Elegoo Mars 3 3D Printer Review – The Best Budget Resin 3D Printer on the Planet

Elegoo revolutionized the 3D printing space with the introduction of its Mars printer in 2017. Ushering in an affordable resin 3D printer that didn’t compromise on quality, the Mars has since undergone several different iterations. And now Elegoo has debuted possibly the greatest version of its popular resin-based Mars series with the Elegoo Mars 3. With a 4K resolution screen, 35-micron print resolution, and fast print speeds, it’s an excellent device. Learn why you should consider the Mars 3 for your resin printing needs in our hands-on Elegoo Mars 3 3D printer review!

What is the Elegoo Mars 3 3D Printer?

The Elegoo Mars 3 is a stereolithography (SLA) resin 3D printer. Despite its compact 89.6mm x 143.36mm x 175mm footprint, the Mars 3 features a 143mm x 90mm x 165mm build volume, up from 129mm x 80mm x 160mm on the Mars 2 Pro. Therefore, it’s got a sizable build plate without a large footprint as you’ll find on many large resin 3D printers such as the Elegoo Saturn.

There’s a 4K 4098 x 2560 resolution screen with a 35-micron print resolution. Since it’s a monochrome LCD screen, you’ll enjoy fast printing speeds. Its monochrome 4K screen delivers fast 1.5-3 second per layer printing speeds.

Elegoo opts for a new, powerful Chip-on-board (COB) LED light source instead of the surface-mounted device (SMD) LEDs as found on printers past. Thus, the COB lights deliver a higher lumen brightness output which offers various benefits including improved heat efficiency and longer lamp life. Additionally, the Mars 3 Ultra 4K utilizes a revamped heatsink which Elegoo claims yields a 50% higher heat dissipation efficiency than a traditional heatsink.

Elegoo Mars 3 Ultra 4K Specs

• 4K (4098 x 2560 resolution) monochrome LCD screen
• 35-micron resolution
• Fast 1.5-3 second per layer printing speeds
• Elegoo Mars 3 dimensions: 89.6mm x 143.36mm x 175mm
• Elegoo Mars 3 Ultra build plate size: 143mm x 90mm x 165mm
• 3D printing technology: Stereolithography (SLA)
• Sandblasted build plate
• Solid linear rail
• Powerful COB light source for higher lumen output
• Re-designed heatsink with 50% higher heat dissipation efficiency than before
• Elegoo Mars 3 price: $300 USD
• Compatible slicer software: CHITUBOX

Elegoo Mars 3 Ultra 4K 3D Printer Review Verdict

The Elegoo Mars 3 Ultra provides outstanding print quality. Its 4K 4098 x 2560 mono LCD screen is a considerable 30% improvement Mars 2’s 2K screen. Its 4K resolution is a considerable enhancement over the Mars 2 Pro’s 2K screen. As such, prints come out looking absolutely stunning.

A 143 x 90 x 165 mm build volume provides plenty of space for moderately-sized prints and is fairly large for a small resin 3D printer. Especially when 3D printing miniatures, the fine detail visible is stunning. Its 35 micron, 4K screen is a marked improvement over the Mars 2 Pro’s 2K, 50-micron screen. However, it’s not so drastic as to be immediately apparent. But with fine details, looking up close, there’s a distinct clarity.

Elegoo does tweak the design of the Mars 3. Whereas the Mars, Mars 2, and Mars 2 Pro differed ever so slightly, requiring a good inspection to tell the models apart, the Elegoo Mars 3 Ultra is the most radical design departure yet. Its boxy design has been retired in favor of a more rounded profile. A touchscreen, USB port, and power button sit on the front of the unit. An acrylic hood lifts off. I liked the front-facing USB port and power which negated the need to fumble around at the back of the device to turn it on or off and insert a USB stick. Although a hinged hood like on the Anycubic Mono Se may have been a nice touch, though it’s simple enough to remove the lift-off acrylic hood.

Unfortunately, Elegoo nixes the built-in carbon filter to reduce volatile organic compounds (VoCs) while printing. Similarly, there’s no rubber seal to go around the bottom of the acrylic hood. Nevertheless, onboard air filters and rubber gaskets do little to protect you. For printing with resin, you’ll need an N95 mask, rubber gloves, and a well-ventilated workspace anyway.

Print quality is absolutely phenomenal. I was wowed by the smoothness and crisp detail of Elegoo’s rook chess piece test file. The words “Elegoo,” emblazoned upon the base, were extremely clear. Likewise, a printed Deadpool bust was brilliantly detailed. Furthermore, the Mars 3 produces gorgeous prints in record time. It took less than two and a half hours for the rook test files to fully print. With its 1.5-3 second per layer curing times, the Elegoo Mars 3 Ultra is quick yet high-quality.

