High resolution is important for detailed and well-defined prints, and this is true for any kind of printer.
Resin-based printers in particular are known for their high resolution, thanks to the tiny pixel size / laser size that cures the prints.
And just like television screens, resin printers are increasing in their resolution as time goes by, largely because for many resin-based printers, they actually have a small screen inside them, functioning as the light source.
So naturally, as screen resolution increases in normal screen technology, the resolution of screen-based resin printers follows suit.
This is particularly true for LCD-based resin printers.
Most of the low-cost resin printers on the market today use an LCD screen to project light into the resin vat, where the resin is cured layer by layer.
Defining “High Resolution”
But how high does the resolution have to be for a resin printer to be considered a high resolution 3D printer?
Well, just as a TV screen is considered HD (high definition) if it has a resolution of 720p, we can say that basically any resin based printer over 720p is HD, and high resolution, especially when compared to an FDM printer.
A typical budget resin printer will have a resolution 10x higher than the equivalently priced FDM printer.
But for the sake of this article, we will consider that any resin printer with a resolution above 4K is high resolution.
Until a couple of years ago, most printers had a resolution of between 1280×720 (720p) and 2560 x 1440 (2K) pixels.
But then 3840 x 2160 4K became the norm, and now we are seeing 8K LCD printers entering the market.
This will soon become the norm as screen prices drop, and in a few years, even they will become obsolete.
So when talking about high resolution resin printing, it is really quite relative to what is current at the time.
So, for this article, we will be taking a look at the best high resolution desktop resin printers, circa 2023!
Just to remind you, these printers have a resolution of over 4K, with one exception.
But more on the outlier later.
Resolution 101
Before we take a look at our list of the best high resolution desktop resin printers (of 2023), let’s just have a quick reminder on what we mean by the resolution, with regards to LCD-based resin printing.
This handy table below gives an overview of TV screen resolutions.
This is more or less true for resin printer screens, although some models deviate slightly.
The deviation is not huge.
| 720p | 1280 x 720 |
| 1080p | 1920 x 1080 |
| 2K | 2560 x 1440 |
| 4K | 3840 x 2160 |
| 8K | 7680 x 4320 |
In the old days, the screen was named in terms of the number of pixels along the height of the screen (for example, a 720p screen is 720 pixels high).
With modern naming conventions, the number before the K is basically the number of pixels along the width of the screen.
The pixel size is calculated as follows:
Width / X Axis = Height / Y Axis = Native Pixel Size
So take the width of the build platform and divide it by the number of pixels along the screen’s x-axis.
You can also divide the hight of the build platform by the number of pixels along the height (y-axis) of the screen.
This gives you the XY accuracy, aka horizontal resolution.
This is the smallest unit of the image being projected onto the resin.
The smaller the pixel size, the higher the detail that can be captured in the build.
On LCD systems, the horizontal resolution can affect the level of details.
Smaller is better.
And as you can see, the pixel size is a function of the actual screen size and the number of pixels in the x-axis.
So, simply looking at the resolution in terms of 4K or 6K is not the full story.
Because a big printer may have an 8K LCD, but the pixels will be larger.
Layer Height
Of course, there is a reason that we call them 3D printers, and that is because they print in three dimensions.
Just as the XY resolution is important, the z-axis resolution (layer height) is also important. A smaller layer height will give smoother prints, but will take longer.
Achieving a smooth surface finish when printing involves making a tradeoff between print speed and quality.
Opting for a larger layer height may result in faster printing times, but it can cause a noticeable stepped appearance, particularly on curved surfaces.
The tradeoff is also present when using resin printers, although the layer height used in resin printing is significantly smaller (10 times smaller, in fact), leading to a significant reduction in the stepping effect.
Now you understand the importance of resolution, let’s take a look at the best high resolution desktop resin printers.
Best High Resolution Resin Printers
Here are our top picks for high resolution printers.
For the reasons given in the preamble, we will list the screen resolution, the XY accuracy (pixel width) and the z-axis resolution (layer height).
Elegoo Saturn 2
First up is the Elegoo Saturn 2, which is our first 8K printer on the list.
The 8K (7680 x 4320 pixels) screen allows for miniscule detail to be perfectly printed, which results in an XY accuracy of just 28.5 microns.
That is very small, and is perfect for capturing tiny details. It features a Fresnel collimating light source consisting of 48 highly integrated UV LED lights that work with an FCL system Fresnel lens to emit a uniform light beam of 405 nm wavelength.
Specs
- Build area: 218.88 x 123.12 x 250 mm
- Layer height: 10-20 micron
- XY accuracy: 28.5 micron
- Screen: 8K resolution (7680 x 4320 pixels)
- Print speed: 70 mm/h
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- 8K printer for little money
- Good build size
- Activated carbon filter
Cons:
- Resin profiles are lacking
- Touchscreen is a little small for some
- USB is on the side rather than the front
Price
$549.99
Phrozen Sonic Mega 8K
The Phrozen Sonic Mega 8K is a HUGE LCD printer that boasts an impressive 8K resolution and a large 330 x 185 x 400 mm build size.
It features a 405nm ParaLED Matrix 3.0 light source and can achieve a maximum resolution of 43 µm.
The Phrozen Sonic Mega 8K offers a layer thickness range of 0.01-0.30 mm and can print at speeds of up to 70 mm/hr, making it a fast and efficient option for printing large, detailed models.
