The Creality Ender 5 S1 had a lot of things going for it when it was first launched in 2022. However, value was not one of them. With a release price of $559, it was an extremely hard sell against the $699 Bambu Lab P1P or the value-based Sovol SV06. As a result, the Ender 5 S1 was met with lukewarm reception.
However, with recent price cuts and paired with the updated Creality Sonic Pad, the Ender 5 S1 can now compete against the Bambu Lab P1P. The Ender 5 S1 is capable of high-quality prints with little user input needed. If you’re someone looking for a high-performance alternative to the Bambu Lab P1P that doesn’t need to rely on the company for parts and service—you’re going to be more than satisfied with the Creality Ender 5 S1.
Co-Founder & CTO
Amazon.com Disclosure: As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE: PLEASE READ BEFORE PROCEEDING
This review features the 3D printer, which has been kindly provided to us by the manufacturer for the purpose of this review. While the manufacturer has supported us by supplying the printer, they have not influenced the content of this review in any way. Our assessments and observations are entirely our own, and we have conducted our usual thorough testing to ensure we provide an accurate evaluation of the product. At 3DGearZone, we are committed to transparency and honesty, ensuring that our audience can trust the content we produce.
The original Creality Ender 5 was among the first in a series of affordable, box-framed FDM 3D printers. The 3D printer brought the best of both worlds to the table, combining the high-speed capabilities of a CoreXY machine with the simplicity of a cartesian FDM printer.
The Ender 5 S1 even took things a step further by introducing an easy enclosure, creating a controlled environment perfect for printing with temperature-sensitive filaments like ABS. Sadly, the original Creality Ender 5 was held back by a poor-quality bowden extruder and general quality control issues.
Fast forward to today, Creality hoped to redeem themselves with the Ender 5 S1. They upgraded the printer’s key components, such as the extruder, hot end, cooling system, and cable management, to improve its performance and reliability. Additionally, they added a color touchscreen to enhance user interface, making it easier to operate.
However, the Creality Ender 5 S1 by itself isn’t enough to top the 3D printing market. It needs to be paired with the Creality Sonic Pad to provide the best high-quality prints. The Creality Sonic Pad is a tablet that allows users to quickly install Klipper on Creality FDM printers. Klipper is a 3D printer firmware that incorporates advanced features such as an input shaper. This allows FDM printers to print significantly faster and integrate with network devices for remote control.
Creality has opted to pair the Sonic Pad with its Ender 5 S1 to allow it to compete with Bambu Lab’s P1P.
Creality has an extremely uphill battle as it faces extremely stiff competition from all fronts. On the budget side, it has Sovol’s SV06, ELEGOO Neptune 3, Anycubic Kobra, and Creality’s own Ender 3 S1 Pro, which all offer great print quality at a lower price point. On the higher end, it faces off against the well-received Bambu Lab’s P1P and Creality’s upcoming K1. Both of these machines offer a faster CoreXY design and already come out of the box assembled and ready to print.
Would the Ender 5 S1, paired with the Sonic Pad, have what it takes to compete in this highly crowded FDM 3D printer market? We’ve tested every aspect of the Ender 5 S1 to see if it’s worth your hard-earned cash.
Creality used to be almost entirely alone in the consumer box style 3D printer space. Usually reserved for extremely high end machines or DIY printers, the original Ender 5 was one of the very few consumer machines catering to this market segment. In 2023, the space is heating up with Bambulabs, Creality, Kingroon and Qidi-tech releasing a number of their own box style FDM 3D printers.
To ensure you select the right 3D printer that suits your needs, it’s important to consider a few key factors before making a purchase. The first thing you should look for is print quality, which we rated the Creality Ender 5 S1 a 9/10 for. This is attributed to its capability to generate extremely high-quality prints with consistent extrusion, z-alignment, and good dimensional accuracy. After conducting experiments on the Ender 5 S1, we also found little to no print artifacts.