There’s good bed adhesion during printing from the sandblasted build plate. After printing, I was able to remove prints with ease. In fact, I found prints substantially simpler to remove from the build platform than with the Mars 2 or Mars 2 Pro.

As with most resin-based 3D printers, the Elegoo Mars 3 utilizes the ChiTuBox slicer. There’s a free version or a paid premium option. But there’s been a bit of controversy. Elegoo faced a backlash from the 3D printing community since the mainboard was locked to Chitubox and therefore incompatible with the Lychee slicer. However, in a statement, Elegoo revealed that Chitubox is releasing a software development kit that could provide a means of using the Lychee slicer with the Mars 3 Ultra.

Overall, the Mars 3 is a fantastic value at around $300. Budget-priced yet capable of delivering outstanding print quality, it’s hands-down the best resin 3D printer on the market.

Pros:

• 4K (4098 x 2560) 35-micron monochrome LCD screen
• Fast 1.5-3 second per layer curing times
• Front-facing USB port and front-located power button
• Decently-sized 143 x 90 x 165 mm build volume
• Good bed adhesion during printing, yet prints are easy to remove after printing
• Attractive, rounded profile
• Small footprint
• Easy to set up and level
• Uses the Chitubox slicer
• New COB for even light distribution
• Re-designed heatsink with 50% higher heat dissipation efficiency
• Extremely affordable

Cons:

• No built-in air filter
• Lacks a hinged acrylic hood
• Doesn’t have Wi-Fi for wireless printing
• Mainboard locked to Chitubox (but not Elegoo’s fault and Elegoo is seeking a solution for Lychee compatibility)

Elegoo Mars 3 Ultra Design and Build

The Elegoo Mars 3 retires from the boxy, rectangular design of the Elegoo Mars, Mars 2, and Mars 2 Pro in favor of a rounded printer. While the Mars 3 does look a bit more aerodynamic, its outward appearance changes are purely cosmetic and provide no performance-enhancing benefits. However, I did appreciate its slick, attractive design which looks beautiful in any maker space.

Gone are the acrylic hood’s rubber seal and a built-in air filter. Though these somewhat reduced VoCs in the air and slightly cut back on any resin smell, it’s still recommended to print in a well-ventilated area plus wear a mask. Therefore, these were nonissues for me.

The conveniently front-located USB port and power button make printing a breeze. Instead of the awkwardly-placed power button on the back of the unit, a front-facing pushbutton on/off switch is simple to reach. And the 3.5-inch touchscreen is extremely responsive. Though Elegoo once again passes up the opportunity to grace the Mars with Wi-Fi for wireless printing from networked computers or a Raspberry Pi running Octoprint, the USB host is a breeze to reach.

The 4K 4098 x 2560 resolution, 35-micron monochrome LCD screen means that prints will cure fast (thanks to a 1.5-3 second per layer printing speed) while looking gorgeous. Particularly with prints that feature fine details, the Elegoo Mars 3 really shines.

Its 43 x 90 x 165 mm build volume offers best-in-class size for a small resin 3D printer. Despite dimensions of 227 x 227 x 440 mm on the Mars 3, up ever so slightly from 200 x 200 x 400 mm on the Mars printers of yore, the Mars 3 Ultra grows where it counts. The build volume gets a bit bigger, as does its screen which expands from a 6.08-inch screen on the Mars 2 and 2 Pro to 6.6 inches on the Mars 3.

The resin vat is constructed of premium aluminum and sports a rounded design like the printer itself. While the Mars 2 Pro had a slide-in resin vat, the Mars 3 instead has a screw-in vat that plops on top of the LCD screen. The sandblasted build plate holds prints well during printing but doesn’t make it difficult to remove prints after printing.

New for the Mars 3, Elegoo uses a Chip-on-Board LED light source. Whereas the SMD LEDs on previous-generation Mars printers worked well enough, the COB light source adds a higher brightness or lumen output. This comes as a remarkable improvement for the resin curing process. Additionally, a re-designed heatsink is more efficient at heat dissipation.

Elegoo Mars 3 Slicer Software

As with many resin 3D printers, the Elegoo Mars 3 uses the ChiTuBox slicer. Moreover, Elegoo includes a free one-year subscription to ChiTuBox Pro. Although makers have accused Elegoo of attempting to lock people into a subscription, the free version of ChiTuBox works perfectly fine. I tested the Mars 3 with both ChiTuBox Pro and the free ChiTuBox tier and both worked flawlessly.