Its large build size, high resolution, and fast printing speeds make it an excellent choice for professionals and hobbyists alike.
If you’re looking for a big printer that can handle even the most complex and detailed prints, the Phrozen Sonic Mega 8K is definitely worth considering.
But take note…the Sonic Mini 8K has higher resolution. More on that later.
Specs
- Build area: 330 x 185 x 400 mm
- Layer height: 0.01-0.30 mm
- XY accuracy: 43 microns
- Screen: 8K resolution (7680 x 4320 pixels)
- Print speed: 70mm/ hour
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Big printer
- Fast
Cons:
- Price may be steep for some
Price
$2,199.99
Anycubic Photon M3 Max
The Anycubic Photon M3 Max is also a larger printer and comes with a build volume of 300 x 298 x 164 mm.
The M3 Max is the newest addition to the company’s Photon line of LCD resin printers. With a 13.6-inch 7K (6,480 x 3,600 pixels) monochrome screen with a horizontal accuracy of 46um.
This printer is compatible with a variety of resins, both from Anycubic and third-party manufacturers.
The printer features a parallel matrix of 84 LED lights, ensuring consistent and reliable illumination for every print.
One of the standout features of the Photon M3 Max is the Anycubic Auto Resin Filler system, which allows for smart resin filling, eliminating the need to stop the print mid-way to fill the resin.
The build plate is a laser-engraved platform, which provides a sturdy base for printing.
The printer has a print speed of ≤ 60 mm/hr, making it efficient and effective for printing large or complex projects.
Specs
- Build area: 300 x 298 x 164 mm.
- Layer height: 0.01 mm
- XY accuracy: 46 microns
- Screen: 7K resolution (6,480 x 3,600 pixels)
- Print speed: 60mm/ hour
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Big build volume
- Great price
Cons:
- Only 7K screen, but still great for the price
Price
$1099
Phrozen Sonic 8K Mini
Here we have the Sonic 8K Mini, which is the little brother of the huge Sonic 8K Mega, just to show you the difference in horizontal accuracy between two 8K printers from the same company.
You see, both are 8K in terms of the number of pixels crammed into the width of the screen, but the Mini has a much higher pixel resolution, because it has a higher pixel density on the smaller 7.1” LCD screen.
It has smaller pixels, and so it prints smaller objects but at a much higher level of detail.
The Phrozen Sonic 8K Mini has the best (smallest) pixel resolution on our list, and at 80 mm/hour print speed, it’s no slouch either.
Specs
- Build area: 165 x 72 x 180 mm
- Layer height: 0.01-0.30 mm
- XY accuracy: 22 microns
- Screen: 8K resolution (7500 X 3240 pixels)
- Print speed: 80mm/ hr
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Highest resolution
- Fast
- Reasonable price
- Cons:
- Small build volume
Price
$699.99
Anycubic Photon D2
Recall that we said most of our high resolution printers are over 4K, but there was an outlier.
The Anycubic Photon D2 is that outlier, and it is a worth addition to the list because unlike the others in this list, it is not an LCD printer, but a DLP printer.
While it has the equivalent of a 2K screen with its 2,560 x 1,440-pixel projector, it manages a pixel resolution of around 51 microns.
Thanks to optical trickery, this DLP printer is capable of printing extremely detailed features that are more detailed than an equivalent LCD screen.
One major benefit is the lack of light bleed that you find in LCD printers.
And because it is a DLP screen, the screen itself will last for around about 20,000 hours →10x higher than an LCD.
So if you’re doing a lot of resin printing, the money saved from this investment will pay for the machine several times over.
Specs
- Build area: 130.56 x 73.44 x 165mm
- Layer height: 10 microns
- XY accuracy: 51 microns
- DLP Projector: 2K resolution (2,560 x 1,440 pixels)
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- ≤20,000 hours screen life
- DLP technology
- Reduced light bleed
- Crisper prints
- Less heat
- Lower power consumption
Cons:
- Not the highest resolution on the list
Price
$579.00
Conclusion
So there you have it. From this article you should now understand how to calculate the pixel resolution, and therefore, the smallest feature size that can be printed.
As you can see from our comparisons, the number of pixels along the screen is not the most decisive factor in resolution of the prints, and you can see from the two Phrozen printers how two machines with an 8K screen can have vastly different print qualities.
If getting the finest detail is what motivates your purchase, then the Phrozen Sonic 8K Mini is the way to go, as long as you don’t mind taking a hit of print size.
If saving money over long term usage is your main driver, then you’re better off with the Anycubic Photon D2 DLP printer, because you will save a lot of cash not having to replace the screen every few hundred hours.
And of course, if print size is your thing, and you don’t mind paying a penalty of resolution, then we would recommend the Photon M3 Max or the Phrozen Sonic 8K Mega.
They are both fairly large machines, and have almost exactly the same XY accuracy. The question you must ask, is the extra 3 centimeters in build length worth paying an extra $1000+ for on the Phrozen Sonic 8K Mega?
Personally, while I was a fan of the 8K Mega, when looking at the XY accuracy of both machines, it is hard to justify spending an extra grand just for 3 cm on the x-axis.
Either way, we hope our guide has been useful, and as always, be sure to check our reviews from the online community before making a purchase.