ELEGOO Mars 3 Review
The Mars 3 brings professional-level resin printing to your desk without emptying your wallet. Its 6.6-inch 4K monochrome screen captures the smallest details with crisp, smooth layers, while faster cures and a longer-lasting display keep you creating instead of waiting.
Score breakdown
The printer that took resin mainstream
When it was first released, the Mars 3 was the home resin printer to beat. It improves on the Mars 2 with sharper layer lines, faster cures, and a longer-lasting screen, all with minimal cost increase. The printer closed the gap between beat-up entry models and clunky prosumer rigs, letting you spend a fraction of pro prices with none of the headaches.
A critical part of its appeal was its place in a growing ecosystem of readily available resins and community support. You've got tons of resin brands at your fingertips, plus forums and social groups full of real-world tips. That crowd-sourced know-how makes setup and troubleshooting feel less like a chore.
The Mars 3 significantly increased the use of resin 3D printing by hobbyists and small businesses. What once felt like a niche tool became something you could depend on for everyday creative work, helping shift resin printing from obscurity into the mainstream.
An Overview of ELEGOO Printers
ELEGOO has quickly become a major name in consumer 3D printing, blending reliable performance with affordable pricing. Since launching in 2015, the company has focused on resin printers, helping bring a once industrial-only tech into homes, classrooms, and small studios. Today its lineup goes beyond printers to resins, wash-and-cure stations, and accessories.
What makes ELEGOO stand out is how it packs advanced features into machines that don't break the bank, while listening to customers and improving with each release. The Mars lineup put them on the map, and the Mars 3 in particular was a turning point, pushing resin printing forward with a 4K monochrome screen and better resolution.
Unboxing and Building the ELEGOO Mars 3
Unboxing the Mars 3 is simple and stress-free. It comes in a rigid, well-packed box with dense foam holding everything snug. The Mars 3 is nearly fully assembled, so there's no pile of parts or lengthy manual: remove a few pieces of foam and film from the vat and plate, and you're basically ready to print. All the extras (gloves, scrapers, a USB stick with software and test files) are packed neatly in a smaller box inside.
What's in the Box?
- ▪Mars 3 printer
- ▪Build platform
- ▪Resin tank
- ▪USB drive
- ▪Mask and gloves
- ▪Funnel
- ▪Backup screws
- ▪Scraper and tools
- ▪Power adapter
- ▪User manual
Building the Machine
The Mars 3 is largely pre-assembled, so setup is a handful of quick steps. Here's how the process breaks down with estimated times and tips.
| Stage | Time Estimate | Key Challenges | Tips / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unboxing & Placement | 10-20 min | Picking a stable, ventilated spot | Choose a level surface away from direct sunlight; verify parts against the manual. |
| Removing Shipping Protection | 2-5 min | Locating all foam and ties | Remove foam inserts and zip ties on the Z-axis; keep packaging for transport. |
| Connecting Power & USB | 2-5 min | Identifying the power port | Plug into a grounded outlet; keep the USB port accessible. |
| Power-On & Onboarding | 5-10 min | Navigating the touchscreen | Flip the rear power switch; follow language selection and self-test. |
| Attaching & Leveling Plate | 5-10 min | Alignment and tightness | Loosen the two screws, press the plate onto leveling paper over the screen, retighten. |
| Resin & Slicer Prep | 15-30 min | Learning the slicer, model setup | Use ChiTuBox (free) or Lychee; import, orient, support, and slice your model. |
Our Initial Impressions on Build Quality
The first thing you notice picking up the Mars 3 is how good it feels for the price. It's not heavy, but it has a sturdy, compact build that feels more like a serious tool than a cheap gadget. The Z-axis linear rail feels strong and smooth, which matters for consistent results, and the build plate is thick and well-machined.
You can still see where ELEGOO trimmed costs. The outer shell is plastic, perfectly adequate but without the premium feel of a metal frame, and it may flex slightly if you grip too hard. The vat and lid are decent rather than tough, and the included tools are basic but usable. The Mars 3 focuses on what matters most: reliable core components, cutting unnecessary features to keep the price low.
Design and Technical Specifications
The Mars 3 has a no-nonsense design that fits well in a workshop or creative setup. Front and center is the 6.6-inch 4K monochrome screen, which projects each layer onto the resin with great precision and lets more UV light through than older RGB screens, meaning faster cures and a longer-lasting display. Beneath it, a COB UV light source spreads light evenly across the print area.
A lead screw and stepper motor handle vertical movement for smooth, stable Z-axis motion, while the resin vat's FEP film ensures clean layer separation and the sandblasted build plate adds grip for the first few layers. Internal fans manage heat from the UV array and control board, and the touchscreen keeps print controls simple.
Key Technical Specifications
- ▪Build Volume: 143 x 89.6 x 175mm
- ▪LCD: 6.6″ 4K mono (4098 x 2560)
- ▪XY Resolution: 0.035mm (35 µm)
- ▪Printing Speed: 30-50mm/h
- ▪Layer Thickness: 0.01-0.2mm
- ▪Z-Axis Accuracy: 0.00125mm
- ▪Printing Tech: MSLA
- ▪Light Source: COB, 405nm
- ▪Screen Protector: PET scratch-resistant film
- ▪Operating Screen: 3.5″ resistive touch
- ▪Slicer: ChiTuBox (EL3D-3.0.1)
- ▪Connectivity: USB offline printing
- ▪Dimensions: 227 x 227 x 438.5mm
- ▪Net Weight: 5.2kg
Print Performance and Quality
The Mars 3 consistently delivers reliable prints, making it easy to trust for simple jobs and ambitious projects alike. It excels at detail reproduction, producing fine textures, sharp edges, and tiny features with fantastic clarity. Whether you're printing miniatures, detailed models, or intricate design work, it holds onto subtle elements that many printers lose. Layering is so precise that lines are barely noticeable even before cleanup.