Users should also keep in mind the assembly process and overall print experience of the machine they’re buying. We rated the Ender 5 S1 9/10 in both ease of use and setup. After all, while the printer does require some assembling, it was an overall pleasant experience thanks to its easy-to-read and extensive manual. Preparing prints for the S1 was also a breeze, thanks to Creality’s provided software that comes with ready-to-use print profiles. The Sonic Pad’s WiFi capabilities even allowed files to be sent from the computer directly to the printer.
Last but not least, make sure printer maintenance and finding replacement parts for it won’t bea huge challenge. Fortunately, Creality has an extensive supply chain where replacement parts can be found at multiple 3D printer retailers, Amazon, and Creality stores themselves. There will always be parts available for the Ender 5 S1.
Overall Score
Learn more about our 3D printer review methodology.
The Creality Ender 5 S1 belongs to the growing medium format box style FDM 3D printer segment. These printers focus on print quality, ease of use, speed, and the ability to be enclosed in order to print temperature sensitive filaments. This growing segment has companies like Creality, Bambulabs, Kingroon and Qidi-tech trying to establish themselves in market share.
We spent hundreds of hours testing the Creality Ender 5 S1 with the Sonic Pad to bring you all the information you need to make the right 3D printer purchase decision.
To thoroughly assess the capabilities of the Ender 5 S1, we subjected it to a large series of demanding test prints, pushing it to its limits and more. Additionally, we extensively scoured the internet to get a gauge of what kind of community this machine has. In order to provide a more comprehensive comparison, we also pitted it against its more direct competitor: the Bambulabs P1P.
Creality is one of today’s leading printer manufacturers, notably recognized for its highly popular Ender line of FDM 3D printers. Taking a stride beyond the budget-focused Ender 3 series, the Ender 5 series introduces a box-style frame that unlocks a greater potential for printing speed. Further building upon the original Ender 5, Creality has refined the design with the Ender 5 S1. This advanced version modernizes the original Ender 5 with its acclaimed direct drive Sprite extruder, automatic bed leveling, and spring steel build surface. When paired with the Sonic Pad, the Ender 5 S1 elevates its capabilities, boasting increased print speeds, a generous 7” touch screen, and WiFi connectivity.
Unboxing and Assembly
The printer comes packaged in several layers of packing foam, protecting it well from its overseas travels. Additionally, smaller parts are separated into bags and clearly labeled, making it easy to identify and sort the bolts and small parts included.
Creality Ender 5 S1 already comes partially assembled from the factory, with the top gantry and bottom assembly forming the major assemblies supported by four extrusions on each corner. It’s put together by screwing in a number of bolts through each of these extrusions into the top and bottom assemblies. Through trialing, we found that it took about 30 minutes to fully assemble the Ender 5 S1.
The assembly process is more involved compared to typical cartesian FDM printers. Fortunately, the box has a pretty extensive assembly manual, making it accessible and user-friendly for newcomers to 3D printing. During our testing of the product, we were impressed with the quality of the packaging, the thoroughness of the manual, and the overall ease of assembly. These aspects are comparable to those found in high-end Western brands like Prusa. If you’re new to 3D printing, rest assured that you can successfully assemble the Ender 5 S1 with only the help of the provided manual.
While the Ender 5 S1 is easier to assemble compared to its predecessor, it is far behind the fully assembled nature of the Bambu Lab P1P and Creality’s upcoming K1. Potential users looking for a plug-and-play experience may want to look at the latter two printers instead.
Leveling the bed
Previously, the majority of budget 3D printers relied on the user to manually level the bed before printing. However, many of the newer 3D printers come with some form of automatic bed leveling—and the Creality Ender 5 S1 is no exception.
The Ender 5 S1 comes equipped with a BL Touch style automatic bed leveling sensor, which Creality calls the “CR touch.” This is coupled with their tried and true manual bed leveling knobs. When first assembled, users manually raise and lower the build bed using a piece of paper and the leveling knobs on each corner. This physically levels the bed plate against the tool head before the automatic bed leveling compensates for any other irregularities in the bed plate.
