Elegoo Saturn S

The Elegoo Saturn S is the mid-cycle refresh of the original Saturn, released at the end of 2021: the screen grew from 8.9 to 9.1 inches, resolution went from 3840×2400 to 4098×2560, and a carbon air filter joined the box. It's discontinued now, with the Saturn 4 and Saturn 4 Ultra filling that slot. This was a cheap workhorse for minis and busts, not a record-setter.

Build volume is 196×122×210 mm at a 48 μm pixel, layers from 0.01 to 0.15 mm, and 30–70 mm/h. A 54-LED 405 nm matrix does the curing, with normal-layer exposure around 2–3 seconds. The Z axis runs on two linear guides at 0.00125 mm steps and the plate is sandblasted. Control is a 3.5-inch resistive touchscreen and files arrive by USB stick only — the Ethernet port from the first Saturn is gone.

Pros

• Two-bolt leveling that 3DWithUs calls the best it has used: five minutes to calibrate and a first print running half an hour after unboxing
• The built-in carbon filter genuinely cuts the smell — both the 3DWithUs review and long-term owner reports agree on this
• A 196×122×210 mm plate under $250 was one of the best volume-per-dollar deals on the market when it launched
• The 48 μm pixel leaves a clean surface on miniatures; 3DWithUs describes the prints as razor-sharp
• PFA film with lower peel force plus a sandblasted plate with strong adhesion means fewer prints tearing off mid-job
• Firmware includes a Tank Clean cycle that cures one sheet to sweep up debris after a failed print

Cons

• All3DP's timed tests never reproduced the speed gain Elegoo advertised, and the resolution step is token — 50 μm to 48 μm
• The Ethernet port from the first Saturn was dropped, leaving USB only, which annoyed owners upgrading from the original
• The panel ships without a protective film and the tall build platform is awkward to lift off — complaints from a month-long owner review
• Prints spanning the full plate tend to suction onto the film; one first-time owner logged three failures out of eight jobs

The Saturn S fits anyone who wants a large plate on a small budget: batches of tabletop minis, busts, scale-model parts and simple casting masters. Owners of the first Saturn have little reason to move across — the resolution difference is barely visible. For a new machine, look at the Saturn 4 or Saturn 4 Ultra with their 12K panels and tilting vats.

Bottom line: an honest middle-of-the-road machine for its era — big plate, painless calibration and a filter that works, in exchange for a very modest step up in resolution. On the used market it only makes sense well below the price of a new Saturn 4.

Reviews

• 3DWithUs — Elegoo Saturn S Review: Large Format 4K Resin 3D Printer (4.5/5)
• All3DP — Elegoo Saturn S Review: Hands-On Testing and Specs
• First Quadcopter — Elegoo Saturn S: Large 3D Prints at a Friendly Price