Early Verdict
I want to try printing terrain and a prop before putting a score on this printer, but so far, my impressions have been incredibly positive. This is potentially a five-star machine.
Pros
- +
Incredible accuracy and detail
- +
Professional-grade results when paired with 8K resin
- +
Tilt-release system
- +
Heated vat
- +
Hinged lid
- +
AI camera
Cons
- -
No built-in filtration
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I was starting to think that we were reaching a point of diminishing returns where resolution was concerned, but then I tried the Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K. I mean good lord. When I paired it with an 8K resin, it produced models with a level of detail that felt like they'd come from Games Workshop, Steamforged, or Modiphius.
Is it worth ignoring the competition and opting for the Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K, then? Is it good enough to get instead of the cheaper – yet still excellent – Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra? Yes, honestly. The upgraded 16K version provides the same benefits, but with added crispness for your models. It's not all that much more expensive either.
Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K features & design
Price | $623.99 / £556.24 |
Printer type | Resin |
Resolution | 16K (15120 × 6230) |
Build volume | 211.68 × 118.37 × 220mm |
Speed | MAX 150mm/h |
Screen | 10-Inch 16K Mono LCD |
Build plate | Laser engraved |
Leveling | Automatic |
Connections | USB-A & Wi-Fi |
- Produces ultra-high resolution 16K models
- Tilt-release and heated vat
- Same design as the Saturn 4 Ultra
This machine is a tricked-out version of the Saturn 4 Ultra, which means it offers the same revolutionary tilt-release mechanism to speed up projects, an AI camera for snooping on your work-in-progress (now with a built-in light), a heated resin vat for use in colder temperatures, auto-leveling, a hinged lid, and the promise of being plug-'n'-play. Where it differs is the resolution.
Unlike its predecessor, and as the name would suggest, the Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K packs a 10-inch 16K LCD screen (or 15120 × 6230, if you want to be exact) for ultra-high resolution models. When used on miniatures by the likes of Cast 'N Play or Loot Studios, the team behind Malediction, the results should be crisper and more precise.
In terms of design, the 16K mimics that Saturn 4 Ultra aesthetic without any major change beyond a light on top of the AI camera. That means it rolls up to the joint with a classy black color-scheme broken up by white, sci-fi hatching. I'm still a big fan of this, and it's much sleeker than the entry-level Saturn 4's green colorway.
Performance
- Absurdly high-detail miniatures
- Tilt release is a great addition
- Very user-friendly overall
If you've not dabbled with Elegoo's printers before, you're in for a treat. Besides being very easy to use, the new tilt-release system introduced in 2024 speeds up production by a significant amount. Whereas most printers have to retract by pulling away vertically from the FEP film, this one simply tilts and starts the next layer right away. This saves a lot of time, and while the results might not blow experienced hobbyists' minds (3D printers have been increasing in speed drastically over the last few years, particularly thanks to high speed resins), it's the kind of feature I can see being adopted across the industry because it's so much more efficient.
The quality of prints is something else, too. We've seen high-resolution printers before, but when combined with the right resin (I used the 8K stuff that was supplied with the machine), your models will look pretty jaw-dropping. There's a crispness and level of detail here that I'm not sure I've experienced. If you plonked a model made with this machine in front of me and said it was made in hard plastic by Warhammer or something similar, I'd believe you. That's the level we're at here.
It's generally user-friendly as well. For starters, that hinged lid is so much better than the usual lift-off boxes we get. The machine doesn't take up loads of room either despite a generous build volume, and the addition of a light to the AI camera feels like a no-brainer improvement over the Saturn 4 Ultra.
It's not perfect by any means, and its "print out of the box" functionality isn't bulletproof. I had some issues with projects not always adhering to the build plate, for example. However, this could be down to user error (I'd like to do a few extra prints to find out), and I think it'll be easily solved through trial and error tests.
My only criticism is that it still doesn't include air-filtration. I know this would increase the price, but I honestly feel it's a worthy addition.
Should you buy the Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K?
If you want the highest quality prints and are eager to avoid the faff of leveling or making sure your resin is at the perfect temperature, the Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K is a bargain. It makes some of the best-looking miniatures I've ever seen, is accessible for both newcomers and hobbyists alike, and improves on an already-great design.
Would I say to get it instead of the already-good Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra? If money's tight and you can get the cheaper machine as part of a deal, perhaps not – but if you're able to stretch the pennies a little further, or are happy for the 16K to come down in price, yes. It has all the same benefits, and more.
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
How we tested the Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K
I spent a couple of weeks printing off a variety of models for the Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K, ranging from smaller miniatures to larger monsters. I felt that this would put the machine's versatility to the test with real-world applications.
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