Big Resin vs Small Resin: Saturn vs Mars

  • Our pick: the Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra, 7.8/10.
  • Saturn 4 Ultra prints 2.2× the volume (218×123×220 ÷ 153×89×200 = 2.17) for more money.
  • Same 150 mm/s top speed.
  • Pick the Mars 5 Ultra if your prints fit in 20 cm.

comparison · updated . Specs from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.

By Shadman Rahman · Prices checked

Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra vs Mars 5 Ultra: when should you pay more for the bigger resin printer?

The verdict

Buy the Saturn 4 Ultra. 7.8/10.

Get the Mars 5 Ultra if you mostly print individual minis, jewelry, or small batches, or if you're new to resin and want to keep the risk low. Get the Saturn 4 Ultra if batch-printing armies or terrain is your actual workflow. The detail difference between 14K and 12K is minor at tabletop distance. The size difference is not.

The 2 printers, by the numbers

Same scale within each chart. Teal is the best of the 2.

PrintPick scorehigher is better
Saturn 4 Ultra7.8/10
Mars 5 Ultra8.2/10 (best)
Build volumehigher is better
Saturn 4 Ultra5.9 L (best)
Mars 5 Ultra2.7 L
Top speedhigher is better
Saturn 4 Ultra150 mm/s (best)
Mars 5 Ultra150 mm/s (best)

Same tilt-release system. Same air purifier. Same WiFi. The Saturn 4 Ultra and Mars 5 Ultra are basically the same printer with one critical difference: the Saturn costs more and fits 2.4x more miniatures per batch. Whether that trade is worth it comes down to one question: how many things do you print at once?

Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra

Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra

Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra

Speed
150 mm/h
Score
7.8/10
Build
5.9 L

The Saturn's build plate is 218x123mm. The Mars is 153x89mm. That's roughly 2.4x more surface area per batch. If you paint tabletop armies, that math changes everything: instead of 4 Space Marines per run, you fit 10-12. Terrain that requires two prints on the Mars fits in one on the Saturn. Busts and larger character models stop being awkward multi-job projects. Resolution is 12K on a 10-inch screen, 50-micron pixel size. Slightly less dense than the Mars's 14K, but at normal viewing distances the difference is invisible. Competition painters examining under magnification will notice. Most people won't. The tilt-release, air purifier, and WiFi are identical to the Mars. If batch volume defines how you print, the premium earns itself back quickly.

Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra

Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra

Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra

Speed
150 mm/h
Score
8.2/10
Build
2.7 L

14K resolution on a 7.6-inch screen, higher pixel density than the Saturn. For individual miniatures at 28mm scale, the Mars produces sharper output: chainmail links, facial features, weapon texturing. You'll see it under magnification. Across the table during a game? Identical. The Mars 5 Ultra is smaller, lighter, and cheaper. The 153x89mm build plate fits 4-6 standard minis per batch or a single larger character. For a solo painter working through a campaign unit by unit, that capacity is sufficient. Resin costs the same per liter either way, and the smaller volume means fewer refills and lower running cost. If you're new to resin or mostly print individual figures, this is the right place to start.