ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer 10K Mono LCD Review: Your Gateway to Hyper-Detailed Printing

For years, my workshop was dominated by the familiar hum and whir of FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) printers. They were workhorses, fantastic for churning out large prototypes, functional parts, and cosplay props. But a persistent frustration began to grow. Every time I tried to print a finely detailed tabletop miniature—a character with intricate armor, a monster with textured scales, or a piece of delicate scenery—I would hit a wall. The visible layer lines, the loss of subtle detail, and the inherent limitations of extruding molten plastic always left me feeling like I was compromising. The dream was to bring digital sculpts to life with the same crispness and fidelity as a professionally cast model, but the technology always seemed just out of reach for a hobbyist budget. This is the precise dilemma that sends makers and creators on a hunt for a better solution, a quest for a machine that can capture every last pixel of their imagination. The ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer 10K Mono LCD is a machine born to answer that call.

What to Consider Before Diving into Resin 3D Printing

A resin 3D printer is more than just a piece of hardware; it’s a key solution for anyone who prioritizes detail and surface finish above all else. Unlike their FDM counterparts, which build objects layer by layer with melted filament, MSLA (Masked Stereolithography) printers like this one work by curing liquid photopolymer resin with a UV light source projected through an LCD screen. This process allows for the creation of objects with astonishingly fine details, smooth surfaces, and an overall quality that is simply unattainable with most filament-based machines. The main benefit is the ability to produce commercial-grade models, intricate jewelry prototypes, and stunningly detailed miniatures right on your desktop.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing the limitations of other printing technologies—the miniature painter tired of sanding layer lines, the jewelry designer needing precise casting masters, or the engineer prototyping small, complex components. It’s for the creator who looks at a 3D model on their screen and wants the physical object to be an exact, flawless replica. However, it might not be suitable for those who need to print very large, mechanically robust parts for structural use, as standard resins can be more brittle than plastics like PETG or ABS. For those users, a high-speed FDM printer might be a more practical alternative. For everyone else seeking to elevate their craft, the world of resin printing is a revelation.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: The physical footprint of the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer 10K Mono LCD is quite compact, easily fitting on a desk or workbench. However, the true spatial requirement extends beyond the machine itself. Resin printing involves chemicals with a distinct odor and requires a well-ventilated area. As one user wisely noted, newcomers often don’t realize they’ll need a dedicated space with good airflow, along with room for a wash and cure station to post-process the prints.
• Capacity/Performance: The two most critical performance metrics for a resin printer are resolution and build volume. The Photon Mono 4 boasts a stunning 7-inch 10K monochrome LCD screen, which translates to an XY pixel size of just 17×17μm. This microscopic resolution is what allows for the capture of the finest details imaginable. The build volume of 6.04” x 3.42” x 6.49” is generous for a machine in this class, accommodating most miniature projects, dental models, or jewelry pieces with ease.
• Materials & Durability: The printer itself is built with a sturdy combination of aluminum, ABS, and polycarbonate, giving it a solid and reliable feel. The real versatility comes from the compatible materials—a vast ecosystem of 3D printing resins. You can use standard resins for general-purpose models, tough or ABS-like resins for parts requiring more durability, and even flexible or castable resins for specialized applications. The choice of resin will directly impact the final properties of your print.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: While the results are professional, there is a learning curve. Maintenance involves handling liquid resin, cleaning the build plate and vat, and occasionally replacing the FEP film at the bottom of the vat. The ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer 10K Mono LCD simplifies this process with a straightforward 4-point leveling system that, once set, is remarkably stable. Long-term care is minimal but essential for consistent, high-quality results.

This careful consideration ensures you’re not just buying a printer, but investing in a complete workflow that will bring your most detailed creations to life.

While the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer 10K Mono LCD is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

Unboxing the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4: First Impressions and Core Features

Opening the box for the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer 10K Mono LCD, we were immediately struck by how well-packaged and secure everything was. ANYCUBIC has refined its packaging to ensure the printer arrives safely, a crucial detail for a machine with sensitive components like an LCD screen. The printer comes mostly pre-assembled, requiring only the attachment of the build platform and the resin vat to get started. The overall build quality feels robust and purposeful, with a metal frame that promises stability during printing. The distinctive gray and yellow UV-blocking cover is both functional and iconic to the brand.

