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Creality Ender 3 Neo
About the Creality Ender 3 Neo
The Creality Ender 3 Neo is an updated version of the popular Ender 3 Pro 3D printer. It features several improvements while maintaining an affordable price point. One standout feature is the auto bed leveling system, which ensures perfect first layers and reduces issues with bed adhesion. This system allows for better tolerances on slightly warped print beds by measuring and compensating for any inconsistencies. Additionally, the Ender 3 Neo comes with a carborundum glass bed, which provides good adhesion while heated and allows for easy removal of printed parts once cooled. While the Ender 3 Neo offers a good experience for its price, it does have some drawbacks. It lacks certain premium features found in more expensive printers, such as a touch screen interface and a more attractive design. The printer is also shipped partially unassembled, requiring more time and effort to put together. However, these drawbacks can be seen as learning opportunities for those new to 3D printing, allowing them to better understand how the printer works. Overall, the Creality Ender 3 Neo provides a cost-effective option for those looking to enter the world of 3D printing without breaking the bank.
Benefits of the Creality Ender 3 Neo
Auto bed leveling - auto bed leveling will ensure your prints have perfect first layers every time and greatly reduce issues with bed adhesion. When using an auto-leveling system, the probe allows better tolerances for slightly warped print beds by measuring and compensating for any inconsistencies. Without this feature, you'll need to adjust the bed level manually using nuts on each corner of the print bed.
Modern mainboard features - Many 3D printer features relate to the version of the mainboard and firmware, including features like resuming prints after a power failure and support for silent stepper motor drivers for quieter printing. Newer boards also include safety features like thermal runaway protection which shuts the printer down if it detects issues with overheating.
Carborundum glass bed provides good adhesion and easy removal - Carborundum glass is a great build surface that provides good adhesion while heated, but parts can be removed easily once it cools. The surface finish is not quite as smooth as borosilicate glass, but the superior adhesion without any hairspray more than compensates. With a carborundum bed, you wont need to use any additional adhesives like hairspray, but it is important that you clean the bed with a damp cloth after every 5-10 prints to maintain the adhesion.
Affordable - This printer does not include a lot of frills, but offers a good experience for a low price point. While this low price means you won't be getting the most premium features, you can still get a lot out of these machines if you are willing to put up with some missing quality of life features.
Disadvantages to consider
No touch screen - having a touch screen isn't a deal-maker or breaker, but it is a convenient feature that makes it easier to navigate the interface when you are printing files and configuring 3D printing settings.
Bare-bones appearance - This printer is not built to be attractive, which is apparent by the standard aluminum extrusions used throughout the design, and the exposed power supply unit. While this is a purely cosmetic issue, it makes the printer less attractive than some of it's more expensive cousins.
Moderately difficult assembly - This 3D printer is shipped partially unassembled, and will require more time to put together. This can be a good learning experience to better understand how the printer works, but can be a challenge especially if you are new to 3D printing.
Where to buy the Creality Ender 3 Neo
Brand Summary: Creality
Creality is a well-known brand that offers a wide range of consumer 3D printers across all price points, from budget to higher end models. The Ender 3 is credited with originating the budget 3D printer market. While other brands now produce lower cost clones of the Ender 3, Creality remains the most established Chinese manufacturer of 3D printers. Creality uses off-the-shelf components and standardized aluminum extrusions on many of their printers to reduce costs, making their printers easy to repair and upgrade. Their official online community forums and manufacturer support are limited, but support can be found on communities on Reddit and Discord.
Pros
- Auto bed leveling
- Modern mainboard features
- Carborundum glass bed provides good adhesion and easy removal
- Affordable
Cons
- No touch screen
- Bare-bones appearance
- Moderately difficult assembly
Printer Comparisons
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