The CR touch runs before each print to ensure that an accurate bed mesh is created and used to make sure the first layer is printed reliably. Overall, we found that manually leveling the bed before having automatic bed leveling at the start of each print resulted in clean first layers and a reliable build plate adhesion.
Setting up Klipper with the Creality Sonic Pad
With the latest update, Creality has made it incredibly easy to install Klipper on the majority of their latest printers. When powered on for the first time, the Sonic Pad presents a drop-down menu for supported Creality printers. Once selected, users then insert an SD card to flash the firmware into the Ender 5 S1. When installed, the Sonic Pad is plugged via USB into the Ender 5 S1. An installation wizard will then appear to guide users to configure Klipper for the FDM 3D printer.
After all has been said and done, users can now benefit from the many Klipper features, such as improved print speeds, input shaping, a beautiful UI, and network connectivity. The Creality Sonic Pad can support up to four printers at once, making it extremely useful for print farm users trying to upgrade and connect their printers to their wireless network.
Coupled with its motion system and Klipper, the Ender 5 S1 promises the potential of high-speed, and high quality printing. In particular, we were pretty excited to test out the Sprite extruder and “improved” 5015 blower fan cooler.
How we tested the machine
We tested the Creality Ender 5 S1 in four important areas: the ability to resolve details, dimensional accuracy, z-layer alignment, and print repeatability. For the tests, we used stock 0.2mm layer height settings shipped in Creality Slicer.
We put the Ender 5 S1 through our usual gauntlet of test models that represent many objects that customers may print. This includes benchmarks such as the common benchy, the calibration cube, and the z-banding tower. This is followed by figures and models such as the Mandalorian figure and the low poly Pikachu. Finally, we used a cellphone case model to test the Ender 5 S1’s ability to handle flexible materials such as TPU.
Because we used the Creality Sonic Pad, we deviated from our usual methodology of just using the stock profiles on Creality Slicer. Ordinarily, the Ender 5 S1 comes with default print profiles that have a print speed of 50mm/s. However, we increased it to 100mm/s to see how much of a print speed improvement Klipper brings to the table.
To test the Ender 5 S1’s z-alignment consistency, we printed a 275mm tall tube in vase mode. Quality control and design of the z-axis assembly dictates the consistency of the z-axis of a 3D printer. If the lead screw in the z-axis is off or bent by even a fraction of a degree, ribbing artifacts (known as “z wobble”) will appear on the 3D print. Tall and smooth objects like a tube will highlight any z inconsistencies on a print and will reveal quality control or assembly issues of a 3D printer.
Results
Printing the benchy and calibration cube was an easy task for the Creality Ender 5 S1. Our investigations demonstrated that the new Sprite direct drive extruder was a great step up from the old bowden extruder, with the benchy showing consistent extrusion and no visual artifacts.
This was also the case with the calibration cube with its sharp corners and smooth walls. Notably, the 20mm calibration cube measured 20.2mm (l) x 20.2mm (w), which was on par with any modern direct drive extruder that we have tested. We then repeatedly printed the calibration cube to test its print consistency and found that there were virtually no differences between all the calibration cubes.
The 5015 blower fan included on the Ender 5 S1 is a huge improvement from the much weaker 4010 radial fan found on the majority of Creality printers. This is further improved by the injection molded fan duct that blows on both sides of the hotend nozzle to ensure that the molten plastic is evenly cooled from all directions. When printed at the 100mm/s speeds that we used throughout our Ender 5 S1 testing, the printer was able to adequately cool prints, resulting in sharp corners and well-formed overhangs and bridges.
We next printed the Mandalorian figure, which puts its ability to print large amounts of details to the test. Our analysis of this product revealed that the Ender 5 S1 had no trouble faithfully reproducing the fine details in this model.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, we printed the low poly Pikachu. Featuring large flat sections that exaggerate layer lines or inconsistent extrusion, we would be able to observe any poor-quality extrusions. Based on our observations, the S1 produced an extremely high-quality low-poly Pikachu with no extrusion artifacts.