Inside, the accessory kit is comprehensive. It includes essentials like metal and plastic scrapers for print removal, a set of Allen keys for assembly, paper funnels for returning unused resin to its bottle, nitrile gloves, and a face mask. A very welcome and thoughtful inclusion is a pre-cut screen protector for the 10K LCD. This small addition provides immense peace of mind, protecting the most critical component from accidental resin spills that could otherwise be catastrophic. Compared to older generations of resin printers, the user-friendliness is apparent from the moment you power it on. The simple menu system and the streamlined leveling process signal that this machine is designed to get you printing as quickly as possible, a fact that both beginners and veterans will appreciate. You can see its full feature set and user reviews to get a better sense of the complete package.

Performance Under the Microscope: A Detailed Analysis

A printer’s spec sheet only tells half the story. To truly understand its capabilities, we put the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer 10K Mono LCD through its paces in our workshop, running it with various resins and complex models. We focused our evaluation on the three areas that matter most to users: the raw print quality delivered by its 10K screen, the ease of setup and daily workflow, and its overall speed and long-term reliability.

The 10K Resolution Powerhouse: From Pixels to Perfection

The star of the show is, without a doubt, the 7-inch 10K monochrome LCD screen. With a staggering resolution of 9024 x 5120, the screen packs an incredible number of pixels into a compact area. This results in an XY pixel size of just 17 micrometers (μm). To put that in perspective, a human hair is typically 50-70μm thick. This printer can resolve details that are a fraction of that width. In our tests, this translated into prints that were nothing short of breathtaking. We printed a set of 28mm-scale fantasy miniatures, models known for their tiny, intricate details like chainmail links, facial scars, and filigree on armor. The results were flawless. Layer lines were virtually invisible to the naked eye, and surfaces were exceptionally smooth, rivaling those of injection-molded plastics. This is a level of quality that was once the exclusive domain of printers costing thousands of dollars.

This is further enhanced by ANYCUBIC’s LighTurbo matrix light source. A common issue with MSLA printers can be uneven UV light distribution, leading to softer details at the edges of the build plate. The LighTurbo system uses a high-density array of UV LEDs with a specialized lens to ensure the light hitting the LCD is parallel and uniform across the entire build area. We tested this by printing a grid of calibration models covering the whole platform, and the results were impressively consistent from corner to corner. This technology is a key contributor to the printer’s ability to produce ultra-smooth surfaces and eliminate the grid-like rasterization that can plague lower-quality machines. For anyone serious about miniatures or jewelry, this feature is a complete game-changer.

Setup and Workflow: From Leveling to Your First Print

Getting a resin printer perfectly calibrated can be an intimidating prospect for newcomers. A poorly leveled build plate is the number one cause of print failures, leading to models not sticking or detaching mid-print. ANYCUBIC has implemented a simple and effective 4-point manual leveling system on the Photon Mono 4. The process is straightforward: you loosen four screws on the build platform, lower it onto a piece of paper placed over the screen, apply gentle pressure, and then tighten the screws in a cross pattern. In our experience, we achieved a perfect level on the first try. This aligns with user feedback, though some users note it can take a couple of attempts to find the “sweet spot.” The key, we found, is ensuring the printer is on a perfectly level surface to begin with.

Once leveled, the system holds its calibration tenaciously. We ran over a dozen prints without needing to re-level, a testament to its solid mechanical design. Another standout feature contributing to a smooth workflow is the Laser-engraved Print Platform 2.0. The build plate has a textured, checkerboard pattern etched into its surface, which dramatically increases the surface area and provides a superior grip for the first layers of a print. Throughout our testing, we experienced zero first-layer adhesion failures, which is remarkable. One user mentioned being careful with metal scrapers not to damage this surface, which is sound advice; the included plastic scraper is often sufficient for popping prints off. The entire process, from unboxing to starting the first successful print, took us less than 30 minutes, making the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer 10K Mono LCD exceptionally accessible.

Speed, Reliability, and Daily Operation

With its monochrome LCD screen and powerful light source, the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer 10K Mono LCD is capable of impressive print speeds, advertised at a maximum of 70mm/h. While this top speed is achievable with very thick layer heights (e.g., 0.1mm), most users seeking maximum detail will print at 0.05mm or even 0.03mm layers. At a standard 0.05mm layer height, we were consistently achieving speeds around 40-50mm/h, which is still incredibly fast. A full plate of miniatures that might have taken 8-10 hours on an older generation printer was completed in just 3-4 hours. This dramatic speed increase makes the printer a viable production tool, not just a hobby machine. This is confirmed by one user who reported successfully printing over 1,000 pieces, a clear indicator of its reliability as a workhorse.

