3D Printing InfoPrinter comparison
ELEGOO Mars 5 vs Original Prusa MINI+
Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ELEGOO Mars 5 comparisonsMore Original Prusa MINI+ comparisons
| Property | ELEGOO Mars 5RESIN | Original Prusa MINI+BEDSLINGER |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Brand | ELEGOO | Prusa Research |
| Class | RESIN | BEDSLINGER |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first) | ELEGOO Mars 5. Elegoo's own product handle spells the configuration out: mars-5-4k-6-6inch-monochrome-lcd-resin-3d-printer[1][2][3] | Original Prusa MINI+ Semi-assembled 3D Printer[4] |
| Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry) | $179.00 on us.elegoo.com against a $225.00 compare-at price (20% off), in stock, checked Aug 2026. The live product feed shows the same $179.00[2][3] | $508.33 on prusa3d.com, Aug 2026[5] |
| Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk) | Sold beside the Mars 5 Ultra, which is a materially different machine: 7-inch 9K masking LCD vs 6.6-inch 4K, 18 um vs 35 um pixels, 150 vs 70 mm/h, a 4.0-inch capacitive control screen vs 3.5-inch resistive, and Wi-Fi (the plain Mars 5 is USB only). Elegoo lists ten further Mars 5 / Mars 5 Ultra bundle SKUs pairing the printers with Mercury wash-and-cure stations at $302-$432; those are not printer prices[1][6][2][3] | Sold semi-assembled and, historically, as a kit; also offered in an Enclosure Bundle. Distinguish from the larger i3-family machines - the MINI+ is Bowden-fed with 2209 drivers, a 280 C nozzle ceiling and a 100 C bed, all lower than the MK3S+/MK4S. Note that Prusa's own MINI+ page carries an "Awards & Press Reviews" paragraph that is entirely about the MK3S, not the MINI+[4][7] |
| Physical & Frame | ||
| Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable | 143.43 x 89.6 x 150 mm[1] | 180 x 180 x 180 mm (manufacturer figure)[4] |
| Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang) | 230 x 230 x 433.5 mm[1] | 380 x 330 x 380 mm (X x Y x Z), stated without the spool holder and external PSU - the external PSU brick needs additional desk space[4] |
| Net weight (kg) | Approximately 6.6 kg[1] | 4.5 kg without spool holder and external PSU[4] |
| Frame construction & material | Metal frame with adjustable foot pads[1] | Not documented |
| Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lid | Open-frame MSLA with a removable UV-blocking cover[1] | Open frame; sold with an optional Enclosure bundle[4] |
| Kinematics & Motion Hardware | ||
| Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other) | MSLA — UV LCD masked stereolithography. Single Z axis, build plate lifting straight out of the vat (no tilt-release on this model, unlike the Mars 5 Ultra)[1][6] | Not documented |
| Stepper drivers (exact model e.g. TMC2209; UART/SPI; sensorless homing?) | Not documented | Trinamic 2209 silent stepper drivers, with sensorless homing on the X and Y axes[4] |
| Extruder | ||
| Type (direct drive / bowden) & design name | Not documented | Bowden extruder with 3:1 gearing - the only current Prusa FFF machine that is not direct drive[4] |
| Gear ratio & drive gear material | Not documented | 3:1 extruder gearing[4] |
| Hotend & Nozzle | ||
| Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values) | Not documented | 280 C claimed max nozzle temperature - lower than the 290-300 C of the i3-family machines[4] |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit | Not documented | 100 C max heatbed temperature[4] |
| Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sided | Laser-engraved build plate with a quick-release design[1] | Removable magnetic steel sheets in several surface finishes; heatbed with cold-corner compensation[4] |
| Leveling & Z-Offset | ||
| Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe) | Automatic levelling, one click. An intelligent mechanical sensor detects resin residue to prevent LCD damage[1] | SuperPINDA inductive probe with no temperature drift, driving automatic mesh bed levelling[4] |
| Electronics & Power | ||
| Mainboard model & MCU (exact chip markings if teardowns exist) | Not documented | Custom 32-bit board of Prusa's Buddy family; the MINI/MINI+ is covered by the same Prusa-Firmware-Buddy source tree as the MK4, XL and CORE One. The exact board revision is not given on the product page[4][8] |
| Input voltage (110/220 V, switch or auto) | 100-240 V, 50/60 Hz, 24 V 3 A[1] | Not documented |
| Firmware & Openness | ||
| Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary) | Not named by Elegoo. Supported slicers are Voxeldance Tango and CHITUBOX; STL and OBJ accepted[1] | Open-source Prusa Buddy firmware. The source tree (prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware-Buddy on GitHub) explicitly covers the Original Prusa MINI/MINI+, MK4, XL and CORE One and was last pushed to in August 2026. Updates are applied from a USB drive, through Prusa Connect or through the Prusa mobile app[8][9] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| Display: size, type, touch? | 3.5-inch resistive touchscreen (control panel — not the masking LCD, see W1)[1] | 2.8-inch 65k-colour graphic screen with G-code preview[4] |