Dimensional accuracy is a strong point: printed parts fit together well, which is perfect for mechanical components and tight tolerances. It isn't perfect, though. Resin handling and cleanup can get messy, fumes call for good ventilation or an enclosure, and the limited build volume means larger models must be split or scaled down.
Test Prints and Benchmark Results
| Test Type | Result Highlights | Observations |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Benchmark | Exceptional precision; sharp edges and fine detail | Features reproduced consistently across the plate, no significant distortions. |
| Resin Exposure Test | Clear differentiation between settings; optimal curing | Ideal exposure identified where features are full but not brittle or bloated. |
| Thin Wall Test | Uniform thickness; fine walls cured completely | Walls are solid and gap-free, resolving fine detail near the resolution limit. |
| Hole / Pin Test | Holes and pins reproduced to minimum feature size | Holes are clean and round; pins are sharp and fit precisely. |
| Overhang / Bridge | Minimal sagging on overhangs and bridges | Undersides are smooth with little stair-stepping; bridges stay straight. |
| Support Removal & Finish | Supports detach cleanly, leaving small nubs | Removal is straightforward and surface quality needs minimal post-processing. |
Firmware, Tuning, and Calibration
Custom firmware powers every aspect of the Mars 3, from touchscreen menus to firing the UV array and guiding Z-axis motion. Updating is quick: grab the latest build from ELEGOO's support site, copy it to a USB stick, and plug it in. Updates often smooth out performance, though they occasionally introduce glitches that require rolling back.
Proper UV exposure tuning is the heart of successful resin prints: every new resin calls for a sweet-spot exposure time. Fine-tuning lift and retract speeds balances print time against suction forces. Leveling remains a hands-on ritual, loosening the screws, pressing the plate onto paper, and retightening, which can be fiddly after swapping vats or moving the printer.
Possible Upgrades for the ELEGOO Mars 3
Upgrading the Mars 3 is a smart move to improve reliability, reduce cleanup time, and fit it to your workflow. The most practical and popular options:
- ▪Flexible magnetic build-plate system
- ▪Silicone heating band for the resin vat
- ▪External purifiers and ventilation
- ▪PFA (nFEP or ACF) release film
- ▪Spare resin vats and UV-blocking covers
- ▪LCD screen protectors and Z-motor dampers
Maintenance and Common Issues
The Mars 3 prints consistently well, but only if you take care of it. Clean the build plate after each job, filter and stir reused resin, and keep the LCD free of dust and resin with a lint-free cloth and IPA. Store resin in a cool, dark place, and cure leftover resin or soaked towels before disposal. The common issues and what they point to:
- ▪Warping or cupping — internal stresses or insufficient hollowing; add drainage holes and supports.
- ▪Failed supports — under-curing or too few contact points; revisit support design and exposure.
- ▪Resin cured to the FEP film — remove carefully after a failure to avoid blocking layers or damaging the LCD.
- ▪"Elephant foot" effect — over-exposed bottom layers or wrong Z-offset; reduce bottom exposure.
Comparisons with Alternative Models
Here's how the Mars 3 compares with its primary competitors in the desktop resin market, plus its own successor.
| ELEGOO Mars 3 | Anycubic Photon Mono 2 | Creality Halot-One | ELEGOO Mars 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build Volume | 143 × 90 × 175 mm | 143 × 89 × 165 mm | 127 × 80 × 160 mm | 153 × 78 × 175 mm |
| Print Speed | Up to 50 mm/h | Up to 50 mm/h | 20-60 mm/h | Up to 30 mm/h |
| Resolution | 4K (35 µm) | 4K (34 µm) | 4K (40 µm) | 9K (18 µm) |
| Price Range | $200 – $300 | $180 – $280 | $150 – $250 | $250 – $350 |
The Anycubic Photon Mono 2 and Creality Halot-One are close, cheaper rivals with similar 4K detail. The Mars 4 steps up to a 9K screen and slightly larger volume. Against its direct peers, the Mars 3 still holds its own on detail and ecosystem support.
Our Final Take
When it first came out, the Mars 3 made a big impact, and over the years it built a reputation for reliability and quality, especially for users willing to learn the basics of resin printing. Today it's been outpaced by newer printers with faster speeds and larger build areas, but it can still hold its own with a few upgrades: a flexible build plate, better vat film, and improved ventilation go a long way.
Is it still worth it? Yes, but only at the right price. If you find one second-hand or on discount and put in a little work to upgrade it, the Mars 3 remains a dependable and capable machine.
Scott Gabdullin is a Canadian entrepreneur, investor, and marketing expert who has successfully combined his passion for technology and innovation with a love for adventure and exploration.
Scott brings 12 years of digital marketing experience and a hardcore work ethic to his new passion for 3D printing. If he is not working on this business, he is likely travelling and Overlanding across North America with his wife and 2-year-old son in their Jeep Rubicon.
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