Finally, we tested the Ender 5 S1 Pro’s ability to print flexible filaments. We opted for it to print a cellphone case in TPU filament, as mentioned above. Most modern direct drive extruders excel in printing difficult filaments (TPU for our tests), and the S1 Pro’s sprite extruder was no exception. We found that the Ender 5 S1 can print TPU filament relatively quickly at 50mm/s. And while the Ender 5 S1 is especially susceptible to z wobble due to the unsupported single z axis, our findings show that the Ender 5 S1 had no issues with z wobble throughout our tests.
Setting Up Prints
The Ender 5 S1 ships with Creality Slicer, a skinned version of Cura version 4.8.2. Note that Cura 4.8.2 was released at the beginning of 2021, making it over two years behind the current Cura 5.4. However, competitors like Anycubic ship even older versions of the Cura slicer, making Creality a bit better than the rest. Regardless, we fully expect any 3D printer company that reskins open-source software like Cura to keep their version up to date.
Note: Experienced users can opt not to use Creality Slicer, as Cura 5.4 does come with print profiles for Ender 5 S1 Pro. However, we review printers with their respective software that they ship with, so we’ll go over Creality Ender 5 S1 with Creality Slicer for this discussion.
Anyway, using Creality Slicer was a no-fuss and pleasant affair. With built-in profiles for the Ender 5 S1, users simply had to load 3D files of their choice and get Creality Slicer to process the file into code. Thanks to the Creality Sonic Pad, the files can even be wirelessly uploaded to the Ender 5 S1. Users then can either use the large 7” touchscreen of the Sonic Pad to start the print or use a web browser to wirelessly control the printer.
Creality also ships many of its new printers with its in-house app called Creality Cloud. This app serves as a helpful tool for various 3D printing tasks, such as downloading 3D models, slicing them into printable layers, and easily transferring the files to the printer. Creality hopes that the app will make the process of 3D printing as seamless as possible.
Unfortunately, we were unable to fully test Creality Cloud out. Our firsthand experience had Windows 10’s anti-virus triggering an alert when trying to download the app. In the interest of protecting our work computers, the research team decided not to go forward with trying to test it out.
Noise Levels
Many modern 3D printers are relatively quiet, and the Creality Ender 5 S1 is no exception. In fact, the Ender 5 S1 is significantly quieter compared to newer high-speed CoreXY printers like the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon or the Creality K1. Those machines have very large blower fans (their noise levels can climb over 60 db), which becomes extremely annoying in an office environment.
When powered on and idle, the Ender 5 S1 is silent with no fans active. And when the printer is in motion, the loudest sound we recorded was about 55db.
The Creality Ender 5 S1 is a relatively compact box-style FDM 3D printer. Measuring 425mm (l) x 460mm (w) x 570mm (h), it’s about the same size as a typical cartesian 3D printer. However, it does have the added benefit of not requiring additional room on the Y axis due to its bed not needing to move back and forth. It moves up and down instead.
For comparison, the Ender 5 S1 is slightly smaller than Creality’s own Ender 3 S1 Pro due to the lack of a horizontal moving bed and a top-mounted spool holder.
The Ender 5 S1 sports an average build volume of 220mm (l) x 220mm (w) x 280mm (h). The majority of FDM 3D printers in this class have very similar build volumes with a difference of 1-2 cm on an axis. Most users would not be able to notice the difference in build printer volumes unless they were printing edge to edge.
The printer is constructed out of 2020 and 2040 aluminum extrusion and reinforced with injection molded plastic brackets. This results in an extremely rigid and robust frame which inspires a lot of confidence from us.
Due to the amount of metal, however, the printer weighs over 12kg, making it quite heavy. The good news is that the Ender 5 S1 is equipped with handlebars, which makes moving it slightly easier. Nonetheless, we recommend that at least two people move the machine around.
A massive improvement from the older Ender 5 is Creality utilizing a single nylon-wrapped cable bundle for wire connections from the base to the toolhead. Previously, it had three separate wire bundles, which resulted in both a mechanical hazard and poor aesthetics. The new single cable bundle reduced safety risks along with a much cleaner appearance.
