Researched by Ric Ruben. Prices checked September 16, 2026.
For miniatures, resolution matters more than build volume. The Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K ($399) has the finest XY resolution of any resin printer we can verify current pricing for, at 14 x 19 microns. The Anycubic Photon Mono M7 ($493) is the closest alternative if you want a larger build plate.
Affiliate disclosure: if you buy through links on this page we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We do not own or test the printers on this site. See how we research.
Top pick: Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K
$399 (regular price $649.99), checked September 16, 2026 on Elegoo's US store.
Printing more than miniatures? Our wider roundup of the top resin 3D printers for 2026 covers the larger machines and the current price on each.
See the Saturn 4 Ultra 16K Compare: Photon Mono M7What actually matters when printing miniatures?
Two numbers decide how sharp a miniature comes out: the LCD's pixel count and the physical XY resolution that produces. A 16K screen crammed into a small 10-inch panel gives a smaller pixel than the same resolution on a bigger screen. Build volume barely matters for minis since even a small resin printer fits dozens on one plate. Full spec comparison below.
How the three compare
| Spec | Saturn 4 Ultra 16K | Photon Mono M7 | Mars 5 Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (checked Sep 16, 2026) | $399 | $493 | $259 |
| LCD | 10-inch, 16K mono | 10.1-inch, 14K mono | 7-inch, 9K mono |
| XY resolution | 14 x 19 micron | 16.8 x 24.8 micron | 18 micron |
| Build volume | 211.68 x 118.37 x 220 mm | 223 x 126 x 230 mm | 153.36 x 77.76 x 165 mm |
| Max print speed | 150 mm/h | 150 mm/h (high-speed resin) | 150 mm/h |
| Affiliate link | See price | See price | Not yet available on this site |
Sources: Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra 16K, Anycubic Photon Mono M7, and Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra product pages, checked September 16, 2026.
Buy this if
- You want the sharpest detail available on a printer we can verify a live price for, and you are fine buying from Elegoo
- You already own Elegoo accessories (resin tanks, build plates) and want to stay in that ecosystem
- You want auto-leveling and a heated tank so results stay consistent between prints
Skip this if
- You have not printed resin before. Ventilation, post-curing and PPE matter more than which printer you buy first. See how we research for what we mean by that
- You are on a tight budget. The Mars 5 Ultra above is cheaper, though we do not yet have a verified cash link for it, so check Elegoo's own site for current pricing
- You want the biggest build plate for large multi-part prints. All three of these are built for detail on a modest-sized plate, not batch volume
Questions buyers actually ask
Resolution. The 16K model has a 14 x 19 micron XY pixel size versus 19 x 24 micron on the standard Saturn 4 Ultra, for about $40 more at current prices.
In theory, yes: a smaller pixel means less visible stair-stepping on curved surfaces. We have not tested this ourselves, and print quality also depends heavily on resin choice, exposure settings and post-processing, which vary by user. Pending independent, reproducible test data.
Close but not quite. Its XY resolution is 16.8 x 24.8 microns, a bit coarser than the Saturn 4 Ultra 16K's 14 x 19 microns.
It uses an 18 micron XY resolution on a smaller 7-inch, 9K screen, coarser than both machines above but sharper than most older resin printers. Its build plate is also smaller (153.36 x 77.76 x 165 mm), so fewer miniatures fit per plate.
Related reading
- Our full Saturn 4 Ultra 16K review, with a wider printer comparison
- Current prices for every printer we track
- How resin (vat polymerization) printing works, if you are new to the category