Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K review 2024: budget-friendly 3D printer

The Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K is a small and lightweight resin 3D printer (its exterior dimensions are 250 x 250 x 330). It has a simple appearance and uses LCD technology, but the key difference between it and the original Sonic Mini is a resolution increase from 1920 x 1080 pixels to 3840 x 2160 pixels.

As a result, the machine is extremely accurate and provides an astonishing degree of detail. The device’s XY resolution is just 35 microns, which is one of the highest (if not the greatest) among inexpensive resin 3D printers. The Sonic Mini 4K has a monochrome LCD light source that is sturdy and optimised for lifetime, while also making the machine substantially faster: it can print a single layer in less than 2 seconds.

Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K specifciations

Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K review: Design

Despite having the identical UV-led array and mono 4K LCD screen, the design languages of these two printers are significantly different. The Phrozen Sonic 4K is a sturdy machine with a hinged cover encased in metal. It contains two linear rails and a conventional lead screw, which improves dimensional accuracy and decreases Z-axis wobbling. The Sonic 4K may also be connected to an Ethernet wire, allowing you to set it up as part of a farm with other printers and operate them from your computer.

The Sonic Mini 4K, on the other hand, is considerably more basic. The Mini 4K, like many low-cost printers, has a removable acrylic cover and a single lead screw for the Z-axis. While this can cause some Z wobbling, we didn’t see any on finished prints. One method the Mini 4K compensates for this is by printing at a little slower speed than its larger sibling.

Instead of the Sonic 4K’s one-second layer times, the Mini 4K can only attain two-second layer times. Keep in mind that it’s still substantially faster than last year’s resin printers, which had screens that only allowed for 8-12 second layer rates. In any case, two seconds is a very short time. You can buy this 3D printer from its official website.

Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K review: Features

The manufacturer of resin, Ameralabs, has developed a test item known as Ameralabs Town that contains very fine posts, holes, text, and other elements for the purpose of evaluating the level of detail that can be printed using resin printers.

This calibration print was created by utilising Chitubox’s default parameters along with Elegoo Beige Standard Resin. Due to the difficulty we had in getting the build platform level, the first few layers were compressed, and some of the fine detail was lost in the process. Unfortunately, the initial outcome was underwhelming.

Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K review: Resolution

The Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K is a resin 3D printer that is both small (its external dimensions are 250 x 250 x 330) and light (its weight is 330 grammes). It has a straightforward design and makes use of the LCD technology, but the most significant advancement made in comparison to the first generation Sonic Mini is an increase in resolution from 1920 by 1080 pixels to 4K resolution, which is where the device gets its name.

This results in the machine having an incredible level of accuracy, which enables it to deliver an astonishing amount of detail. The device has an XY resolution of just 35 microns, making it one of the highest (if not the highest) among low-cost resin 3D printers. The machine has a monochrome LCD light source, which not only makes it substantially faster but also makes it more durable and created with lifetime in mind.

Print Quality and Performance

Putting aside the difference in resolution, the Sonic Mini 4K is a physically superior and comprehensive improvement to its predecessor, the Sonic Mini. You are paying an additional around one hundred dollars for the potential for better prints, broader usability, and more durable components.

If you’re coming from another desktop resin printer, don’t expect a print quality that’s completely unrecognisable from what you’re used to, and don’t assume that you won’t have to spend any time adjusting the settings in order to get there. Despite the general improvement in quality, we continue to believe that the first generation of the Sonic Mini offers superior value and functionality.

Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K review: Software

The workflow for printing a part using a resin printer is typically a little bit more involved than the workflow for printing using a filament printer for the same purpose. Phrozen has included a profile for the Sonic Mini 4K in the widely used programme ChituBox, which makes compatibility with the device possible right out of the box.

A model can be hollowed out by the ChituBox programme, drain holes can be added, support structures can be added, and the software can generate a file in the.CTB file format that is compatible with the printer. The Sonic Mini 4K stores your files on a USB thumb drive, and its touchscreen user interface enables you to select a file, get a thumbnail preview of it, and begin the printing process.

Printing Workflow

The workflow for printing a part using a resin printer is typically a little bit more involved than the workflow for printing using a filament printer for the same purpose. Phrozen has included a profile for the Sonic Mini 4K in the widely used programme ChituBox, which makes compatibility with the device possible right out of the box.

A model can be hollowed out by the ChituBox programme, drain holes can be added, support structures can be added, and the software can generate a file in the.CTB file format that is compatible with the printer. The Sonic Mini 4K stores your files on a USB thumb drive, and its touchscreen user interface enables you to select a file, get a thumbnail preview of it, and begin the printing process.

Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K review: Conclusion

The Sonic Mini 4K since its nearest competition costs nearly twice as much. Nonetheless, we remain concerned about Phrozen’s lack of quality control. It’s a shame, since if you don’t want to deal with Phrozen’s poor customer support or spend your own time and energy resolving difficulties, the Sonic Mini 4K falls short. This printer has good bones, but most customers want their SLA printer to “just work”.

Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K review: the good and the bad

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