3D Printing InfoPrinter comparison
ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra 16K vs QIDI Q1 Pro
Compare hardware, build volume, printing specifications, dated prices and sources.
2 selected · all documented properties
Open these two in the interactive comparisonMore ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra 16K comparisonsMore QIDI Q1 Pro comparisons
| Property | ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra 16KRESIN | QIDI Q1 ProCOREXY |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Brand | ELEGOO | QIDI |
| Class | RESIN | COREXY |
| Identity & Market | ||
| Manufacturer & exact marketed model name (verify the exact product identity first) | Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K. Elegoo's product handle is saturn-4-ultra-16k-10inch-monochrome-lcd-resin-3d-printer. 3DJake item number ELG-50.101.038300[1][2] | QIDI Q1 Pro, listed by QIDI as "Q1 Pro 3D Printer". QIDI traded as Qidi Tech until end-2024[3] |
| Release date (announcement and actual shipping) | Not documented | Not stated on QIDI's own product page; the page now carries a discontinuation notice instead of a launch date (checked Aug 2026)[3][4] |
| Street price (USD; dated snapshot per entry) | $649.99 in us.elegoo.com's live Shopify product JSON, in stock, with compare_at_price also $649.99 — no discount active at the time of checking (Aug 2026)[2] | $499.00 on both qidi3d.com and us.qidi3d.com, checked Aug 2026 — but the listing is marked Sold Out and the page states "This model has been discontinued". qidi3d.com shows it against a $599.00 regular price; the US store shows compare-at $499.00[3][4] |
| Variants & sibling models — and how to tell them apart (spec-contamination risk) | Distinct from the earlier Saturn 4 Ultra (12K); the 16K carries a 15120 x 6230 masking LCD with 14 x 19 um pixels. Elegoo also sells it bundled with a Mercury Plus V2.0 wash/cure station and as a pre-owned SKU, neither of which is the printer-only price[1][2] | Succeeded by the QIDI Q2, which QIDI's own comparison on the Q1 Pro page distinguishes as 270x270x256 mm (vs 245x245x240), 370 °C hotend (vs 350 °C) and 65 °C chamber (vs 60 °C). Do not read Q2 figures onto the Q1 Pro[3][4] |
| Market position: superseded? successor announced? | Not documented | Discontinued and out of production; QIDI states spare parts and support for existing owners remain available. Replaced by the Q2[3][4] |
| Physical & Frame | ||
| Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable | 211.68 x 118.37 x 220 mm[1] | 245 x 245 x 240 mm advertised (QIDI). No independently measured usable envelope found[3][5] |
| Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang) | 327.4 x 329.2 x 548 mm[1] | 477 x 467 x 489 mm machine dimensions (QIDI)[3][5] |
| Net weight (kg) | Not documented | 17 kg net, 20.3 kg gross (QIDI). 3DJake lists the 20.3 kg figure as gross weight[3][5] |
| Frame construction & material | Metal housing with a flip-up cover and a drip guard[1] | Metal CoreXY motion frame with panelled enclosure; QIDI publishes no frame-material breakdown for this model[3] |
| Enclosure: open / enclosed; panel material; door/lid | Flip-up lid (Elegoo's own naming) over an open frame; UV-blocking cover[1] | Fully enclosed with independent chamber heating to 60 °C; QIDI does not publish the panel materials for this model[3][5] |
| Passive chamber temperature reached (if enclosed; measured values preferred) | Not documented | 60 °C, actively heated (manufacturer claim — this is a heater setpoint, not a measured passive figure)[3][5] |
| Kinematics & Motion Hardware | ||
| Kinematics (bedslinger i3 / CoreXY / other) | MSLA with tilt-release: the vat tilts to peel each layer rather than pulling straight up. Elegoo claims the mechanism cuts curing time by 25%. Single Z axis, Z precision 0.02 mm[1] | CoreXY[5] |
| X-axis guide type (rods / linear rails / V-wheels; size) | Not documented | 10 mm linear steel rods with automatically tensioned belt (manufacturer description)[5] |
| Z-axis: leadscrew count & type, sync mechanism, anti-backlash | Not documented | Independent dual Z lead-screw motors[5] |
| Speed & Acceleration | ||
| Max print speed (claimed, mm/s) | Not documented | 600 mm/s, worded by QIDI as maximum tool-head speed (manufacturer claim, not a sustained printing speed)[3][5] |
| Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²) | Not documented | <=20,000 mm/s2 (manufacturer claim)[3][5] |
| Extruder | ||
| Type (direct drive / bowden) & design name | Not documented | Direct-drive extruder with hardened steel gears[3][5] |
| Hotend & Nozzle | ||
| Hotend design (proprietary/standard; quick-swap mechanism?) | Not documented | Tri-metal hotend with a ceramic heater plate and a bimetal nozzle, 0.4 mm standard[3][5] |
| Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values) | Not documented | <=350 °C claimed. No firmware max_temp verified for this model[3][5] |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit | Not documented | <=120 °C claimed. No firmware limit verified for this model[3][5] |
| Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sided | Not documented | Double-sided textured PEI plate on an aluminium substrate bed[3][5] |
| Leveling & Z-Offset | ||
| Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe) | Automatic levelling, plus intelligent mechanical sensor alarms[1] | Automatic levelling; QIDI markets it as "hands-free automatic levelling" with dual sensors, without naming the probe technology[3] |
| Filament Handling & Detection | ||
| Filament runout sensor (type, location) | Not documented | Filament run-out sensor fitted; QIDI also lists filament tangle detection without describing the mechanism[5] |
| Cooling & Air Handling | ||
| Part-cooling fan(s): count, size, ducting design | Not documented | Auxiliary part-cooling fan plus a chamber circulation fan (fan count and duct design not published)[5] |
| Electronics & Power | ||
| Input voltage (110/220 V, switch or auto) | 100-240 V, 50/60 Hz, 24 V 6 A[1] | 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz[5] |
| Total rated power draw | Not documented | 350 W plus 300 W for chamber heating (rated)[3][5] |
| Firmware & Openness | ||
| Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary) | Elegoo EL3D-4.0 system. Slicer is CHITUBOX[1] | Klipper, running on a 64-bit processor per QIDI. Exact fork and version not published on the product page[3] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| Display: size, type, touch? | 4-inch capacitive touchscreen (control panel — not the masking LCD, see W1)[1] | 4.3-inch touchscreen, 272 x 480[3][5] |
| WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-drive | USB and Wi-Fi, with WLAN file transfer[1] | Wi-Fi 6 (QIDI states "150M 2.4G") and USB 2.0. No Ethernet listed for this model[3][5] |
| Camera: built-in / optional? Resolution & framerate (verify — marketing often omits real fps) | AI camera, 1920 x 1080[1] | Built-in camera, up to 1080p, timelapse supported. Framerate not published[3][5] |
| Camera features: live monitor, timelapse, AI failure detection (spaghetti detection) — how real is it? | AI camera with print-failure detection[1] | Not documented |
| Calibration Routines & QoL | ||
| Assembly level & time from unbox to first print | Not documented | Ships fully assembled[3] |
| Power-Loss & Interruption Recovery | ||
| Power-loss recovery: mechanism (how is state saved? capacitor / eeprom / file on shutdown?) | Not documented | Power-loss recovery listed as a feature; mechanism not published[5] |
| Materials Support | ||
| Officially supported filament list | 405 nm photopolymer resin; the heated tank is aimed at high-viscosity and high-speed resins. No closed compatibility list published[1] | QIDI lists compatibility with common filaments; storage 32 GB eMMC. No per-material list published on the current page beyond the general claim[3] |
| Reliability, Support & Ecosystem | ||
| Warranty length & support reputation (evidence, not vibes) | Not documented | 1-year coverage, 14-day no-reason return, lifetime tech guidance (QIDI's standard terms as shown on its store)[6] |
| Resin & MSLA | ||
| Masking LCD | 10-inch 16K monochrome masking LCD, 15120 x 6230 px, XY pixel pitch 14 x 19 um (manufacturer specification)[1][2] | Not documented |
| Light source | COB light source with a Fresnel collimating lens[1] | Not documented |
| Light uniformity & intensity | Light energy at the plate quoted as 5 mW/cm2, i.e. 5000 uW/cm2 (manufacturer claim, attributed to the tilt-release and Fresnel optics). No uniformity percentage published and no independent measurement[1] | Not documented |
| Vertical print speedmm/h | Up to 150 mm/h (manufacturer claim). Elegoo does not state the layer height or resin type the figure assumes[1] | Not documented |
| Release film | PFA release film. No rated life published[1] | Not documented |
| LCD life & replaceability | Masking LCD shielded by tempered 9H protective glass. Elegoo publishes no rated screen life in hours and does not state user replaceability[1] | Not documented |
| Resin vat & feeding | Replaceable resin vat with a dual pour spout and a drip guard. Heated tank with automatic temperature measurement: Elegoo states resin reaches 25 C in 26 minutes from a 5 C ambient at 50% humidity (manufacturer figure). Capacity not published; no auto-refill[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 Saturn 4 Ultra 16K product page (technical data and description) 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K live Shopify product JSON us.elegoo.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Q1 Pro product page (global store) qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Q1 Pro product page (US store) us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Tech Q1 Pro technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Max4 product page (US store) us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor