Top Picks - Resin Printers 2022

2022 is the year of resolution. It's never been cheaper to print incredibly detailed prints for your builds.
 
 
 
Whether you are looking to buy your first 3D printer or upgrade to a newer machine, the following article will direct you to exactly the printer for you. 2022 has brought a ton of new resin 3D printers to the market with ever-increasing resolutions and screen sizes.
 
Wading through all of the specifications can be confusing, so this article takes the hassle out of buying a printer. The following printers are our top 6 picks for resin 3D printers for model car and truck 3D printing.
 
Model car and truck builders want a printer that will deliver extremely sharp detail and a quality surface finish. Hassle-free printing and print size are two other important considerations.
 
If you're looking for a new 3D printer for your model car and truck builds, look no further than our updated Resin 3D Printer Recommendations for Model Car and Truck 3D Printing:
Top-Dog - Print Full 1/24 Bodies
Anycubic Photon M3 Plus
  • Anycubic M3 Plus - $829.00  $449.00 (Amazon US with Prime), $439 (Anycubic.com)
    Our top 2022 pick for large-scale resin 3D printers is the brand new Anycubic Photon M3 Plus. With a new 9.25 inch diagonal, 6K screen, the M3 plus combines a large print volume with ultra-sharp 34 micron resolution for stunning detail. The printer's size should be enough to print most 1:24 scale bodies in 1 piece. Anycubic's Lighturbo technology makes for fast printing with even light distribution.

     

    The icing on the cake? The M3 plus offers smart automatic resin filling, meaning on those truly massive prints, you don't need to worry about the resin vat running dry. The M3 Plus is the first sub-$1200 printer to offer this functionality.

  • Pros:
    Large print volume
    6k resolution
    Automatic resin filling
    Fast printing and consistent light from Lighturbo LCD array
  • Cons:
    No Chitubox support

Elegoo Saturn
  • Elegoo Saturn $439.99- (Amazon US)
    On our list 2 years running, this printer combines an 8.9" 4k screen with impressive build height that allows you to print big! Even full 1/24 scale car bodies are possible on the Saturn.
     
    Excellent build quality and reliable and fast mono screen make this our top pick for large printers.
  • Pros:
    Fast print speeds
    Excellent build quality
    Large print area
  • Cons:
    More expensive than smaller printers
    Takes up a lot of space
    May not be best for beginners
Powerful Mid-range Printers
Anycubic Photon M3
  • Anycubic Photon M3 - $319.99 (Amazon US)
    Anycubic's new Photon M3 lineup offers big specs at reasonable prices. The "baby" of the M3 line, the base M3 is not small at all. In fact, its 7.6 inch screen is a full inch larger diagonally than the competing Mars 3. The 4k screen delivers a pixel resolution of 40 microns. While slightly lower resolution than the Mars 3, the 400:1 contrast ratio of the M3 should more than make up for that in real-world printing. The only downside we see to Anycubic's new "entry-level" printer is the lack of Chitubox support, but hey - it does work with Lychee which many people say is the better slicer anyway.
  • Pros:
    Class-leading build volume
    Very fast prints
    Budget friendly price
  • Cons:
    No Chitubox support

Elegoo Mars 3
  • Elegoo Mars 3 - $329.99 (Amazon US)
    Solidly-built and possessing the best fit and finish in its class, the latest Mars iteration also boasts a 6.66 inch 4K screen that's over 1/2 inch larger and 30 percent sharper than the Mars 2 Pro. Elegoo also knocked it out of the park on the Mars 3's design, including such creature comforts as a front-mounted USB and power button.
  • Pros:
    35 micron resolution for ultra-high detail
    Fast printing
    Ships standard with nFEP film for improved performance
    Top-notch customer support
  • Cons:
    Screen size a little smaller than Photon M3
    Lacks the WiFi connectivity seen on some rivals
Budget-Friendly - Sub-$250
Elegoo Mars 2 Pro
  • Elegoo Mars 2 Pro - $249.99 (Amazon US) $199.99 with Coupon - Be sure to check the coupon box below the price!
    Solidly-built and backed by a huge community of users, the Mars 2 Pro offers sharp 2k resolution and a sizeable print volume of 5.08" (W) x 3.15" (D) x 6.30" (H). Carbon filtration cuts down on resin odor. The print volume of the Mars 2 Pro allows for larger parts to be printed, including some full car bodies. The mono screen offers long life and blazing-fast print speeds. One thing the Mars 2 Pro lacks is a glass screen protector (it has a plastic one instead), but careful use will prevent scratches.
  • Pros:
    Sharp detail
    Very fast prints
    Ships with replacement FEP films
    Huge community of users
  • Cons:
    Not 4k resolution
    No glass screen protector

Anycubic Photon Mono 4K
  • Anycubic Photon Mono 4K -
     
    $249.99 (Amazon US) $209.99 with Available Coupon - Be sure to check the coupon box below the price!
    -or-
    $199 Direct from Anycubic!
     
    A high-resolution, high-contrast 4K screen, plus a parallel LED array light source gives the Photon Mono 4K exceptional capabilities. All this tech means very fine detail and high dimensional accuracy in a budget-friendly package. Where the Mono 4K loses points is fit and finish (it lacks the refinement and solid feel of the Mars 2 Pro) and in compatibility (users must either use the proprietary Anycubic Photon Workshop software or Lychee - Chitubox does not support the current lineup of Anycubic printers.)
  • Pros:
    4K on a budget
    Fast print speeds
    Solid reputation for building quality machines
  • Cons:
    No Chitubox support means learning a new slicer for many
    Somewhat downmarket look and feel compared to the Mars 2 Pro
     
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