3D Printing InfoPrinter comparison
ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra 16K vs QIDI X-Plus 3
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 X-Plus 3 comparisons
| Property | ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra 16KRESIN | QIDI X-Plus 3COREXY |
|---|---|---|
| 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 X-Plus 3, listed in QIDI navigation as X-Plus3[3][4] |
| Release date (announcement and actual shipping) | Not documented | Not published by QIDI on the pages 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] | $699 on QIDI's official US page, which routes purchases to its AliExpress and Amazon stores; checked Aug 2026. 3DJake lists the model as sold out[4][3] |
| 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] | Two headline-speed figures circulate for this model: QIDI's own US page says 600 mm/s and 35 mm3/s, 3DJake's spec table says <=500 mm/s and 30 mm3/s. This is exactly the kind of sibling contamination the 3-series suffers (X-Max 3 is 600 mm/s / 35 mm3/s). Siblings: X-Max 3 (325x325x315, 900 W) and X-Smart 3 (175x180x170, no chamber heat, 300 °C)[3][4][5][6] |
| Physical & Frame | ||
| Build volume X×Y×Z (mm) — advertised vs actually usable | 211.68 x 118.37 x 220 mm[1] | 280 x 280 x 270 mm advertised[3][4] |
| Machine footprint (mm) & clearance needed (cable/spool overhang) | 327.4 x 329.2 x 548 mm[1] | 511 x 527 x 529 mm[3] |
| Net weight (kg) | Not documented | 24.3 kg net[3] |
| Frame construction & material | Metal housing with a flip-up cover and a drip guard[1] | All-metal frame per QIDI's US page; no further breakdown published[4] |
| 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 a heated chamber[3][4] |
| Passive chamber temperature reached (if enclosed; measured values preferred) | Not documented | 65 °C, independent chamber heating (manufacturer claim)[3][4] |
| 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[3] |
| X-axis guide type (rods / linear rails / V-wheels; size) | Not documented | Linear optical axis of high-strength steel[3] |
| Z-axis: leadscrew count & type, sync mechanism, anti-backlash | Not documented | Double Z axis[3] |
| Speed & Acceleration | ||
| Max print speed (claimed, mm/s) | Not documented | Conflicting manufacturer claims: QIDI's US page says 600 mm/s, 3DJake's spec table says <=500 mm/s. The lower, more conservative figure is used as the sortable value[3][4] |
| Max acceleration (claimed, mm/s²) | Not documented | 20,000 mm/s2 (manufacturer claim)[4] |
| Max volumetric flow claimed (mm³/s) | Not documented | Conflicting: 30 mm3/s (3DJake) vs 35 mm3/s (QIDI US page). Lower figure used[3][4] |
| Extruder | ||
| Type (direct drive / bowden) & design name | Not documented | High-flow direct-drive extruder, 1.75 mm filament[3][4] |
| Hotend & Nozzle | ||
| Hotend design (proprietary/standard; quick-swap mechanism?) | Not documented | Ceramic heating core. Copper-alloy nozzle head for normal materials, hardened-steel nozzle head for abrasives. 0.4 mm stock, 0.2/0.6/0.8 mm optional[3] |
| Max nozzle temp claimed AND firmware max temp limit (both values) | Not documented | <=350 °C claimed[3][4] |
| Heated Bed & Surface | ||
| Max bed temp claimed AND firmware limit | Not documented | <=120 °C claimed[3][4] |
| Bed surface (material, texture, coating), single/double-sided | Not documented | Double-sided flexible magnetic RF plate[3] |
| Leveling & Z-Offset | ||
| Auto bed leveling: probe technology (inductive / strain gauge / load cell / touch probe) | Automatic levelling, plus intelligent mechanical sensor alarms[1] | Automatic bed levelling; probe technology not named[4] |
| Filament Handling & Detection | ||
| Filament runout sensor (type, location) | Not documented | Filament detection fitted; type and location not published[3] |
| Electronics & Power | ||
| Host computer (SoC, RAM, storage) if firmware runs on embedded Linux | Not documented | Cortex-A53 64-bit at 1.5 GHz, 1 GB DDR3, 8 GB eMMC[3][4] |
| 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[3] |
| Total rated power draw | Not documented | 800 W rated[3] |
| Firmware & Openness | ||
| Firmware base & current version (Klipper fork / Marlin fork / proprietary) | Elegoo EL3D-4.0 system. Slicer is CHITUBOX[1] | Klipper[4] |
| Connectivity, UI & Camera | ||
| Display: size, type, touch? | 4-inch capacitive touchscreen (control panel — not the masking LCD, see W1)[1] | 5-inch touchscreen, 800 x 480[3] |
| WiFi (band/standard), Ethernet, USB ports, SD/flash-drive | USB and Wi-Fi, with WLAN file transfer[1] | Wi-Fi (150M 2.4G), Ethernet, USB flash drive[3] |
| Camera: built-in / optional? Resolution & framerate (verify — marketing often omits real fps) | AI camera, 1920 x 1080[1] | Not documented |
| Camera features: live monitor, timelapse, AI failure detection (spaghetti detection) — how real is it? | AI camera with print-failure detection[1] | Not documented |
| 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] | Not documented |
| Reliability, Support & Ecosystem | ||
| Warranty length & support reputation (evidence, not vibes) | Not documented | 1-year coverage (QIDI standard store terms)[7] |
| 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 Tech X-Plus 3 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI X-Plus 3 official US page qidiusa.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Tech X-Max 3 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Tech X-Smart 3 technical data table 3djake.com · 2026-08 · vendor
- QIDI Max4 product page (US store) us.qidi3d.com · 2026-08 · vendor