ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra 12K Resin 3D Printer

Overall I'm happy with the Saturn 4 Ultra. My Saturn 3 ultra started having some issues after running pretty much non stop for a bit over a year, so needed a replacement and decided to get the Saturn 4 since it hadn't been released yet when I bought the 3. However, my Saturn 3 had the 12k screen, so between the 3 12k and the 4 12k, virtually no difference in print quality, which is expected. As for the features unique to the 4, I was apprehensive about the moving tank but it works surprisingly well. I had the vroom settings on my Saturn 3, so it was already printing much faster than standard settings, but while the Saturn 4 doesn't have as much control over speed (at least in lychee there's no retract and return speed adjustments for the Saturn 4, likely due to the moving tank), having said that, it actually prints a little faster than the 3 did even with the hyped up settings. And surprisingly there's no layer mark lines from the moving tank, it looks just as smooth up the z axis as the 3. That is actually fairly impressive. The auto leveling build plate was also something I was a bit concerned about. I wasn't quite sure how it worked until I actually saw how it is built and watched it go through its leveling process. But again, it seems to work well. I will say they need to add handles to the build plate since it's a little difficult to hold onto. But there are some handles shared on thingiverse that work well, so not a big deal. The clamp to hold the build plate is a very welcome improvement over the screw/knob on previous versions. However, I wish they would have added a hanger of some sort to allow it to drip at an angle for a while before removing it completely. Thingiverse has some tilted mounts for it but I haven't tried them yet. Another welcome feature is the lifting lid, but it would have been nice if they added a handle of some sort on it. Again, handles are available on thingiverse so not a big deal, but still. It is a really nice feature though. And lastly, the spill/drip tray is certainly an after-thought as others have mentioned. It works, and it's relatively easy to clean. However, it's just a thin stamped (vacuum formed?) plastic that feels like one of those disposable plastic trays that restaurants use for to-go orders. But whatever, it works. And, again, thingiverse has some drip trays that can be printed but I haven't tried those yet either. Is it worth the price difference to the Saturn 3 ultra 12k? Eh, yeah I think so. The convenience of the lid, auto leveling, etc does save some time and helps to keep the machine clean. However, the Saturn 3 ultra 12k will get you the same print results and because it doesn't have the moving tank and auto leveling build plate, you get more z axis height with the 3 model. So, the 3 is not as convenient, but it's just as capable as the 4. I guess take that for what it's worth. I'm happy with it though.

Excellent printing machine! Very fast and great detail compared to my old photon X.

Don't waste your money! I want to preface this review by saying I am not new to 3D printing or Elegoo machines. I've been printing for five years. Four of those I have exclusively used Elegoo machines, but I won't anymore. I purchased this printer as an "upgrade" this summer while I awaited on repairs for other machines. I run a 3d printing business, so I need to keep up a certain print capacity. I chose this machine because it was supposed to be a quicker, nicer version of the Saturn 4 (of which I have owned several). This is the worst machine I have ever used. 1. The printer itself smells terrible. Both the first machine I purchased and the replacement machine I received smelled noxious as soon as they left the box. They smell like chemical laden cheap plastic. This was the printer itself, not any of the foam packaging. The smell is lingering in the print room, even with extra filtration. I've never had a printer smell like this. 2. The auto leveling does not work. Many prints came out with seams on one side like the sensor was not correctly leveling the plate. The sensor also started to go out a few weeks after I purchased it giving the error "auto leveling failed". I only had this issue on one of my previous printers, and it was just worn out from significant use. 3. The tank clean feature also doesn't work. Any time there is a failed print (from something falling out of supports of the bad leveling) it just floats around in the vat. The feature works in the sense that it does light up the screen, but it does not trap any debris. Any time something fails, you have to drain and clean it yourself. 4. Not long after purchase, the original machine quit reading a USB. It would randomly stop part way through a print saying it could not detect a file and printing was stopped. I know you can use Wifi and get around this issue, but I prefer to use a USB. 5. The screen only lasted a month before burning out with dead spots. 6. Maybe most importantly, it produces subpar quality prints. It did not print as smoothly as the Saturn 4 and produced way inferior prints to a competing 12k machine. I contacted Elegoo about the issues. They stated they only accepted returns within 14days of the order date, despite the interior of the box stating to hold it for 30 days in case of return or refund. They agreed that the machine was defective. They expected me to replace the screen, the mother board, and the force sensor on a month old machine. After significant back and forth, I finally received a new machine--a month after my initial complaint about the issues with the original machine. The new machine has been here for three days and is exhibiting early stages of many of the same issues. It's not worth the hassle. I worry about someone receiving this a gift with the upcoming holidays. It would be out of warranty before you could even get a test print completed, and the odds of it being defective seem to be quite high.