Overall, we found the Creality Ender 5 S1 to be a handsome machine with its smooth black aluminum extrusions, injection molded plastic parts, and clean cabling. This is in contrast to the very barebones and DIY appearance of the Bambu Lab P1P.
Thermal Runaway Protection
One of the biggest concerns of 3D printing is the heater potentially losing control and catching fire. Like most modern 3D printers, the Ender 5 S1 features thermal runaway protection. With it, it is able to constantly monitor its temperature against what the output temperature should be. If the temperatures do not match, the printer shuts down the hotend to stop any fire risks.
Cable Relief and Cable Management
3D printers like the Creality Ender 5 have multiple moving parts (such as the hot end and heated bed) that need to be connected for power and communication. The Ender 5 S1 has its wires bundled in a nylon sleeve to protect them and give a much cleaner overall appearance. This is a huge improvement from the older Ender 5, which had multiple wire bundles, which resulted in increased snagging risks and poorer aesthetics.
Nevertheless, all the wires that connect these parts should be organized and protected for reliability and safety.
During our testing, we found that the nylon sleeving, combined with a plastic wire holder, keeps the wires positioned above the print surface. This setup significantly reduces the risk of the cable bundle getting caught on either the moving hot end or the printed parts.
Our team also discovered that the wires connected to the control board and PSU are properly terminated in ferrules. This is an extremely important safety upgrade from older generation Creality machines, as those featured tinned wire ends, which were prone to heating up and melting over time. Having properly crimped wire ends dramatically reduces fire hazards when operating 3D printers such as the Ender 5 S1.
Finding Replacement Parts
As one of the most popular 3D printer manufacturers globally, one of Creality’s greatest strengths lies in their well-established supply chain. This means you can source replacement parts from a variety of 3D printer retailers, online marketplaces like Amazon, and directly from Creality-accedited branches near you. Compared to Bambu Lab where parts are only available directly, Creality holds the distinct advantage of not waiting for shipping from overseas for replacement parts.
Accessing the Control Board
Like the majority of the modern 3D printers, the Creality Ender 5 S1 has its electronics enclosed on the bottom of the 3D printer. This protects the control board and other parts from dust, filament bits, and prying fingers. The only “downside” to this is that the printer needs to be tipped over to reveal the bottom cover—but the Ender 5 S1 is light enough to be tipped over, so it’s okay.
A few screws hold the bottom panel in place and the control board is revealed once the panel has been removed. There is sufficient room for users to maneuver around the control board if wires or the control board need to be serviced or replaced.
High Temperature Direct Drive Sprite Extruder
The High-Temperature Direct Drive Sprite Extruder is probably the biggest upgrade in the latest generation of Creality printers. The branded Sprite extruder features a dual-gear direct drive design with a 3:1 gear reduction in an extremely compact package. Compared to Creality’s last-generation bowden extruder, the new one is capable of much faster and more accurate printing along with faster and more reliable printing of flexible filaments such as TPU.
The machine also features a bi-metallic heatbreak which allows it to heat up to 300c. This lets the Ender 5 S1 print high-temperature materials such as Nylon and Polycarbonate.
Filament Runout Sensor
The Filament Runout Sensor is a staple among modern 3D printers. This part can detect when a printer runs out of filament, allowing users to manually reload it before continuing. The Creality Ender 5 S1 features one mounted to the right side of the printer (next to its spool holder), which we love. In the past, the filament sensor was located so close to the extruder that it made it extremely difficult to swap out. Now, the Ender 5 S1 has mounted its sensor far away enough to make it easy to swap filament when needed.
Automatic Bed Leveling with CR Touch
The Creality Ender 5 S1 comes equipped with a Creality-branded touch bed sensor that is extremely similar to the popular BL Touch. It works by having a retractable pin that touches multiple points on the bed to create a mesh that the Ender 5 S1 can use to print on. This style of automatic bed leveling is a proven and reliable method to ensure that the first layer of any print sticks to the print bed. The Ender 5 S1 also is equipped with manual leveling knobs on each corner of the heated bed to fine-tune the bed level.
