The Mars 5 Ultra (entry) and Saturn 4 Ultra (professional) are a step-up decision within Elegoo's lineup: same ecosystem, different class of machine. Both are enclosed MSLA resin printers with automatic calibration. The Saturn 4 Ultra costs $356 more and gets you 183% more build volume and support for 8K Resin; the Mars 5 Ultra answers with support for Plant-Based Resin.
First-generation product — no release history to base predictions on
Best for: Miniature painters, hobby jewelers, and tabletop gamers who want 9K resin detail at an entry price — and who are prepared for the post-processing workflow of resin printing.
Full details →Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest
Best for: Miniature painters, jewelers, dental technicians, and designers who need micron-level detail that FDM printing cannot achieve — and who are prepared for the post-processing workflow of resin printing.
Full details →| Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra | Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting Price | ★ $293 | $649 |
| Print Specs | ||
| Tier | Entry | Professional |
| Motion | MSLA | MSLA |
| Build Volume | 153 × 77 × 165 mm | ★ 212 × 118 × 220 mm |
| Max Speed | — | — |
| Multicolor | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Enclosure | ✅ | ✅ |
| Auto Calibration | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open Source | ❌ | ❌ |
| Upgrade Kit | — | — |
| Buy Timing | ||
| Released | Sep 28, 2024 | Jan 23, 2025 |
| Cycle length | — | ~450 days |
| Cycle advice | Caution | Wait |
| Deals advice | Buy | Buy |
| Next model | — | — |
The Mars 5 Ultra was released on Sep 28, 2024, 775 days ago. It is a first-generation product, so there is no earlier cycle to predict its successor from.
The Saturn 4 Ultra was released on Jan 23, 2025, 658 days ago. Its previous release cycle ran about 450 days; it is now 208 days past that point and no successor has been announced.
On timing alone, the Mars 5 Ultra is the safer buy right now — it has no release history pointing to a successor yet, while the Saturn 4 Ultra is 208 days past its ~450-day cycle with no successor announced.
Cycle and deal status as of November 12, 2026. See the launch calendar →
The Mars 5 Ultra lists at $293 and the Saturn 4 Ultra at $649 — $356 apart, so the Saturn 4 Ultra costs 122% more.
Per litre of build volume, that works out to $151 for the Mars 5 Ultra versus $118 for the Saturn 4 Ultra — so the pricier Saturn 4 Ultra actually gives you more build space per dollar.
Our pick for most buyers is the Saturn 4 Ultra, for 183% more build volume and support for 8K Resin, plus a higher editor score (8.8 vs 8.3). Go for the Mars 5 Ultra instead if you want to spend less — it is $356 cheaper ($293 vs $649). One caveat: the Saturn 4 Ultra is 208 days past its ~450-day cycle with no successor announced, so check the launch calendar before you buy.
How we judge timing and deals: read our methodology →
The 9K monochrome LCD (18µm XY accuracy) delivers crisp miniature and jewelry detail at a price point that was prosumer territory two years ago.
Smart sensor-based auto-leveling removes the most frustrating part of entry resin ownership — manual bed tramming is eliminated.
The tilt-release mechanism combined with a fast-curing monochrome LCD enables 150 mm/hr — completing small miniature batches in 30–60 minutes.
The Saturn 4 Ultra 16K's 16K LCD delivers detail that FDM printers cannot match — ideal for miniatures, jewelry masters, and precision engineering prototypes.
Monochrome LCD screens cure resin in 1-3 seconds per layer, dramatically faster than older RGB screens.
212×118×220 mm is large for a resin printer — enabling batch printing of miniatures or larger single-piece models.