Anycubic Photon Mono 4
- Price
- $210
- Score
- 7.4/10
- Wins
- 2/5
Anycubic Photon Mono 4 vs Flashforge Adventurer 5M
- The Flashforge Adventurer 5M takes the crown with 8.6/10 vs 7.4/10.
- It pulls ahead in Beginner Friendliness, Speed, Reliability.
- That said, the Anycubic Photon Mono 4 saves you $39 and wins on Value, Print Quality.
Specs and US prices from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
Flashforge Adventurer 5M
- Price
- $249
- Score
- 8.6/10
- Wins
- 3/5
The verdict
Buy the Adventurer 5M.
8.6/10 vs Photon Mono 4's 7.4/10, and it wins 3 of 5 categories. The best value enclosed printer on the market. Enclosure, HEPA, and speed for $249 is hard to argue with. The Pro adds a camera and some upgrades for $130 more; most users don't need it.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
Photon Mono 4Anycubic · RESIN
vsAdventurer 5MFlashforge · FDM
| Photon Mono 4 | Spec | Adventurer 5M |
|---|---|---|
| $210 (wins) | Price | $249 |
| 1.3 L | Build volume | 10.6 L (wins) |
| 100 mm/s | Top speed | 600 mm/s |
| 0.01 mm (wins) | Finest layer | 0.05 mm |
| 5 kg | Weight | 11 kg |
Features
| Photon Mono 4 | Feature | Adventurer 5M |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 10K mono LCD | No |
| Yes | Laser-cut build plate | No |
| Yes | USB | No |
| No | Enclosed | Yes |
| No | Auto leveling | Yes |
| No | Quick-swap nozzle | Yes |
| No | 600mm/s speed | Yes |
| No | HEPA filter | Yes |
Value math
$210 ÷ 1.3 L and $249 ÷ 10.6 L. Lower is more printer for the money.
| Photon Mono 4 | Spec | Adventurer 5M |
|---|---|---|
| $160.73 | $ per liter | $23.38 (wins) |
Scores out of 10
| Photon Mono 4 | Spec | Adventurer 5M |
|---|---|---|
| 10 (wins) | Value | 9 |
| 6 | Beginner Friendliness | 9 (wins) |
| 9 (wins) | Print Quality | 8 |
| 5 | Speed | 9 (wins) |
| 7 | Reliability | 8 (wins) |
| 7.4 | Overall | 8.6 (wins) |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 134 × 75 × 130 mm
- 220 × 220 × 220 mm
What owners say
For $159, this is the cheapest way to find out if resin printing is for you.
Photon Mono 4 owner, r/resinprintingEnclosed printer under $300 with HEPA? Flashforge is pricing this thing to sell.
Adventurer 5M owner, r/3DprintingMy go-to recommendation for families. Kids safe, fumes managed, prints great.
Adventurer 5M owner, Teaching Tech (YouTube)
Pros & Cons
Photon Mono 4
- +$210 is the lowest you'll pay for 10K resolution resin printing
- +Compact enough to fit on a shelf with the build plate folded
- +10K resolution prints minis that genuinely impress non-printers
- −134x75mm build plate: barely fits more than two minis at once
- −USB-only workflow, no WiFi at any price point in this tier
Adventurer 5M
- +Enclosed with HEPA filter for $249: 130 dollars cheaper than the Pro version with the same key features
- +Toolless nozzle swap takes 30 seconds: pull the module out, snap the new one in
- +600mm/s inside an enclosure is faster than most open-frame budget machines
- −220mm cube is smaller than open-frame rivals at this price
- −Proprietary nozzle modules: you can't use standard 0.4mm nozzles
Buy these with it
A printer does nothing without these. Grab them in the same order.
Buy these with it
A printer does nothing without these. Grab them in the same order.
- ELEGOO PLA filament, 1kgThe easy filament to start on. Prints at low temperatures and warps less.
- ELEGOO PETG filament, 1kgTougher and more heat tolerant than PLA, for parts that get handled or sit in the sun.
- SUNLU filament dryer S1 PlusWet filament causes stringing and rough surfaces. A dryer fixes that before you blame the printer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Anycubic Photon Mono 4 better than the Flashforge Adventurer 5M?
By the numbers, the Flashforge Adventurer 5M scores higher (8.6/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Anycubic Photon Mono 4 may be the smarter buy if you need miniatures.
Which is better for beginners, Anycubic Photon Mono 4 or Flashforge Adventurer 5M?
The Flashforge Adventurer 5M is more beginner-friendly (9/10 vs 6/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Flashforge Adventurer 5M worth $39 more than the Anycubic Photon Mono 4?
The Flashforge Adventurer 5M scores higher overall (8.6/10 vs 7.4/10). The extra $39 gets you enclosed with hepa filter for $249: 130 dollars cheaper than the pro version with the same key features.
What's the main difference between Anycubic Photon Mono 4 and Flashforge Adventurer 5M?
Technology: the Anycubic Photon Mono 4 is RESIN (filament) and the Flashforge Adventurer 5M is FDM (resin). FDM prints bigger functional parts; resin delivers finer surface detail.