Creality Ender-3 S1 Pro Review

The Ender trilogy made Creality a 3D printing household name. New Creality Ender-3 S1 Pro has a lot to live up to. The Ender-3 S1 Pro is an updated version of the Ender 3 S1 and looks like many other mid-range 3D printers, but don’t be deceived. It is starting to print, showing that the Ender-3 S1 Pro is better than most other printers at this pricing. It combines the open frame layout with fresh design enhancements to create one of the top 3D printers. Creality customized the Ender 3 S1 Pro with every tool available, including a full-metal dual-gear direct drive extruder, CR-touch bed levelling, a 300 °C Sprite Extruder Pro, and a light bar that illuminates the workspace.

Creality Ender-3 S1 Pro Specification

INTRO

Creality quietly disrupted the 3D business. The company is recognized and long-standing. Most 3D enthusiasts have built the Creality Ender-3 DIY kit; if not, you should. The Creality Ender design looks similar from afar. However, a closer look shows that this latest iteration is much more studied, with product design making it a printer for the public and 3D print enthusiasts. Creality’s auto-levelling systems, hotend, and hardware have improved over their previous 3D print kits and ready-to-go machines, making this new printer stand out. This works well with the Creality Ender-3 S1 Pro 3D Printer.

DESIGN

The Creality Ender-3 S1 Pro 3D Printer uses Cartesian coordinates, with the build platform on the X axis and the print head on the Y and Z. Many top 3D printer manufacturers use this method. The Creality Ender-3 S1 Pro 3D Printer arrives almost ready to use; it needs some assembly, but everything is well-labelled, and installing the vertical frame, printhead, touch screen, and cables should take 15–30 minutes, depending on your skill level. The machine’s X-axis movable build platform requires a large worksurface or desk after assembly. The filament rests on the printer, so get a decent height. At 487x453x622mm, the printer is large, but its design makes it compact without a power source or filament rolls. Creality also meticulously routed the printer’s wires, tucking most of them away.

The foundation houses all the essential electronics, keeping them tidy and safe. The touchscreen LCD on the printer’s side controls everything. This is simple, but it lets you rapidly access printer settings. As I’ve seen with a few printers recently, the interface is designed for mid-range consumers, and some of the language and approach will baffle beginners. Most of the options are straightforward to navigate once you understand them. The base of the printer has modest storage door and slots for a USB or direct SD card slot for file transfers.

FEATURES

The Creality Ender-3 S1 Pro 3D Printer is compatible with a wide selection of filaments due to its direct drive extruder and hot end, reaching a maximum temperature of 300ºC. Popular ones were PLA, ABS, Wood, TPU, PETG, and PA. The printer has a heated Spung steel PEI magnetic build base, as usual. This ensures prints stay well during printing and pop off readily after the plate cools. A user-friendly 4.3-inch touchscreen interface makes the printer stand out. Despite being designed for fans, the UI is easy to use. 3D printer bed levelling has always been a problem, but the Creality Ender-3 S1 Pro boasts a CR Touch automated levelling sensor. This is highly accurate at 16 points across the platform.

The all-in-one tool head includes an extruder and hot end, capable of reaching 300º C for high-temperature printing and equipped with “Sprite” Full Metal Dual-gear direct drive gearing. Both aspects provide broad material compatibility. LED light across the printer’s front top illuminates the print platform, a curious feature. This has a little on/off button on the side and helps check progress during overnight prints. Instead of one leadscrew on low and midrange printers, the printer has dual Z-axis leadscrews for accurate shots.

PERFORMANCE

The Creality Ender-3 S1 Pro 3D Printer works differently from others. My review will highlight the Sonic Pad’s better out-of-the-box performance. Alternative firmware on the Sonic Pad tablet boosts printer performance. It is sold as an accessory to the print rather than part of the kit and enhances processing power with the printer. A fantastic buy, the Sonic Pad improves almost every printer element, from speed to print quality. However, the Creality Ender-3 S1 Pro works perfectly without it. Excellent fans, motors, and drivers quiet the printer. The opening few layers determine print quality, and the Creality Ender-3 S1 Pro’s smoothness and accuracy imply an excellent print.

SETTING UP PROCEDURE

• Get yourself PrusaSlicer by downloading it.
• Launch the Assistant to Configure. When you first run PrusaSlicer, this window will open for you.
• To view all of Creality’s printers, go to the “Other Vendors” section and click on the “Creality FFF” option.
• Select “Ender 3 S1” and then press the “Finish” button.
• If you want to know how everything fits together, just watch the video.