Anycubic Photon Mono M5sDiscontinued
- Speed
- 150 mm/h
- Score
- 7.8/10
- Wins
- 1/5
Discontinued.
Anycubic Photon Mono M5s vs Prusa Core One
- The Prusa Core One takes the crown with 8.2/10 vs 7.8/10.
- It pulls ahead in Beginner Friendliness, Speed, Reliability.
- That said, the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s costs less and wins on Value.
Specs from the PrintPick catalog, checked 2026-09-29. Scores are PrintPick ratings out of 10.
Prusa Core One
- Speed
- 500 mm/s
- Score
- 8.2/10
- Wins
- 3/5
The verdict
Buy the Prusa Core One.
8.2/10 vs Photon Mono M5s's 7.8/10, and it wins 3 of 5 categories. Outstanding print quality and the best support in the business. The price premium is real, though. If you don't care about the Prusa ecosystem specifically, there are better deals. If you do, it's worth every krona.
Specs, side by side
Teal wins the row.
Photon Mono M5sAnycubic · RESIN
vsPrusa Core OnePrusa Research · FDM
| Photon Mono M5s | Spec | Prusa Core One |
|---|---|---|
| 5.9 L | Build volume | 14.8 L (wins) |
| 150 mm/s | Top speed | 500 mm/s |
| 0.01 mm (wins) | Finest layer | 0.05 mm |
| 9.5 kg | Weight | 22.5 kg |
Features
| Photon Mono M5s | Feature | Prusa Core One |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 14K mono LCD | No |
| Yes | Anti-warping release | No |
| Yes | Dual cooling | No |
| Yes | App monitoring | No |
| No | Enclosed CoreXY with active chamber heating (55C) | Yes |
| No | Nextruder direct drive (10:1 planetary) | Yes |
| No | 360-degree cooling duct | Yes |
| No | Ethernet + WiFi + NFC | Yes |
| No | MMU3 multi-material compatible | Yes |
| No | Open-source firmware (PrusaSlicer) | Yes |
Scores out of 10
| Photon Mono M5s | Spec | Prusa Core One |
|---|---|---|
| 8 (wins) | Value | 6 |
| 6 | Beginner Friendliness | 7 (wins) |
| 10 | Print Quality | 10 |
| 7 | Speed | 8 (wins) |
| 8 | Reliability | 10 (wins) |
| 7.8 | Overall | 8.2 (wins) |
Build space, front view, to one scale
- 218 × 123 × 220 mm
- 250 × 220 × 270 mm
What owners say
14K detail on a Saturn-size plate. The M5s punches well above its price.
Photon Mono M5s owner, r/resinprintingAnti-warping release is a real feature, not marketing. My failure rate dropped significantly.
Photon Mono M5s owner, VOG (YouTube)Finally, Prusa takes on Bambu! The Core One is better in a box.
Prusa Core One owner, Tom's HardwareRail smoothness holds up well after months of hard use, minimal belt wear, and consistent chamber heat stability.
Prusa Core One owner, Prusa ForumIf you value open source and lifetime support, Prusa is still the gold standard. Just bring your wallet.
Prusa Core One owner, r/3Dprinting
Pros & Cons
Photon Mono M5s
- +14K resolution on a Saturn-size plate is the highest resolution in this build volume class
- +Anti-warping release mechanism measurably reduces failed prints on larger models
- +218x123mm plate handles busts, terrain, and multi-model runs
- −Pricier than the Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra at comparable specs
- −Discontinued: Anycubic support and firmware updates are ending
Prusa Core One
- +Prusa reliability is not marketing. It's earned over years.
- +55C active chamber heating handles demanding materials
- +Fully open-source, no vendor lock-in anywhere
- −The assembled price is hard to justify against the Bambu alternatives
- −Build volume is smaller than what you'd expect at this price
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 M5s better than the Prusa Core One?
By the numbers, the Prusa Core One scores higher (8.2/10). But "better" depends on your use case, the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s may be the smarter buy if you need resin.
Which is better for beginners, Anycubic Photon Mono M5s or Prusa Core One?
The Prusa Core One is more beginner-friendly (7/10 vs 6/10) with easier setup and a gentler learning curve.
Is the Prusa Core One worth paying more for over the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s?
The Prusa Core One scores higher overall (8.2/10 vs 7.8/10). The extra money gets you prusa reliability is not marketing. it's earned over years..
What's the main difference between Anycubic Photon Mono M5s and Prusa Core One?
Technology: the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s is RESIN (filament) and the Prusa Core One is FDM (resin). FDM prints bigger functional parts; resin delivers finer surface detail.