemble it yourself, which requires some basic knowledge about electronics. However, it is pretty easy to build using the included instruction manual.
Hello, my name’s Rush Chapman. I’m a 3D printing enthusiast. I started this site to help people choose 3D printing projects and select the best 3D printer for your needs, whether you’re a hobbyist or a pro!
