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Anycubic Photon Mono 4 vs ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra
Today the cheapest Anycubic Photon Mono 4 listing is £189.99 and the cheapest ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra listing is £269.99. For ease of use the Anycubic Photon Mono 4 scores 1/10 and the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra 6/10, and on our reliability indicator they score 5.8/10 and 5.6/10. Build volume is 153.4 × 87 × 165 mm against 153 × 78 × 165 mm.
Where these figures come from. We have not bench-tested these printers. Everything here is taken from our two reviews, which are desk research, and from the prices and buyer ratings this site tracks. Both scores are calculated from published inputs.
| Anycubic Photon Mono 4 | ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest today | £189.99 | £269.99 |
| Ease of use | 1/10 | 6/10 |
| Technical difficulty | High | Medium |
| Reliability indicator | 5.8/10 | 5.6/10 |
| Amazon buyer rating | 4.1 out of 5 (103 Amazon ratings) | 4.2 out of 5 (95 Amazon ratings) |
| Type | Resin (MSLA) | Resin (MSLA) |
| Screen | 7-inch mono LCD, 10K (9024 × 5120) | 7-inch mono LCD, 9K (8520 × 4320) |
| XY resolution | 17 × 17 µm | 18 µm |
| Build volume | 153.4 × 87 × 165 mm | 153 × 78 × 165 mm |
| Max speed | 70 mm/h | 150 mm/h |
| Levelling | Manual, four-point | Automatic |
| Connectivity | USB | Wi-Fi |
| On sale since | 2024 | 2024 |
| Best for | Miniature painters and model makers who want maximum detail for the money and are comfortable with a hands-on, gloves-on workflow. | Newcomers to resin who want miniature-level detail with as few manual steps as possible. |
| Not for | You want tough practical parts, a mess-free hobby, or a printer children can use. | You will print in a cold garage without adding a heater, or want tall or large parts. |
Verdict: Anycubic Photon Mono 4 or ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra?
- Cheaper today: Anycubic Photon Mono 4, by £80.00
- Easier to use: ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra, 6/10 against 1/10
- Higher reliability indicator: Anycubic Photon Mono 4, 5.8/10 against 5.6/10
- Larger build volume: Anycubic Photon Mono 4, about 2.2 litres against 2.0
Anycubic Photon Mono 4
A very sharp, very affordable way into resin printing, with a 10K screen that resolves 17 µm detail. It is basic, though: levelling is manual, files go by USB, and every print needs washing and curing, which is why its ease-of-use score is low.
ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra
A compact resin printer that removes most of the manual steps: it levels itself, watches prints with an AI camera, warns about low resin and takes files over Wi-Fi. It has no vat heating or filter as standard, and its 165 mm height limits taller models.
Questions people ask
Is the Anycubic Photon Mono 4 or the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra cheaper in the UK?
The Anycubic Photon Mono 4 is cheaper than the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra on Amazon UK in November 2026: its cheapest listing tracked by 3D Printer Deals costs 189.99 pounds, against 269.99 pounds for the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra, a difference of 80.00 pounds. Both are sold in several versions and bundles, and these are the cheapest new listings of each in stock.
Is the Anycubic Photon Mono 4 easier to use than the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra?
No, the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra is easier to use than the Anycubic Photon Mono 4: it scores 6 out of 10 on the 3D Printer Deals ease-of-use checklist, against 1 out of 10 for the Anycubic Photon Mono 4. The checklist counts the features that decide how much of your time a printer takes, such as arriving assembled and levelling itself, each checked against the manufacturer's specifications.
Does the Anycubic Photon Mono 4 or the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra have the larger build volume?
The Anycubic Photon Mono 4 has the larger build volume: 153.4 × 87 × 165 mm, about 2.2 litres, against 153 × 78 × 165 mm, about 2.0 litres, for the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra.
Is the Anycubic Photon Mono 4 or the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra more reliable?
The Anycubic Photon Mono 4 has the higher reliability indicator on 3D Printer Deals in November 2026: 5.8 out of 10, against 5.6 for the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra. The indicator is built from Amazon buyer ratings, review volume and years on sale, minus documented issues. It is not a measured failure rate.