We found the daily operation to be smooth and uneventful, which is the highest praise for a 3D printer. The simple USB connectivity means you just slice your file, save it to the included thumb drive, and start the print from the intuitive touchscreen menu. The power-loss resume feature is another excellent addition, providing a safety net against unexpected power interruptions and saving both time and expensive resin. The only real point of regular maintenance is the resin vat. As one user astutely advised, it’s wise to have extra FEP sheets on hand. These clear films at the bottom of the vat can be punctured by failed print debris or can cloud over time, and having spares prevents downtime. Overall, the printer proved to be a reliable and efficient machine that we could count on to run for hours on end without issue.

What Other Users Are Saying

Across the board, the user sentiment for the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer 10K Mono LCD is overwhelmingly positive, particularly regarding its core function: producing high-quality prints. Many users, like one who upgraded from older Photon models, specifically praise the build plate’s excellent adhesion and the straightforward leveling process. The sentiment that it “works amazing” is common, with several people noting they have it running almost non-stop without issues.

The most common pieces of advice, however, are aimed at those new to resin printing as a whole. One user perfectly captured the beginner’s experience, noting their excitement led them to overlook the need for a full ecosystem of accessories: “Didn’t realize I’d need things like ventilation, gloves, respirator mask, cure & wash station.” This is not a flaw of the printer itself but crucial context for any potential buyer. Another user highlighted the importance of patience during initial setup, stating it took them “13 attempts and 11 rounds of leveling” to get their first successful print, but after that, the machine required minimal effort. This underscores that while the hardware is excellent, the process requires a bit of learning and calibration to master.

How the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Compares to the Competition

While the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer 10K Mono LCD is a formidable machine in its category, the 3D printing market is vast and diverse. It’s important to understand how it stacks up against other popular options, which may serve different needs entirely.

1. R QIDI TECHNOLOGY PLUS4 High-Speed 3D Printer

The QIDI PLUS4 represents a completely different branch of 3D printing technology. This is a high-speed FDM (filament) printer designed for large, functional parts. Its key features include a massive 600mm/s print speed, a heated chamber, and a high-temperature extruder capable of handling engineering-grade materials like PPS-CF. A user would choose the QIDI PLUS4 over the Anycubic Photon Mono 4 if their primary need is creating robust, structural components quickly and in large scale. It trades the microscopic detail of resin for raw speed, build volume, and material strength, making it ideal for prototyping mechanical parts or large props rather than intricate miniatures.

2. Sovol SV08 Core-XY 3D Printer

Similar to the QIDI, the Sovol SV08 is another high-performance FDM printer, this time built on the open-source Voron 2.4 Core-XY platform. This machine is aimed at the prosumer and tinkerer market. Its massive 13.8×13.8×13.6-inch build volume and 700mm/s speed are its main selling points. The SV08 is for users who want to print huge objects or batches of parts at once and enjoy the process of tuning and customizing their machine. It’s a powerhouse for functional printing, but for fine-detail work, the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer 10K Mono LCD remains vastly superior due to the fundamental differences between FDM and MSLA technology.

3. ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra 16K Resin 3D Printer

The ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra is the most direct competitor and represents a significant step up in the resin printing world. It also uses MSLA technology but features a larger 10-inch screen with an even higher 16K resolution. This makes it capable of producing even finer details over a larger build area. It also includes premium features like a heated resin tank for better print consistency and a convenient flip-up lid. A user would choose the ELEGOO Saturn 4 Ultra if they have a larger budget and their projects demand the absolute pinnacle of resolution available today or require a larger build volume than the Photon Mono 4 offers. It is an upgrade in almost every respect, but it comes at a correspondingly higher price point.

The Final Verdict: Is the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer 10K Mono LCD Right for You?

After extensive testing and analysis, our conclusion is clear: the ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 Resin 3D Printer 10K Mono LCD is an absolutely phenomenal machine that hits the perfect sweet spot between affordability, ease of use, and breathtaking print quality. It successfully democratizes 10K resolution, putting professional-grade detail within the reach of hobbyists, model makers, and small businesses. Its reliable performance, excellent build plate adhesion, and simple setup process remove many of the traditional barriers to entry for resin printing. While newcomers must be prepared for the learning curve of the resin ecosystem itself—including safety precautions and post-processing—the printer itself is a joy to work with.

We would unreservedly recommend this printer to anyone looking to get into high-detail 3D printing, whether for tabletop gaming miniatures, intricate jewelry design, or detailed scale models. It is a true workhorse that consistently delivers stunning results. If you are ready to stop compromising on detail and start bringing your digital creations to life with flawless precision, this is the printer you’ve been waiting for. You can check the latest price and secure your own ANYCUBIC Photon Mono 4 today.