| On-device UI capabilities (model preview, per-object controls, etc.) | Not documented | On-device colour UI with G-code preview; remote print management through Prusa Connect[4] |
| WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-drive | USB only — no Wi-Fi on this model[1] | USB port, RJ-45 Ethernet, optional ESP Wi-Fi module (sold separately); compatible with Prusa Connect[4] |
| Calibration Routines & QoL | ||
| Assembly level & time from unbox to first print | Not documented | Semi-assembled: Prusa ships it in a small number of pre-built sections; also historically sold as a full kit[4] |
| Materials Support | ||
| Officially supported filament list | 405 nm photopolymer resin. Elegoo does not publish a resin compatibility list on this listing[1] | PLA, PETG, ASA, ABS, PC, CPE, PVA/BVOH, PVB, HIPS, PP, Flex, nGen, Nylon, Woodfill and other filled materials (Prusa's own list; the 100 C bed and open frame are the practical limit for ABS/ASA)[4] |
| Safety | ||
| Thermal runaway protection (verify in firmware source if at all possible) | Not documented | Three thermistors and fan RPM sensors are fitted, and the firmware is open-source and auditable (Prusa-Firmware-Buddy); Prusa does not describe the thermal-runaway implementation on the product page[4][8] |
| Firmware safety limits (max temp cutoffs — exact values) | Intelligent overheating protection stops printing above 80 °C[1] | Not documented |
| Reliability, Support & Ecosystem | ||
| Warranty length & support reputation (evidence, not vibes) | Not documented | 2-year warranty for consumers in the EU, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland; 1 year for EU enterprises and 1 year for the rest of the world, which includes the United States. A printer bought from a reseller or privately carries 1 year from the original delivery date and is handled by the reseller. Prusa advertises 24/7 chat and e-mail support in seven languages[10][9] |
| Resin & MSLA | ||
| Masking LCD | 6.6-inch 4K monochrome masking LCD, 4098 x 2560 px, XY pixel pitch 35 x 35 um (manufacturer specification)[1][3] | Not documented |
| Light source | COB LED at 405 nm. Elegoo does not publish an LED count or collimating optics for this model[1] | Not documented |
| Vertical print speedmm/h | 70 mm/h maximum (manufacturer claim). Elegoo does not state the layer height or resin type the figure assumes[1] | Not documented |
| Release film | PFA film with a non-stick surface. No rated life published[1] | Not documented |
| Resin vat & feeding | Replaceable resin tank with two pouring openings and screw caps. An intelligent mechanical sensor detects resin residue in the vat. Capacity not published; no auto-refill[1] | Not documented |
| Fume extraction | None fitted. Elegoo states compatibility with the separately sold MARS MATE air purifier for odour reduction[1] | Not documented |
Manufacturer claims, independent measurements, packages and test conditions retain their source wording. FDM linear speed and resin vertical speed use different units and are not directly comparable. Unknown values are marked “Not documented”. Prices and source dates remain historical snapshots; check the linked guide for product details. Differences highlight text, not a universal winner.
Sources for this comparison
- Elegoo Mars 5 product page (technical data and description) 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- ELEGOO Mars 5 Series collection (live US prices) us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- ELEGOO Mars 5 Series live product feed us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Original Prusa MINI+ Semi-assembled 3D Printer product page (Technical Parameters + Full Features List, January 2025 Edition) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Prusa 3D printers category listing with live e-shop prices, Aug 2026 prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra product page (technical data and description) 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ 10th Anniversary Edition product page (Technical Parameters + Full Features List) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- GitHub - prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware-Buddy (firmware for MINI, MK4, XL and CORE One) github.com · 2026-08 · doc
- Original Prusa MK4S 3D Printer product page (Technical Parameters + CORE One+/MK4S/XL comparison table) prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Prusa Knowledge Base - Warranty help.prusa3d.com · 2026-08 · doc