In short, users have the flexibility to choose between automatic leveling for initial setup convenience and manual adjustment for fine-tuning the bed level to perfection. Many experienced 3D printer users, including ourselves, appreciate having both automatic and manual leveling. After all, this is what gives the set up an accurate and precise printing surface.
Magnetic Spring Steel Polycarbonate Bed Sheet
First pioneered by Prusa Research back in 2017, spring steel sheets combine excellent adhesion with easy print removal. The Ender 5 S1 features one with a polycarbonate coating. The coating claims to have greater adhesion than the PEI coatings found in many other competing brands at the cost of more difficult print removal—which we found true during our tests. We appreciate that Creality has included this must-have upgrade in Ender 5 S1.
4.3” Color Touchscreen
Like nearly all modern 3D printers, the Creality Ender 5 S1 features a 4.3” color touchscreen. With it, users can easily access and adjust various settings, such as temperature, print speed, and filament type, with just a few taps on the screen. This makes setting up and monitoring 3D printers a much more pleasant experience compared to the monochromatic LCDs and click wheels from a couple of years ago.
Creality Sonic Pad
The Creality Sonic Pad is a ruggedized seven-inch tablet designed to easily install Klipper firmware into many of Creality’s modern FDM 3D printers. The Sonic Pad offers a one-tap solution that greatly expands a FDM printer’s capabilities, including print speed, print quality, as well as improved UI and network connectivity. Creality even released an update to the Sonic Pad that allows it to control up to four FDM 3D printers at once, making it a great option for users with multiple printers.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3221459858109035
Creality Forum: https://forums.creality3dofficial.com/community/ender-55pro/
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ender5
The Creality Ender 5 S1 by itself does not make a compelling product in 2023. However, when paired with the Creality Sonic Pad, it quickly transforms it into a more enticing package. The Ender 5 S1 sets itself apart from the Creality’s other Ender machines with its easily enclosed box style mechanics and greater print speed potential. This unique combination makes it a great candidate for users looking to dabble in engineering-grade filaments that require an enclosed environment.
The Sonic Pad is an excellent addition to Creality’s latest line of printers, as it simplifies the installation of Klipper firmware. With this addition, we were able to implement its input shaper with the included accelerometer and increase the machine’s printing speed up to 100mm/s without compromising print quality. This is coupled with its beautiful 7” touchscreen and built-in WiFi, culminating in an overall satisfying and user-friendly experience..
However, we cannot just review the Ender 5 S1 in a vacuum. After all, the 800 pound gorillas, Bambulabs P1P and Creality K1, are in the room. In many cases, the Bambulabs P1P and Creality K1 have the edge over the Ender 5 S1—they come fully assembled from the factory, have more stable z assembly, offer faster printing, and tout the ability to be upgraded to print multiple materials. However, Creality’s international supply chain of parts and upgrades allows its users to repair and mod their printers without needing to wait for overseas shipping.
The Creality Ender 5 S1 is an overall excellent FDM 3D printer, particularly when paired with the Sonic Pad.While it may be overshadowed by the gleaming Bambulabs P1P and the recently introduced Creality K1, the machine boasts a track record of reliability and proven design. It is also supported by a huge community and network of retailers and suppliers. In contrast, Bambulab’s P1P lacks similar retailer backing, and the Creality K1, though interesting, remains relatively untested with few units currently in circulation.
With all that said, it’s difficult not to recommend the Creality Ender 5 S1 with the Sonic Pad. This setup is an ideal choice for users seeking an economical and easily upgradable FDM 3D printing platform that delivers great performance straight out of the box.
Disclaimer
3DGearZone.com is a professional review site that receives compensation from the companies whose products we review. We test each product thoroughly and give high marks to only the very best. We don’t guarantee, however, that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services. 3DGearZone.com is independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Share Article
We are dedicated to delivering honest and objective reviews. Our mission is to help you select the right 3D products for your specific needs, budget, and interests.
Amazon.com Disclosure: As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
