Yesterday I published a 3D Printer Buyer’s Guide that was targeted to first-time buyers. In short, I recommended the Creality Ender-3 V2 Neo. At approximately $250, it’s a great all-around 3D printer for beginners. This morning I received an announcement from Creality that they have released the Ender-3 V3 SE. More details are provided on this blog and product page. I knew that yesterday’s post would eventually become outdated, but not having actually used the Ender-3 V3 SE, I’d say that this would be an equally good if not better starting point for a first-time buyer.
The Ender-3 V3 SE is more or less the same as the Ender-3 V2 Neo, with a few differences. First, they’ve appeared to improve the display with a better user interface. Second, there is new automatic filament loading and unloading feature. Third, the flexible build plate is no longer provided with the Ender-3 V3 SE, but it can be purchased as an optional accessory. Finally, and perhaps the most compelling and welcome change for many buyers, the Ender-3 V3 SE is priced at $199 as of today. I believe that there is a competitive advantage to breaking the $200 barrier because psychologically it may be perceived to be within reach by many people who might have been sitting the fence. Of course when you add tax, filament, a flexible build plate, and other accessories, it will be more than $200. However, in my opinion the additional ease-of-use features and the competitive pricing are critically important in bringing 3D printers into more households and making this hobby more mainstream. Everybody wins!
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