Initial review: First print went great. I printed the Rook and had no problems. For my next print, I ran an overnight print with a full build plate. Came down the next morning and saw an empty build plate. Spent several hours trying to figure out what happened and finally determined I needed to vastly increase the initial layer print time (I had used the recommended settings from Siraya Tech). In this process however, I’ve learned a lot about this printer, which are poorly advertised: 1) there is no “AI detection” just timelapse and remote viewing. 2) there is no “smart” leveling, just a spring loaded build plate. 3) the optional heater works, but having any airflow in the machine causes drips to not land in the vat, but instead on the sides of the machine. Hopefully, this won’t result in drips going into the control systems. 4) attempting to register the printer with the app failed entirely. The app reported no serial number found. I’ll update this review over the next few days if any of the above items resolve or improve. The dimensions of the machine are great, and when it works, it prints quickly with extremely high precision. At the end of the day, this is probably a great machine, but the expectation set by the advertising and the lack of follow through on their phone app result in a poor first experience. Update 02.21.2026: Moving the star rating from 3 to 4 to reflect the reliable, excellent printing I've had since my initial review. The hot air blow causes dripping, but it is minor and easily cleaned up.

This is my first personal resin 3D printer, and overall I’m very satisfied with the Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra. The learning experience has been enjoyable, even though I can’t compare it to other printers yet. I’ve printed a lot of test models while dialing in exposure settings for Elegoo Upgraded 8K Standard Resin. Living in a relatively warm climate, resin viscosity and temperature definitely affect results, so calibration took time. I experienced a fair number of failed prints at the start, including parts sticking too well to the build plate, but that was mostly due to my own learning curve rather than the machine itself. Once settings improved, the printer delivered excellent detail and consistent performance. Overall, it’s a powerful, high-quality printer that’s great even for beginners—as long as you’re willing to learn and experiment.

This is my first resin printer. Once you get a calibrated and dialed in for your resin it's amazing. Disregard the auto leveling feature to an extent because you will still have to manually level the machine itself so that your build plate is level. Pay close attention to the rubber feet they put on the bottom of the machine at the factory; mine were not even. The front left was about 1/32nd higher than the other three feet meaning the machine could rock if it wasn't shimmed. Also do yourself a favor and buy a fermentation heating band for your resinvat, route the cord up through the top out the back of the drop-down cover make sure it does not interfere with your Z tower. I recommended enclosure with a fan to suck fumes out of your living space or workspace. Keep your build plate clean, keep it warm with an elegoo heater if necessary, and if you have trouble with prints not sticking to the plate you can always lightly sand it with some 120 Grit sandpaper. Your first five or six print jobs might not go as you expect but as you dial in the parameters for your specific resin and environment you will learn to love this thing. I especially love that I don't have to give Games Workshop anymore money. Example image included of a model I printed last night at 25 um

This thing is an absolute tank! The detail of the prints, and the size of the build plate are the key takeaways for this product. However, there are some software hiccups that need updated to make it perfect. For example, if you are transferring via wifi and your computer goes to sleep or locks, it will freeze the printer and stop the print. There are also issues with the software freezing and needed to reset the machine constantly. Other than that, I couldn't recommend this machine more!

exelente

Muy buena impresora, robusta y a un excelente precio, fácil de usar

I gave it -1 star because of that when i bought it, there was no 16k version available here, so i had to order this one ( that doesnt have light for the camera and no heating build plate ) The other -1 star is because after 2 days of buying it, 20% discount came and i feel that i was scammed with the price because of that, i tried to solve this with customer support, but sadly nothing I wish it had a handle to lift the cover and i wish it had a different extra holder so you tilt the build plate so it drips the extra resin. Other than this the machine is great and works perfectly, fast and i trust it and i sleep while its printing, but consider getting screen protector just in case. Edit : Elegoo was very thoughtful and helpful with the issue is had, changed from 3 stars to 5 stars as they solved all my concerns

Impressora muito boa, as peças saem com detalhes incríveis. O único problema é que a “peel force” é muito forte, de vez em quando danificando algumas peças.

Very good performance. I am very happy to use Saturn 4 Ultra. Its has amazing resolution for miniatures. 100% recommended

My second printer from Elegoo - larger than the previous ones, this comes with easy to understand set up instructions. Very well packaged, all aspects of the printer were very well protected for transport. The camera works very well, but make sure there is another light source otherwise it cannot take videos in pitch black. Great printer, faster than the previous generation and easy to use.