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Find the best 3D printer for your money - specs vs. price, no marketing noise.

Best resin 3D printers under $1300

Updated 21 May 2026 · Live prices on every page load from United States marketplaces

Ranked off live United States marketplaces prices plus the specs that actually matter on a resin machine: XY pixel size (finer is better), build volume, and light-source technology. Bigger numbers don't always mean better prints - but they do mean more headroom for miniatures, dental work and jewellery casting. Resin is messier than FDM; expect to spend time on wash, cure and nitrile gloves.

  1. #1
    Creality Halot-X1 Resin
    Creality
    Halot-X1 Resin
    $399 MSLA · 14 µm XY · 5.0 L · 16K
  2. #2
    Antinsky Ergate-01 PRO
    Antinsky
    Ergate-01 PRO
    $449 MSLA · 14 µm XY · 5.7 L · 16K
  3. #3
    Uniformation 16K Resin
    Uniformation
    16K Resin
    $700 MSLA · 14 µm XY · 6.0 L · 15120 x 6230 (16K)
  4. #4
    phrozen Mighty 12K
    phrozen
    Mighty 12K
    $386 MSLA · 16.8 µm XY · 2.8 L · 13320 x 5120
  5. #5
    ApexMaker MINI 14K LCD/MSLA
    ApexMaker
    MINI 14K LCD/MSLA
    $800 MSLA · 16.8 µm XY · 6.0 L · 13320 * 5120
  6. #6
    ELEGOO Mercury X Wash and Cure Station and ABS-Li
    ELEGOO
    Mercury X Wash and Cure Station and ABS-Li
    $166 MSLA · 18 µm XY · 2.1 L
  7. #7
    ELEGOO Mars 4 Resin
    ELEGOO
    Mars 4 Resin
    $185 MSLA · 18 µm XY · 2.1 L · 8520*4320
  8. #8
    ELEGOO Mercury XS
    ELEGOO
    Mercury XS
    $200 MSLA · 18 µm XY · 2.1 L · 8520 x 4320
  9. #9
    ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra
    ELEGOO
    Mars 5 Ultra
    $240 MSLA · 18 µm XY · 2.0 L · 8520 x 4320
  10. #10
    ELEGOO Mars 4 Ultra Resin and ELEGOO Mercury Plus
    ELEGOO
    Mars 4 Ultra Resin and ELEGOO Mercury Plus
    $315 MSLA · 18 µm XY · 2.0 L · 8520x4320

Matt's take on this budget

At $1300 you're in prosumer resin territory - heated resin vats, integrated filtration, faster layer times, larger builds. This is where dental labs and jewellery houses start their equipment budget. For hobbyists it's almost certainly overkill, unless you genuinely need a 10+ L resin bath for terrain, busts or bulk miniatures. Check the resin compatibility list: at this tier, certain machines are optimised for dental / castable / tough-engineering resins and will struggle with cheap hobby resin.

Frequently asked

Is a $1300 resin printer overkill for hobbyists? +

Mostly, yes. The print-quality ceiling is hit by $650-class 8K machines. $1300 buys you heated resin vats, integrated filtration, 10K+ screens and larger builds - valuable if you print daily, marginal if you print monthly.

Who should spend $1300 on a resin printer? +

Small commercial mini makers, jewellery prototypers, dental lab starters, and cosplayers who actually print full-size busts and helmets in pieces. If you are a hobbyist who prints twice a month, the $650 tier gets you 95 % of the output.

Can I print dental or castable resins at this budget? +

Some machines support them, but you also need the specific resin formulation (dental models, castable wax-like) and correctly calibrated exposure profiles. Check the vendor resin compatibility list before committing - not all $1300 printers handle engineering-grade resins.

Other resin budgets
Resin under $250 Resin under $400 Resin under $650 Resin under $2500
Or switch to FDM: Best FDM under $1300 →

Related reading

Long readFDM vs resin 3D printingWhen each process wins, where each fails, and why most beginners should start with FDM.Read →Long readHow to pick your first 3D printerSpec by spec, what actually matters on a first printer and what the marketing hopes you will not question.Read →

Ranking is driven by the spec sheet plus live price. Print quality on resin also depends heavily on the slicer, the resin itself, exposure tuning and post-processing - none of which are on the spec sheet. Treat this as a shortlist, read owner reports, then buy.