Disappointingly, the mainboard is locked to ChiTuBox. As a result, you can’t use the Lychee slicer with the Mars 3. But that’s not any fault of Elegoo’s. And in fact, Elegoo has been working to bring Lychee compatibility to its Mars 3 Ultra 3D printer. Still, I found the ChiTuBox slicer intuitive and simple to use.

Elegoo Mars 3 Ultra Print Quality

Print quality is where the Elegoo Mars 3 absolutely dominates. Fine details exhibit a noticeable clarity, even with the incremental upgrade from a 2K, 35-micron screen on the Mars 2 Pro to the Mars 3. The familiar rook chess pieces that Elegoo uses for test prints came out looking lovely.

I appreciated the smooth finish of the castles and the bold “Elegoo Mars” written across the base of the printed model. Even the tiny letters reading “Make: Resin Printer Torture Test” as the top of the rook came out crystal clear.

Similarly, I printed a Deadpool bust. The statue looked gorgeous. Everything from the contours of straps on Deadpool’s costume to the ridges of the grips on his swords was strikingly rendered.

Print quality is simply exceptional, and for fine details, it’s especially evident. Overall, details are more pronounced, even when compared with the still-great 2K, 50-micron resolution of the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro.

Recommended Accessories to Complement Your Elegoo Mars 3 Printer

For resin printing, post-processing is pretty involved. You’ll need to rinse prints off either in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) or water depending on which type of resin you’re using. Then, you’ll have to cure prints to let the resin fully harden. Elegoo offers its Mercury X washing and curing station bundle (our review) which is a must-have accessory for resin 3D printing. Featuring a large 8000ML sealed water tank along with a 360-degree rotating ultraviolet (UV) curing machine, the Mercury X Wash and Mercury X Cure stations are separate and thus you can wash and cure simultaneously. Because of the large water tank, you can actually fit in two Elegoo Mars build plates at a time, or one large Elegoo Saturn build platform.

Alternatively, you may consider the Elegoo Mercury Plus washing and curing machine. While it’s a bit smaller and more compact than the Mercury x washing and curing station, the Mercury Plus is one unit rather than two so it takes up less desk space. Still, because of its condensed footprint, it can’t fit the Elegoo Saturn’s build plate inside like the Mercury X wash & cure station.

The Competition – Other Great Resin 3D Printers to Consider

The Elegoo Mars 3 is arguably the best resin 3D printer on the planet. It’s affordable, features fast print speeds, and boasts incredible quality. Phrozen’s Sonic Mighty 4K sports a 4K, 35-micron screen but a substantially bigger print volume.

For an even bigger print volume of 192mm x 120mm x 200mm, the Elegoo Saturn is a solid choice that features a 4K 8.9-inch monochrome LCD screen with a 3840 x 2400 resolution.

If you don’t need a 4K screen and can get by with 2K, the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro is still an excellent 3D printer.

Should You Buy the Elegoo Mars 3 3D Printer?

If you’re in the market for a resin 3D printer, the Mars 3 is hands-down the best resin MSLA resin 3D printer for most people. It retains everything that made the original Mars, Mars 2, and Mars 2 Pro so wonderful, delivering top-notch print quality and fast print speeds. Small but noteworthy improvements like a 4K, 35-micron screen, better light source, and bigger build plate mean that you can print larger objects and at higher resolutions. For makers seeking a first resin-based 3D printer, the Mars 3 is the printer to get.

But what about upgrading? Is the Elegoo Mars 3 worth it if you already own an Elegoo Mars? For original Elegoo Mars owners, the answer is a resounding yes. Although the vanilla Mars is still a decent printer, the 4K resolution of the Mars 3 will result in significantly better-looking prints. Both the Mars and Mars 2 feature 2K, 47-micron screens. And the Mars 2 should be a solid upgrade, especially considering the 8 and 6 second layer curing times on the Mars and Mars Pro.

Yet, the Mars 2 Pro with its 2K, 50-micron screen and 1-2 second layer curing time might not be worth the upgrade to the Mars 3. If you need to have the latest and greatest printer, by all means upgrade. However, most Mars 2 Pro owners should be more than fine sticking with the 2 Pro.

Elegoo Mars 3 3D Printer Review – Final Thoughts

Ultimately, Elegoo has once again wowed with its value-packed printers. The Mars 3 makes a number of enhancements over the Mars 2 Pro which combine for a resin-based 3D printer that delivers fast, high-quality prints thanks to its 4K, 35-micron screen, a bigger build platform for the ability to produce larger prints, plus a modest price tag.