The best 3D printer for miniatures is a monochrome LCD resin printer with a pixel size of about 20 microns or finer. On maker specs the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra ($279, 18 micron pixels) is the balanced pick, the Mars 5 ($179) the budget one, and the Saturn 4 Ultra 16K ($499) the choice for printing many figures at once.
Best 3D printers for miniatures at a glance
All figures come from the makers' own US store pages, read on 2026-10-19, in US dollars. Prices include the sale price shown that day and change often. Pixel size is the XY resolution the maker lists.
| Printer | Price (USD) | XY pixel size | Build volume (mm) | Plate area | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elegoo Mars 5 | $179.00 (was $225.00) | 35 microns (4098 x 2560) | 143.43 x 89.6 x 150 | about 128 cm2 | Lowest entry price |
| Anycubic Photon Mono 4 | $240.00 | 17 x 17 microns | 153.4 x 87 x 165 | about 133 cm2 | Fine pixels for the money |
| Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra | $279.00 (was $338.00) | 18 microns (8520 x 4320) | 153.36 x 77.76 x 165 | about 119 cm2 | Balanced detail and speed |
| Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K | $499.00 (was $649.99) | 14 x 19 microns (15120 x 6230) | 211.68 x 118.37 x 220 | about 251 cm2 | Batches and large figures |
Plate area is our arithmetic from the listed width and depth, to show how much flat space there is for bases. These are desk-research picks from published specifications. None of these printers was used by us, so the table says nothing about real print quality, reliability or noise.
What makes a good 3D printer for miniatures?
A good miniatures printer resolves fine detail, holds a small figure reliably on the plate and has enough area to print several at once. Resin (MSLA) printers suit this because the image on the screen sets the detail, not a nozzle. A typical FDM nozzle is 0.4 mm wide, which is 400 microns, while the printers above list pixels of 14 to 35 microns. That arithmetic is why FDM versus resin usually ends in resin for figures. Look for these things:
- Pixel size. Smaller means finer surface detail in the XY plane. Below about 20 microns is the current high end for consumer machines; 35 microns is the entry level.
- Monochrome LCD. Three of the four list a mono LCD screen and the Photon Mono 4 is named for one; check the listing for the screen type before you buy.
- Layer height range. Elegoo lists 0.01 to 0.2 mm for the Mars 5 and Mars 5 Ultra and Anycubic lists 0.03 to 0.15 mm for the Photon Mono 4. For figures, thinner layers hide stepping on curved surfaces but take longer.
- Plate area. A 28 to 32 mm tabletop figure sits on a base of about that width. More plate means more figures per run, and the Saturn 4 Ultra 16K has about double the area of the others.
- Setup help. Elegoo lists automatic leveling on the Mars 5 and a self-check and auto leveling feature on the Mars 5 Ultra; check the listing for the model you pick.
- Wash and cure. None of these includes a full washing and curing set-up in the listing we read. Budget for one: see how to wash and cure resin prints.
Which resin printer is best for miniatures?
On specifications, the Mars 5 Ultra is the best all-round pick for most people printing tabletop figures, because 18 micron pixels are close to the finest detail on this list at a mid price. The other three suit narrower cases.
Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra: best all-round
Elegoo lists a 7-inch 9K mono LCD (8520 x 4320), 18 micron XY resolution, a maximum speed of 150 mm/h and a build volume of 153.36 x 77.76 x 165 mm at $279.00 on 2026-10-19 (struck through from $338.00). The plate is the narrowest here, about 78 mm deep, so wide bases need planning. Downside: less plate area than the Photon Mono 4 despite the higher price.
Anycubic Photon Mono 4: best fine pixels at a lower price
Anycubic lists 17 x 17 micron X/Y precision, a 153.4 x 87 x 165 mm volume (2.2 L), a 0.03 to 0.15 mm layer height range and $240.00 on 2026-10-19. It also lists an activated carbon air purifier as a feature. Anycubic shows speed as up to 50 mm/h on standard resin and 70 mm/h on high-speed resin at 0.1 mm layers, slower than the Mars 5 Ultra's headline 150 mm/h, though the makers state their speeds under different conditions. Downside: a shorter layer range at the thin end than the Elegoo listings.
Elegoo Mars 5: best for the lowest price
Elegoo lists a 6.6-inch 4K mono LCD, 35 micron resolution, up to 70 mm/h and a 143.43 x 89.6 x 150 mm volume at $179.00 on 2026-10-19 (struck through from $225.00). It is the cheapest way into resin figures in this table, with pixels about twice the size of the 17 and 18 micron models. Downside: the coarsest pixels on this list, which may show on very small faces and fine edges.
Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K: best for batches and large figures
Elegoo lists a 10-inch 16K mono LCD (15120 x 6230, 14 x 19 microns), a 211.68 x 118.37 x 220 mm volume and 150 mm/h at $499.00 on 2026-10-19 (struck through from $649.99). It has the biggest plate by far and Elegoo advertises a tank heating system that holds resin at 30 degrees C. Downside: the price is nearly double the Mars 5 Ultra's, and most hobby figures do not need the extra area. Read the Saturn 4 Ultra first look for more.
What else do you need to print miniatures?
- Resin. Elegoo Standard Resin was $18.99 for 1 kg (V1.0) and $19.99 (V2.0) on 2026-10-19. For a rinse-in-water workflow, see water washable resin; for other families, types of 3D printer resin.
- Cleaning liquid and containers. What to use to clean resin prints covers IPA and alternatives.
- Safety kit and a ventilated space. Gloves, eye protection and ventilation are covered in resin 3D printing safety.
- A plan for waste. See how to dispose of 3D printer resin.
Resin figures also demand good supports and orientation, which no spec sheet reveals. If prints fail or details go missing, fixing failed resin prints lists the usual causes.
How to choose between them
- Set a budget. Under $200 only the Mars 5 in this list qualifies; $240 to $280 buys 17 to 18 micron pixels.
- Decide on batch size. If you paint armies, plate area matters more than another micron of pixel size.
- Check the listing again. Listed prices sat $12 to about $151 below the struck-through prices that day, so confirm the price and what the bundle includes before you pay.
- Think about the whole workflow. The printer is one part of the cost; the broader field is in best resin 3D printers.
What this page does not tell you. It compares published specifications. Pixel size is one factor among exposure settings, resin, supports and orientation, and a lower number is not a guarantee of better figures. Maker speed and feature claims are the makers' own.
